INVENTORY SURVEY

Inventory of agro-input suppliers and products sold (pesticides & herbicides) compiled including active ingredient analysis and label matching in both informal and formal shops/agents in Krong Nang and Di Linh districts.

KEY RESULTS

1. Inventory report of agro-input suppliers and products sold (pesticides & herbicides) was completed (the report can be shared upon request). Main findings: 218 pesticide companies with 2,072 pesticide “formulations”, 155 herbicide formulations and 59 glyphosate containing formulations were identified. Some forbidden chemicals such as Ethoprophos, and Carbenzim were still found in the survey areas.
2. Based on the above-mentioned main findings, a Policy Recommendation was made to the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on improved management of plant protection agro-chemical trade & usage.

GEOGRAPHICAL MAPPING

Geographic mapping of agro-input use throughout the Central Highlands to identify hotspots and understand why more pesticides/herbicides are used in certain regions in relation to location, climate, type, pest incidence.

KEY RESULTS

1. Report was finalized including identification of hot spots of glyphosate usage and samples on maximum residue levels of glyphosate taken, analyzed and needs more understanding. A Policy Recommendation was made to the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on improved management of plant protection, agro-chemical trade & usage.
2. Main findings of the report have been shared and discussed with the Government authorities at central (Department of Plant Protection, Department of Crop Production under MARD and at local level (Provincial & District People’s Committees and Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development) who will develop a strategy on enforcing the ban of glyphosate trade and usage.

FIELD TESTING

Field-testing under controlled conditions of glyphosate, alternative herbicides and weed management practices.

KEY RESULTS

1. A Standard Operating Procedure for the field testing has been developed and finalized by the Western Highland Agricultural and Forestry Science Institute (WASI) and the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) with technical assistance provided by members of the GCP initiative.

POLICY ADVOCACY

Based on results of applied field research and discussions with stakeholders at local, national and global level, the initiative prepares recommendations to the government.

KEY RESULTS AND WORK IN PROGRESS

1. Recommendation letter initiated by GCP, IDH and other partners from the private sector on glyphosate use related issues has been developed and submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD).
2. With the inputs provided by Dept. of Plant Protection, Dept. of Crop Production and National Agricultural Extension Centre (NAEC) under MARD and Tay Nguyen University, WASI developed a Weed Management Manual for farmers which is officially endorsed by MARD and shared on the NAEC Website. Read the Weed Management Manual for farmers here

AWARENESS RAISING

Awareness raising campaign on the risks of excess use of agro-inputs (with special focus on glyphosate) and the permissible Maximum Residue Levels

KEY RESULTS AND WORK IN PROGRESS

1. Workshop in late March 2021 with 58 participants from public and private sectors to share the initiative implementation progress and main findings of the inventory survey was conducted.
2. 1,000 Awareness Posters have been produced and distributed to farmers for replication through five Provincial Agricultural Extension Centers and coffee trading companies (ACOM, Louis Dreyfus Company, SIMEXCO, DAKMAN, Neumann Kaffee Gruppe and Sucden Coffee). See the poster here.
3. 20,000 leaflets introducing the Initiative have been distributed to stakeholders to give the sector a deeper understanding and inviting for cooperation in implementation of the initiative.
4. Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) have been signed on the dissemination of the Collective Action Initiative’s knowledge to farmers and cooperation in training activities with NAEC, Community Development Centre, ACOM, SIMEXCO and DAKMAN. Due to the tense Covid situation in Vietnam, putting the MoUs into action is delayed.

WEED MANAGEMENT MANUAL

Consolidation of best weed management practices and development of an integrated weed management manual

KEY RESULTS AND WORK IN PROGRESS

1. An Integrated Weed Management Manual developed by WASI has been endorsed and uploaded onto the NAEC website. 1,100 copies of the manual have been printed and distributed to relevant stakeholders.
2. The Integrated Weed Management Manual has been shared with members of the Vietnam Coffee Coordination Board and through GCP communications channels.
3. Three virtual training courses ‘Training of Trainers’ on weed management have been conducted with the participation of more than 100 trainees from 5 Provincial Agricultural Extension Centers, local stakeholders and partners (ACOM, IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative, Louis Dreyfus Company, SIMEXCO, Dakman, Neumann Kaffee Gruppe and Sucden), Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Krong Nang & Cu Mgar districts.

PESTICIDE APP

Introduction/Dissemination of the agro-chemical smartphone app to farmers (allowing them to verify usage of plant protection chemicals) and assessment of its user-friendliness and additional user needs

WORK IN PROGRESS

USED CONTAINER COLLECTION AND TREATMENT

Exploration of options to develop a collection scheme for used agro-chemical containers

WORK IN PROGRESS