Vietnam

Bayer and the National Agricultural Extension Center Collaborates to Enhance Sustainable Agriculture in Vietnam

  • Bayer and the National Agricultural Extension Center signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their collaboration in advancing sustainable farming practices in rice, durian, and coffee cultivation in Vietnam.
  • The partnership aims to bolster farmers' capabilities, offer training and technology transfer, and expand sustainable farming models through public-private collaboration, the provincial and community-based agricultural extension center system.

Can Tho, Vietnam, April 8, 2025 – Today, Bayer Vietnam Co., Ltd. (Bayer) and the National Agricultural Extension Center (NAEC) officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Can Tho to expand their collaboration in developing sustainable farming models and promoting effective and safe cultivation of rice, durian, and coffee in Vietnam throughout 2025.

 

This signing marks an important milestone in the collaborative relationship between Bayer and NAEC, building on the successes achieved during the 2023-2025 period. The main objective of this MoU is to support the establishment of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-carbon rice production in Mekong Delta, while promoting sustainable farming models, effective pest management, and ensuring meeting export quality within critical durian and coffee growing areas, particularly in the Central Highlands.

 

Dr. Le Quoc Thanh, Director General of the National Agricultural Extension Center, stated: “This is an important step in public-private collaboration, applying scientific and technical support to help farmers address challenges in agriculture through community extension systems and networks. The models we have implemented so far have yielded specific results that can be further replicated and technically transferred. We believe that, together with Bayer and partners in the value chain, we will strongly promote the capacity building of farmers to apply safe and effective farming solutions that are environmentally friendly and aligned with national goals for sustainable agricultural development and green economic transformation.”

Bayer employees smiling
Building on successes from 2023 to 2025, this signing marks a key milestone in the Bayer-NAEC partnership to promote sustainable agriculture in rice, durian, and coffee.

Key Collaborative Activities

The two parties will coordinate to implement several key activities, including:

  • Model Farms: Establishing key model farms in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands to demonstrate and scale innovative practices for rice, durian, and coffee cultivation.
  • Improving Farm Management Practices: Implementing integrated management programs, including the application of advanced crop protection technologies for rice, durian, and coffee farmers. The parties will also discuss ways to enhance monitoring and traceability systems for agricultural products.
  • Disseminating Best Practices: Developing and distributing educational materials through various media channels to ensure farmers can easily access and apply innovative and sustainable farming methods.
  • Customized Agronomic Solutions: Bayer will work closely with farmers to optimize crop protection effectiveness, thereby enhancing yield and quality.

In 2025, specific collaborative activities will focus on:

  • Rice: Expanding the Bayer ForwardFarming satellite model in key rice-producing provinces of the Mekong Delta; participating in the establishment of model farms under the 1 million hectares initiative; organizing training sessions for agricultural extension officers, cooperatives, and farmers on pest protection solutions and sustainable rice cultivation; and conducting conferences and workshops to promote rice production capacity enhancement activities.
  • Durian and Coffee: Collaborating to select and establish Better Life Farming (BLF) models in key growing areas in the Central Highlands; organizing training sessions on sustainable pest management and integrated solutions for durian and coffee; and coordinating workshops and communications on public-private partnerships in sustainable cultivation.

Mr. KG Krishnamurthy, Country Commercial Lead of Crop Science Division for Bayer Vietnam, stated: “We highly value public-private cooperation and the government of Vietnam’s vision for sustainable agricultural development. This collaboration not only creates a solid foundation for farmers but also builds a comprehensive and resilient agricultural ecosystem. We are committed to providing advanced agricultural solutions that help farmers overcome challenges in cultivation, especially in the context of increasing climate change impacts.

 

Mr. Mateus Barros, Head of Crop Science Division for Bayer in Southeast Asia and Pakistan, added: “At Bayer, we have established ambitious global sustainability goals in agriculture. The unique initiatives and projects being implemented in Vietnam through strategic public-private partnerships reaffirm our strong commitment and unwavering efforts to work alongside local farmers in transforming the future of agriculture. This approach plays a crucial role in advancing Bayer’s mission of Health for All, Hunger for None."

 

Impressive Results from the Bayer ForwardFarming (BFF) Project in Mekong Delta

The BFF project, launched in 2023, has established successful rice farming models to participate in the sustainable development initiative for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-carbon rice linked to green growth in the Mekong Delta region. The project has transferred technology to over 4,500 rice farmers and demonstrated significant improvements in quality, productivity, resource efficiency, and environmental impact. 

 

Other success stories have emerged from the ForwardFarming models in Chau Phu District, An Giang, and Go Quao District, Kien Giang, as well as several 50-hectare models under the NAEC project, with the involvement of Bayer, during the recent Winter-Spring 2024-2025 season. These initiatives have demonstrated impressive results, providing a solid foundation to support the implementation of the 1 million hectares of high quality and low carbon rice cultivation project in the Mekong Delta.

 

Much More Solutions in the Better Life Farming (BLF) Project in Central Highlands of Vietnam

One of the key solutions that Bayer brings to the BLF project in Vietnam is the integrated Much More solution, including Much More Durian and Much More Coffee. These solutions support crop health management, root care, and protection against pests, fungi, and weeds, ensuring that durian and coffee plants grow robustly and achieve high yields. Additionally, through proper application, these solutions assist farmers in efficiently controlling pesticide residues, thereby ensuring that the harvested produce adheres to safety and quality requirements for export.

 

Alongside the Much More solutions, Bayer offers agronomic consultation for the Better Life Farming models and pioneers the integration of new technologies. This includes the implementation of precision spraying and pesticide application through irrigation systems, as well as utilizing weather data to optimize treatments in the fields.

 

These solutions have been technically validated by the Western Highlands Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute (WASI) and implemented across various farming models. In 2024, these solutions were implemented in trial durian model farms in Dak Nong alongside modern farming techniques. The outcomes revealed a notable 80-90% decrease in fungal pests, an approximate 20% increase in yields, reaching up to 20 tons per hectare. Furthermore, there was enhanced uniformity and stability in the quality of harvested fruits, with Class A fruits representing 70-80% compared to the previous year.
 

Conclusion

The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding not only marks an important milestone in the public-private partnership between Bayer and NAEC but also emphasizes the importance of promoting the expansion of sustainable agricultural practices. By combining the strengths, expertise and resources of both public and private sectors in the value chain, this collaboration aims to enhance farmers' capacities via a community-based agricultural extension center system. Moreover, it aims to align with sustainable development objectives, reshaping Vietnam's agricultural landscape to effectively address the evolving needs of farmers and markets.

 

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 master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population.  Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with 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