Hau Giang province, Viet Nam. A project “Smart Agro-ecological Transformation of Farming Systems towards Resilience and Sustainability in Middle and Coastal Zones of the Viet Nam Mekong Delta (STAR-FARM)”, has been launch by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the European Union, with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as the implementing agency.

The project, with a funding with total amount of EUR 4 150 000 from the European Union and running for 4 years, aims to facilitate smart agro-ecological transformation of agri-food farming systems and strengthened resilience to climate change, environmental degradation and other external shocks.

This initiative is further strengthened with the partnership of the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD), the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, and other research institutes and university in Vietnam.

The intervention activities of the project support for the Mekong Delta provinces, including Dong Thap, Kien Giang, and Tra Vinh, encompass: (i) Developing and enhancing sustainable food systems and equitable, climate-friendly, and environmentally friendly agricultural value chains; (ii) Strengthening adaptive capacity to implement smart transformations of agrifood systems and adapt to climate change.

The launch event is organized in parallel with the National Rice Festival in Hau Giang province, with participants from the EU delegation, Ministry of Agriculture Rural Development, development partners as well as representatives from the three beneficiary provinces of Dong Thap, Kien Giang and Tra Vinh.

“The results of the project will contribute to implementing the Government's policies on sustainable development in the Mekong Delta, adapting to climate change” said Mr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director General, International Cooperation Department.

"The EU is proud and committed to support this new initiative to promote the smart agro-ecological transformation of farming systems towards increased resilience in the Mekong Delta” said Mr. Roberto Ruiz, First Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam. “This transformation is complex and prices and competitiveness have to be kept under control, but it presents a huge economic opportunity, particularly for countries like Vietnam. We are extremely pleased to join MARD, provincial leaders, FAO and project partners today to launch this new EU-funded initiative, also in the great spirit of the international rice festival in Hau Giang province’’.