On July 10, a series of collaborations were forged between research institutes and businesses in the agricultural sector at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. This event was part of a forum aimed at connecting scientific and technological advancements in agriculture with enterprises.
COLLABORATION FOR GREATER HEIGHTS
In the field of Crop Cultivation and Plant Protection, Cuong Tan Company Limited and the Plant Resources Center of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences joined hands through a contract for the development of purebred LH12 rice variety.
Regarding the forestry sector, Thanh Tam Interior Wood Processing Joint Stock Company and the Vietnam Academy of Forest Sciences signed a contract for the provision of services, consulting, and technology transfer in the field of forest industry and the processing and preservation of forest products.
In the field of aquaculture, Truong Phu Quy Trading and Transport Company Limited and the Institute of Aquaculture I signed a contract for the development of sustainable rice-ruoi (a type of worm) farming. Dac Loc Seafood Company Limited and the Institute of Aquaculture III signed a contract for research, surveys, and the establishment of a program to promote the completion and development of research on the conservation and development of lobster farming in Vietnam.
Quan Minh Company Limited and the Institute of Aquaculture III signed a contract for scientific research, technology transfer, and training in the development of marine aquaculture, focusing on mollusks and marine fish. Thanh Tung Company Limited and the Seafood Research Institute signed a contract for scientific research, technology transfer, and product promotion in the field of seafood processing, aiming to enhance production and business efficiency.
In the field of Mechanical Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology, Global Food Import-Export Joint Stock Company and the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology signed a contract for research and technology transfer related to canning bitter-free sanh (a type of citrus fruit) and banana juice extraction. Fusa Organic Agriculture Joint Stock Company and the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology signed a contract for the transfer of super-fast freezing technology using liquids, applicable to lychees and longans for export, with a capacity of 1,000 tons per year.
Eco Hoa Binh Joint Stock Company and the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology signed a contract for the transfer of technology to extract soluble tea powder from Shan snow tea leaves, with a capacity of 600 tons of fresh tea leaves per year.
“If a research institute stands alone, it may not understand the market. This is where businesses come in. Therefore, collaboration has a much deeper meaning than just the word ‘capital.'”
Mr. Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In the field of Hydraulic Engineering and Disaster Prevention, D&L Technology Consulting and Integration Joint Stock Company and the University of Water Resources signed an agreement to collaborate on building and perfecting solutions for water resource management, dam safety management, reservoir operation, flood warning, and the digitization of irrigation works.
Mr. Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who chaired the forum and witnessed the signings, affirmed: “Enterprises have the right to choose multiple research institutes, and vice versa. This is about supply and demand. If we only stop at collaboration, it will be difficult to go far.”
“We must think and do better. The Prime Minister has also directed the development of science and technology. Without science and technology, we will fail and fall into the trap of ‘self-satisfaction.’ We must ask ourselves if we can do better and create something new. What is new today may need to be improved again in a few years,” emphasized Minister Hoan.
MARKET: THE “MIDWIFE” FOR BUSINESSES AND SCIENTISTS
At the forum, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hong Son, Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, pondered the question of how to bring businesses and scientists together from the initial stages. He suggested that the market is the “midwife” for scientific research topics. Without a market, it is challenging to apply this research to production. Each enterprise has its own goals and orientations, so they are the practical customers. On the other hand, state-funded projects often aim to address macro-level issues, such as saline intrusion and climate change.
“In recent years, enterprises have been willing to allocate funds from their development funds for research purposes. Therefore, private orders from enterprises to researchers and scientists are very important,” emphasized Mr. Son.
Mr. Le Hoang The, Director of The VOS Ecosystem Company Limited, affirmed that his company is ready to share its experience in cultivating Reishi mushrooms with agencies and businesses interested in developing in this field. The forest planted with Reishi mushrooms, researched and developed by Mr. Le Hoang The, meets the standards of 100% Organic Reishi Mushroom by the USDA Organic of the US Department of Agriculture and is recognized worldwide.
Mr. The suggested: “To ensure the quality and reliability of medicinal products, it is essential to establish testing centers that meet the standards. These centers will help test and certify the quality of products, thereby building trust with consumers and international partners.”
Mr. Le Huu Tinh, Deputy Director of Dac Loc Seafood Company Limited, shared that his company was assigned a national-level topic by the Ministry to research lobster farming—a species that thrives in harsh natural conditions. He attributed their success in bringing lobsters from the sea to onshore farming to science and technology.
Prof. Dr. Vo Dai Hai, Director of the Vietnam Academy of Forest Sciences, suggested that to connect scientific and technological products effectively, there must be many good and new products. To achieve this, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has continuously innovated in identifying and building tasks in science and technology, with the participation of scientists, managers, and enterprises in proposing tasks and providing feedback.
Mr. Vo Dai Hai proposed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development support the digitization of scientific and technological products to make them more accessible to businesses and the public. He also requested the Ministry’s continued attention to infrastructure and equipment, especially modern equipment, to enable scientific and technological organizations to take the initiative in researching high technology and creating excellent products.
Sharing his concerns about how to connect scientific and technological products with practical life, Mr. Nguyen Phu Hung, Head of the Department of Science and Technology of Economic-Technical Industries (Ministry of Science and Technology), expressed his desire for enterprises to provide practical problems and transfer them to scientists. His department would then be responsible for finding solutions to support funding. From there, scientific and technological topics can be deployed and quickly put into practice.
“Although the mechanism and policy have not been clear, each support program of the Department of Science and Technology has set criteria for the participation of enterprises. This is a ‘mandatory’ criterion to promote the application of science and technology,” affirmed Mr. Hung.
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