Page 8 - Agricultural innovation

1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1.1. Rationale

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are the countries with the main agricultural production. The
majority of the population of these countries subsist on agricultural production activities from
farming to livestock, aquaculture and forestry. The shift of livestock and crops to new, higher-
yielding varieties has partly improved the food production of these countries, and there is
a surplus for exports such as rice or industrial crops such as coffee, tea or fruit. Agricultural
products of these countries have been exported to many countries around the world, including
difficult markets such as the US, EU or Japan and Korea. These achievements are achieved
because the agricultural sector of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam has made strong innovations
in recent years, from production processes to market solutions as well as technical solutions on
seed, irrigation, mechanization, technology 4.0, etc. Innovation achievements can be traced to
innovations in policies and institutions that facilitate access to agricultural product producers
and traders more efficient resources and investment in technology and capital to produce more
sustainable and quality goods. Some innovation models stem from the practice of each industry,
each farmer household or enterprise in the process of solving specific local problems in order to
improve production and commercial efficiency of products.
Many innovation models have had great spillover effects in other regions of each country. From
the models of collective economic construction (groups of similar interests, clubs, cooperatives)
connecting farmers with other partners to develop many different products such as coffee, fruit trees,
agricultural products processing to the model of forest land allocation and forest allocation with the
participation of people accelerating the progress of forest allocation to people to ensure sustainable
forest development, are a few of the many innovative models in agriculture that are being carried out
in countries. Countries have very diverse models from production organization to supply and demand
connection, from institutions to branding, from science and technology to distribution systems.
In particular, there are many innovative models implemented through development programs of
international donor organizations such as IFAD, FAO, ACIAR, etc., which have new approaches to
the participation of the people. However, for these innovation models to be widely disseminated and
especially institutionalized through the policies of each country is a long and difficult process due
to obstacles in specific implementation conditions. Therefore, the study of these models can provide
reasons for success as well as problems to be solved so that they can be applied to the practice of
different countries and help policy makers in the process of agricultural and rural development of
the region.

Agricultural Innovation Review in CLV Countries 1