Báo cáo Nghiên cứu khoa học Improving the safety and quality of Vietnamese vegetables through protected cropping systems

Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Program 32 IMPROVING THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF VIETNAMESE VEGETABLES THROUGH PROTECTED CROPPING SYSTEMS Project title: Improving the safety and quality of Vietnamese vegetables through research and capacity building in quality assurance, postharvest management and high technology protected cropping systems Project code: CARD 004/04 VIE Author(s): Tran Khac Thi1, Pham My Linh1 & Suzie Newman2 Project Implementing organisations: 1 Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI), Vietnam 2 Industry and Investment, NSW (formerly NSW DPI) SUMMARY Protected cropping provides vegetable growers with an opportunity to enhance product quality and improve food safety. With the overall objective of providing Vietnamese scientists and extension specialists with the training and tools to implement and foster regionally feasible improvements to current vegetable production practices and supply chains, the CARD project 004/04 VIE focussed on development of a low-tech greenhouse system to enhance the productivity and sustainability of the Vietnamese vegetable industry for delivering high quality product to market. This was achieved through: 1) greenhouse replicated experiments and demonstration trials in Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam; 2) four in-country workshops and 3) two Australian study tours for research and extension personnel. Key highlights of the project have included: 1) Adaptation of technologies by both farmers and researchers to Vietnamese conditions; 2) Utilisation of hydroponic systems in both a research and demonstration trial context; 3) Enhanced capacity of Vietnamese research and extension personnel and 4) Economic analysis of protected cropping systems for tomatoes and cucumbers. The nethouse with run-to-waste cocopeat system was shown to be an effective and cost effective model, however further optimisation and extension of this technology was required to facilitate successful adoption. The project CARD 004-04VIE was mainly implemented by Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (key project institution in Vietnam, led by Prof. Dr. Tran Khac Thi). It was collaborated with Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the south (IAS), Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry (HUAF). Australian institution is Industry and Investment, NSW Department of Primary Industries: Gosford Primary Industries Institute (GHI-NSW-DPI, represented by Dr Nguyen Quoc Vong and Dr. Suzie Newman). Project duration was from 2005-2007. 1. Introduction Vietnam has two main vegetable production areas on agricultural land: i) the peri-urban specialized and concentrated vegetable production area, ii) winter vegetable production area rotated with food crops. The first area accounts for about 43-45% area and 40% production with diverse species: 75-80 species of vegetables including nearly 30 species of key vegetable crops (Tran Khac Thi, 2005). Vegetable products of this area are mainly supplied to concentrated residents who pay lots of attention to quality and safety of products. Products of the latter area are usually used as materials for processing and export as well as domestic consumption. The peri-urban vegetable area tends to be narrowed, cultivated land contaminated by heavy metals, chemicals gets increased. One of the important solutions is to apply high-tech in the indoor vegetable cultivation to increase yield and control product quality. This experience of many CARD 004/04 – Safe vegetable production through protected cropping systems 33 developed countries including Australia has been researched and developed in Vietnam through this project. 2. Project objectives and activities 2.1. Project objectives  Facilitate the wider implementation and adoption of protected cropping systems of low to medium technology that require fewer chemical inputs through targeted research and extension activities;  Examine current supply chain constraints and utilize quality assurance principles to implement targeted system improvements;  Enhance Vietnamese research, development and extension capacity in the areas of protected cropping systems, post harvest management and quality assurance systems. 2.2. Project activities 2.2.1 Capacity building of research and extension personnel This was a key focus of the project and was achieved in a number of ways including 1) working collaboratively with Australian colleagues on joint protected cropping trials; 2) participating in Australian study tours to look at what can be learned from the Australian industry and how this could be modified and adapted to Vietnamese conditions and 3) the introduction and trialling of simple low-tech innovations. In order to enhance capacity of Vietnamese researchers and extension officers in identifying supply chain constraints and in the areas of protected cropping systems, post harvest management and quality assurance systems, the project provided a supply chain training and supply chain study. 2.2.2 Demonstration of protected cropping models A series of replicated and demonstration trials were undertaken by researchers and extension project personnel in Hanoi, Hue and Lam Dong to compare protected cropping and traditional field based systems. Experiments were undertaken to evaluate growing media, tomato and cucumber variety performance and the use of hydroponic systems. This work produced 7 publications in international and Vietnamese scientific literature and the results of this work can be used for extension purposes. 