A new project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has been launched to support smallholder fruit farmers in Northwest Vietnam in adopting digital tools. The initiative aims to help growers address market volatility and expand access to higher-value markets.

The region has seen a rapid increase in fruit production, leading to oversupply and price declines of up to 50%, with some farmers receiving returns below production costs. The four-year project, valued at A$2.34 million (US$1.54 million), is led by Applied Horticulture Research (AHR) in collaboration with the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI). It will focus on dragon fruit, mangoes, and longans, to equip farmers to demonstrate compliance with Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP).

The project also seeks to improve fruit quality and consistency to meet the demands of premium domestic and export markets, which require traceability, food safety, and product reliability. Vietnam is currently the third-largest exporter of fruits and vegetables to Australia, including crops such as mango, dragon fruit, and longans.

© Australian Government

The program builds on earlier ACIAR projects involving safe vegetable value chains and digital traceability, which enabled smallholder vegetable growers in Northwest Vietnam to secure contracts with modern retailers in Hanoi.

According to the project team, digital tools such as QR codes could replace paper-based records, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve supply chain transparency. Fieldwork will include identifying the quality requirements of Hanoi’s modern retail markets and training farmers in traceability, post-harvest handling, and cold-chain practices.

The research partnership emphasizes digitalisation as an essential element for the future of Vietnamese agriculture, while also highlighting the need for stronger digital readiness among smallholder farmers.

For more information:
Australian Government
Tel: +61 2 6217 0500
www.aciar.gov.au