Page 48 - Agricultural innovation

4.6.4. Conclusions
Vietnamese coffee is facing many opportunities to expand markets and increase product value when
free trade agreements are starting to take effect, but technical barriers, certification requirements related
are posing many challenges for this product. The development of VSAs based on the landscape coffee
approach is the inevitable direction. Coffee landscape farming is the process of completing, improving
and promoting the coffee sub-system to approach the forest ecosystem effectively and sustainably in
all three aspects of economy, society and environment. In addition, economic development coupled
with resource conservation is also the development orientation of the Vietnamese government in the
coming time.
Developing VSA is also a solution to connect products to the market, through the SourceUp forum
to connect landscape areas including an alliance of stakeholders (farmers, producers, purchasing
chains, local authorities and civil society organizations) in one or more geographical areas, formal
agreements between the Public-Private sector, civil society organizations and other stakeholders
to define and link the goals local and global sustainability. Buyers commit to be bound by global
sustainability commitments and to adhere to corporate social responsibility principles in sourcing
inputs and responsible purchasing policies.
After 2 years of implementation in 3 pilot models of Lam Dong and Dak Lak, the VSA model
has shown some positive impact, contributing to raising household income, reducing greenhouse gas
emissions, maintaining sustainably land and water resources and build a green, clean and beautiful
agricultural and rural environment. To be able to institutionalize the VSA model to apply to the whole
country, including coffee growing areas and other agricultural production areas, it is necessary to have
more pilot models in different raw material areas (industrial areas, plants have not/have received little
attention and resources from projects and programs), at different and broader scales to assess adaptation
and willingness to participate of people and businesses in expanding and adjusting the model.
One of the factors that ensures the success of this model is the establishment of a Steering
Committee to connect relevant issues, resources, coordinate activities with specialized (public sector)
staff, need to be integrated in agricultural restructuring programs, key crop development and new
rural construction.

4.7. Model of Agricultural Product Branding at Thuan Phat Cooperative
4.7.1. General information
In the process of forming and developing, cooperatives in the agricultural sector of Vietnam have
become a collective economic institution that effectively supports the development of member
households and rural areas. Service activities such as input supply, tillage and plant protection,
irrigation, etc. have become indispensable in cooperatives. Agricultural products are produced more
and more, the needs of consumers also gradually change in the direction of safety and health protection.
Therefore, the household economy has gradually faced the phenomenon of “good harvest but lower
price” or “rescue agricultural products”, making their income strongly affected by market fluctuations,
especially agricultural raw product export. This has made the situation of “planting and cutting” quite
common in some specialized farming areas. These phenomena are related to market linkage activities
of agricultural products through the promotion and branding of products. The model of building
agricultural trade mark at the shrimp cooperative of Thuan Phat rice has partly solved this problem
and contributed to increasing farmers’ incomes.

Agricultural Innovation Review in CLV Countries 41