2.2.3 Fostering practice-change in farmers and other supply chain partners A series of workshops on protected cropping systems, supply chain management and Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) took place during the life of the project. These workshops were designed not only as information sessions but also to facilitate discussion between farmers and supply chain partners on 1) improving product handling; 2) alternative market options; 3) food safety and 4) GAP systems and their implementation. Much of the discussion also centered on the opportunities around protected cropping systems. 3. Research results and discussions 3.1 Capacity of Vietnamese scientist and extensionists improved There were 2 training courses, 1month each (Sept- Oct 2005 and June- July 2006) for 6 Vietnamese scientists from FAVRI, IAS, and HUAF who have visited to Australia for training courses on:  Best practices for vegetable production, postharvest management skills in supply chain mapping, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and quality assurance (QA) systems;  Protected cropping systems, postharvest and quality assurance.  Experiments were conducted at GHI, they had chances to visit open field vegetable growing systems in Yanco, wholesale markets, retail markets in Sydney The project has also organized four training courses for 275 extension workers of the Plant Protection Sub Departments (PPSD) of Ho Chi Tran Khac Thi, Pham My Linh & Suzie Newman 34 Minh City, Hanoi, Can Tho and Da Lat. Training program was implemented by experts from NSW-DPI Dr. Suzie Newman, Dr. Sophie Parks, and Dr. Joseph Ekman, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Vong and Vietnamese experts: Prof. Dr. Tran Khac Thi, Dr. Ngo Quang Vinh, Dr. Pham My Linh. Training contents include introducing vegetable production technologies in greenhouses, vegetable supply chain management and the basic principles of good agricultural practice (GAP) applied to fresh produces. The project team from both Vietnamese and Australian sides has published 7 scientific articles in English and Vietnamese languages regarding to the content of research and development of the project. 3.2 Hydroponic vegetable production demonstrations established at FAVRI, HUAF and IAS All four Vietnamese Research Institute partners in this project have successfully implemented hydroponic growing systems. Training periods in Australia have enabled them to learn how to build and run the systems successfully in both a research and commercial context. Run to Waste technology is applied to tomato and cucumber with an average yield of 120 and 75 tons/ha, respectively. For leafy vegetables, NTF technology is applied. Vegetable products grown with the above technologies, in addition to high yield capability, off-season production, could also ensure food safety by actively adjusting nutrition and preventing insects, thereby using less chemicals. On the basis of this initial demonstration, many applications have been done with some improvement for suit each specific condition such as in Linh Nam commune, Hoang Mai District – Hanoi; at the Moc Chau Tropical Flower Company in Son La; at Phong Thuy Vegetable Seedling Production Company in Duc Trong district, Lam Dong province; ... In the future, this growing type will be developed extensively in peri-urban vegetable areas, especially when the hi tech agricultural program is put into operation. Photo 1: FAVRI hydroponic lettuce trial Photo 2. The hydroponic system at HUAF Photo 3. Testing hydroponic systems at Can Tho University Photo 4. Demonstration trial Lam Dong CARD 004/04 – Safe vegetable production through protected cropping systems 35 One of the most concerns of this project is to use coconut coir as growing media for soilless vegetable cultivation. Australian and European standards for measuring the physical and chemical characteristics of growing media were used to evaluate Vietnamese coir and compare it to other samples in the Australian marketplace. Table 1 shows the results from the heavy metal analysis undertaken for a range of different samples. Coco peat quality which is a large natural resource of Vietnam proved through the experiments according to the indicators: pH, salt content, color, water holding coefficient, etc., shows that it is eligible for the production, especially coir derived from the Mekong River delta. Table 1: Heavy metal analysis of eight samples of compressed coir bricks of different origin * - limits of detection) Sample type Source origin Color Colo r code Alumi num( mg/kg ) Arsenic (mg/kg ) Cadmiu m (mg/kg ) Chromi um (mg/kg ) Copper (mg/kg ) Nickel (mg/kg ) Lead (mg/kg ) Seleniu m (mg/kg ) Zinc (mg/kg ) 24 3 0.9 1 0.9 1.3 1.7 6.6 1.1 Sample of unknown origin Unknow n Greyed Orange 160 D 1100 < 3 < 0.9 3.6 3.6 <1.3 < 1.7 < 6.6 19 Peat Exceed Viet Nam Greyed Orange 177B 800 < 3 < 0.9 1.8 4.2 1.7 < 1.7 < 6.6 19 Galuku coco peat easifill Sri Lanka Greyed Orange 166C 1100 < 3 < 0.9 5.6 5.6 1.8 < 1.7 < 6.6 16 Plant best soil sponge Viet Nam Greyed Orange 166C 440 < 3 < 0.9 29 3.6 6.1 < 1.7 < 6.6 21 Mekong company Viet Nam Greyed Orange 177B 520 < 3 < 0.9 3.6 3.7 1.4 < 1.7 < 6.6 13 Mekong company Viet Nam Greyed Orange 165B 370 < 3 < 0.9 26 3.3 <1.3 < 1.7 < 6.6 11 Richgro India