TRAINING MATERIAL ON SUSTAINABLE STRAW MANAGEMENT AND MECHANIZATION APPLICATION

The Green Innovation Centre for the Agriculture and Food Sector in Viet Nam (GIC) is funded by the German Government, and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in six Mekong Delta provinces from 2019 to 2024. The Project aims to support sustainable initiatives in the rice value chain, aiming to strengthen sustainable practices, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening mechanization and digitalization in rice production. The GIC project has provided mechanization for rice straw treatment in four of the six Mekong Delta provinces since 2021. In 2023, the project cooperated with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to deliver training on rice straw composting procedures for the six project provinces, and it received great feedback from central to local stakeholders.

The training document on Sustainable Straw Management and Mechanization Application was developed by the GIC Project in collaboration with the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development (DCRD under MARD) and the National Center for Agricultural Extension (NAEC). It was compiled from pertinent technical guidelines of MARD and technically reviewed by experts of IRRI. This internal document aims to make it easier for farmers and trainers to learn about sustainable straw management, apply mechanization, and create a new ‘Farm to Farm’ business model for the rice straw industry. This model connects cooperatives that produce compost from straw with cooperatives that supply cooperatives that grow fruit trees and vegetables, thereby extending the cooperatives’ horizontal business ecosystem.

Although experts attempted to synthesize and inherit materials from numerous local and international organizations, combined with practical knowledge, it was difficult to prevent flaws during the compilation process. Therefore, we look forward to hearing feedback from partners and readers in order to continue to develop this paper so that it is truly useful for rice farmers and rice straw management in the Mekong Delta and throughout the country. Thank you very much!

We would like to thank the GIC Project’s Management Units for their technical and financial assistance in compiling and publishing this material.

GIC Vietnam