Bayer Vietnam and National Agricultural Extension Center Work to Expand ForwardFarming Project in Mekong Delta

• Bayer Vietnam Co., Ltd, in coordination with the National Agricultural Extension Center (NAEC) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), organizes a seminar together with field visit to evaluate progress and discuss future plans for the ForwardFarming project. This is the partnership under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Bayer and MARD to improve rice cultivation towards smart and sustainable agricultural development.
• The third rice crop on the project's demonstration farm has consistently exhibited positive results, with increased yield, better return on investment for farmers, indications on improvement in soil quality over the years, and significant water savings. Additionally, there has been a remarkable decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, further emphasizing the project's commitment to environmental sustainability.
• The success of the ForwardFarming model presents a significant opportunity to expand its implementation across provinces, complementing MARD’s vision to sustainably develop one million hectares of high-quality rice for export and promote green growth in the Mekong Delta area.

Can Tho, 6 June 2024 - Bayer Vietnam Co., Ltd, in coordination with the National Agricultural Extension Center (NAEC) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), organised a field visit together with a seminar to evaluate the ForwardFarming project and discuss future plans for advancing sustainable rice production across the Mekong Delta. The seminar, titled "Potential for expanding ForwardFarming model implementation, contributing to the vision of developing a one-million-hectare rice project focused on high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation in the Mekong Delta”, held at the project demonstration site in Dong Thuan commune, brought together representatives from Bayer Vietnam, NAEC, provincial extension centres, research institutes, industry partners involved in the initiative, as well as many local rice farmers.

Launched in September 2023, the three-year ForwardFarming project is a collaborative initiative between Bayer Vietnam and NAEC, with the participation of various partners in the rice production value chain, including Provincial Agricultural Service Centres, the Mekong Delta Rice Institute, Binh Dien Fertiliser Joint Stock Company, Saigon Kim Trading Service Company Limited Hong, Vietnam Rice Company Limited (Vinarice), and others. Its overarching goal is to help Vietnamese farmers improve rice yields while mitigating environmental impacts. This is achieved through three key pillars.

First, the project works to establish demonstration sites showcasing high-quality rice production techniques that optimise inputs and reduce emissions. On-farm demonstrations showcase integrated practices such as optimised seeding rates and fertiliser application, water management techniques, and integrated crop protection approaches with Bayer’s Much More Rice Solution.

Second, the project’s major focus is enhancing farmers’ capabilities through extensive training. To date, up to 4,500 rice growers in Can Tho, An Giang, and Kien Giang have participated in workshops covering topics such as good agricultural practices, the safe, responsible, and effective use of crop protection solutions, and greenhouse gas mitigation strategies suited to local conditions.

Third, ForwardFarming brings together public and private partners to foster collaboration across the rice value chain. This includes local agricultural extension centres, input suppliers, and research bodies, assisting with knowledge transfer, market linkages, and the scaling of sustainable models.

During the Summer-Autumn rice crop, the farming process faced various challenges, including heightened pest pressure and the negative impact of excessive rain on rice growth. However, these challenges were effectively addressed through the implementation of integrated innovative solutions and advanced technologies. Noteworthy measures applied on the ForwardFarm included the use of quality seeds from Vinarice, effective pest and disease management with Bayer's Much More Rice solutions, reduced seed and labour requirements through cluster sowing technology combined with fertiliser application from Saigon Kim Hong Company (60kg seed/ha vs 150–180kg/ha in farmers’ practice), optimal fertiliser formulas from Binh Dien Company to reduce fertiliser usage and improve soil quality, and efficient water management using the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation method.

The results of the on-farm demonstrations have been highly positive, showing a yield increase of 13.5% (5,900kg/ha vs 5,200kg/ha in farmers’ practice) while simultaneously reducing environmental impacts. Mr Do Tri Hung, a farmer who has actively participated in the project for multiple crop seasons, reported that the ForwardFarming model reduced input costs by VND 1.5–4.0 million/ha and increased profit by 13.1%–54.9% compared to traditional farming practices.

Evaluations conducted by the Mekong Delta Rice Institute also demonstrated that this model significantly improved plant growth, showed early indications of soil quality improvement, and achieved water savings of up to 50% (equivalent to around 110 m3/ha/crop) compared to conventional rice farming methods. Importantly, greenhouse gas emissions were also reduced by 24.7%. These outcomes contribute directly to the Vietnam Government's goal of developing 1 million hectares of sustainable, high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation.

“We are proud of the progress made through ForwardFarming in demonstrating more sustainable rice cultivation techniques. This project exemplifies the impact we can achieve through partnerships with farmers, service providers, value chain partners and government agencies. With our joint efforts to expand this model across the Mekong Delta, we are paving the way for sustainable, high-quality rice cultivation while driving green growth in the region and contributing to a more resilient and prosperous agricultural future.” – KG Krishnamurthy, Country Head of Bayer Vietnam’s Crop Science Division, emphasised.

Looking ahead, Bayer Vietnam and NAEC have outlined several development plans for the future, including ongoing research and assessments on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving rice quality, expanding the network of partners, and increasing outreach to farmers in An Giang, Kien Giang and other Mekong Delta provinces. These efforts aim to support the sustainable development of Vietnam’s agricultural industry and enhance the livelihoods of local farmers.

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, “Health for all, Hunger for none,” the company’s products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to address the major challenges presented by a growing and ageing global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact through its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2023, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 47.6 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.8 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

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