Greyed Orange 165 A 240 < 3 < 0.9 4.5 4.3 1.5 < 1.7 < 6.6 9 Brunnings Easy Wetta Sri Lanka Greyed Orange 177B 500 < 3 < 0.9 7.1 4.4 <1.3 < 1.7 < 6.6 13 3.3 Practice-change in farmers and other supply chain partners fostered Through attendance at project training workshops, receiving direct technical advice from the project team or through the provision of project training materials e.g. tomato and cucumber production factsheets, the farmers’ awareness and opportunities for implementing alternative technologies (e.g. the range of protected cropping options, hydroponic systems) or systems (e.g. GAP). In addition to this the inclusion of farmer champions such as Mr Phong in the project is likely to have a long term benefit for vegetable producers in Lam Dong. As he looks to expand his enterprise and associated farmer group, the changes that he has made to his business in both production and marketing will continue to impact other farmers well beyond the life of this project. Supply chains were mapped for 2 supply chains: 1) Mr Phong’s tomato seedling and vegetable operation and 2) Metro’s Da Lat vegetable supply chain. Key problems with handling operations were identified and solutions proposed. Mr Phong has subsequently implemented some of these improvements with the implementation of his new postharvest operations. Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Program 36 Photo 5. New grafting set-up in specially constructed shed with improved efficiency – April 2007 Photo 6. Mr Phong implementing new practices in his greenhouse. Photo 7. Tomato variety trial on Mr Phong’s property – April 2007 Options for linking smallholders with Metro were also explored through a series of consultations. As greenhouse producers are aiming for the top-end of the market, the best specifications for them to utilise are those developed by the supermarkets. As part of this project we held a series of discussions with Metro to discuss quality specifications, quality assurance and how Metro goes about engaging farmers. At our workshop in Can Tho, a number of the farmers asked specific questions of the Metro Can Tho management in how they might look to become a Metro supplier. Metro specifications for tomatoes and cucumber were included in Milestone 8. Discussions with the Metro Supply Chain Manager in Ho Chi Minh revealed that Metro often has difficulty meeting these specifications. They were actively seeking engagement with farmer groups through projects such as ours, as a way of trying to source product that was produced to their specifications. Whilst in the case of our project we had completed our training activities there is certainly the potential for other AusAID CARD projects to follow up on this (and indeed later projects have formed good links with Metro). Metro was very keen to work in with projects that were providing farmer groups training in improved crop management and postharvest handling. Projects such as this have the opportunity to identify farmer groups that through project and commercial training initiatives will enable them to supply into supermarkets. This is particularly important for projects such as this where by introducing high-end technology, suppliers need to look towards supplying more high-end markets. 4. Conclusions The project has met its key objectives and delivered on all project milestones. The overall objective of the project to provide Vietnamese scientists and extension specialists with the training and tools to implement and foster regionally feasible improvements to current vegetable production practices and supply chains, has largely been achieved. Effectiveness of the project is clear and the transferred technologies of the project continue to take effect. For the first time in Vietnam, soilless vegetable cultivation technology in greenhouse/nethouse have been studied and transferred to research and training institutions in three regions of Vietnam. Previously, this technology from Israel (Run to Waste) was introduced to Hai Phong and Hanoi, which was not successful due to its unsuitability to climatic conditions in Vietnam as well unavailability of well – trained staff to operate the technology. The demonstrations of this project somewhat have overcome the disadvantages of the Israeli technology. Especially, NTF technology for vegetable CARD 004/04 – Safe vegetable production through protected cropping systems 37 production has advantages of shortening growth duration to cultivate several crops per year, even off season crops as well removal of all polluted factors due to actively controlling growing conditions to make the high safety level of products. FAVRI and Can Tho University regularly maintain and improve the technologies for suitability and transfer to production. The trained researchers at FAVRI, IAS and HUAF are continuing to be involved in this research field and apply what has been delivered. Hundreds of technicians were trained on the new principles of vegetable production in open field and greenhouse, vegetable quality control, solutions to impact vegetable supply chain ... which are all new knowledge and always necessary for vegetable production currently. One of the participants of these training courses is Mr. Nguyen Hong Phong, Phong Thuy Farm in Da Lat – Lam Dong who has successfully applied Run to Waste technology for open field tomato production with double yield compared with normal way. Products from this farm are supplied to supermarkets and superior/advanced shops.