热博体育

From January 14 to 16, 2025, Hanoi hosted the DeSIRA CONNECT Days for Asia and the Pacific region. Organized by the European Commission through the DeSIRA-LIFT Service Facility, in collaboration with the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS) and 热博体育, and with support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, this event marked the final gathering in a series of regional meetings aimed at fostering sustainable agricultural transitions.

The event brought together over 70 stakeholders from 17 countries, including representatives from national and international research organizations, farmer groups, NGOs, policymakers, and major networks such as FAO (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), APAARI (the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions), CGIAR (a global partnership for agricultural research), ALiSEA (a regional network supporting agroecology in Southeast Asia), and PROLINNOVA (an international program promoting farmer-led innovation).

"Vietnam is proud to be part of the DeSIRA network...

The agenda opened with a Project Fair...

...featuring 15 initiatives, including those involving 热博体育's participation, such as the ASSET (Agroecology and Safe Food System Transitions in SEA) project, the STARFARM (Smart Agroecological Transformation of Farming Systems in the Mekong Delta), and the Healthy Territories project. This platform allowed participants to learn about ongoing DeSIRA initiatives, exchange experiences, and explore innovative approaches to transforming agri-food systems across the region.

• The Healthy Territories project: This project integrates the One Health approach with agroecological transitions in four regions, including Laos and Cambodia. The "living labs" concept engages local communities to co-design solutions addressing environmental health challenges, such as reducing pesticide use and improving water and soil quality. Its participatory approach ensures that health and environmental indicators are meaningful to researchers and farmers.

• The ASSET project: In Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, researchers focus on integrating agroecological practices into food systems to improve sustainability, safety, and inclusiveness. Notable achievements include developing regional policy guidelines for agroecology transitions, piloting agroforestry and integrated farming models, and fostering multi-stakeholder engagement through national and regional platforms.

• The STARFARM project : Implemented in the Mekong Delta, STARFARM promotes climate-resilient and environmentally friendly farming practices. The project has identified 10 value chains, focusing on rice, mango, and lotus crops. It aims to support farmers by improving market access, building capacity, and scaling agroecological innovations.

Bridging Research, Policy, and Practice

Over the next three days, discussions focused on how research and innovation can better address the challenges of agricultural transitions in the region around three central themes.

• Moving away from conventional, linear models of innovation: Professor Fergus Sinclair, Bangor University, encouraged a shift to more flexible, multi-actor approaches for sustainable agriculture. This idea led to discussions on how participatory research can improve collaboration among policymakers, farmers, and private-sector partners.
• Farmer-led to community-led innovations & research: Participants highlighted the need to empower farmer organizations, build capacity at the local level, and ensure that innovation is driven by the needs of the communities it serves. The importance of extension services as vehicles for scaling community-based practices was also highlighted.
• A conducive environment for scaling: Flexible funding, long-term partnerships, and regional collaboration were identified as essential. Discussing the topic of Food Systems as Catalysts for Innovation, Dr. Estelle Bienabé shared insights from the ASSET project: "Market innovation involves economic, social, organizational, and institutional processes, engaging both private actors, including farmers and local collectors, and public actors, who play a critical role in structuring markets. A key question we are exploring is how digitalization—through platforms like Facebook, Zalo, and TikTok—can support agroecological products, ensuring transparency, building trust, and creating new linkages while addressing risks like unfair competition and unverified claims.

As the final gathering in a series of regional meetings, this platform served not only to exchange knowledge but also as a call to action for stakeholders across sectors. The insights gained and partnerships forged here will undoubtedly be a catalyst in advancing agroecological practices that are both sustainable and equitable for future generations.