Báo cáo nghiên cứu khoa học " Improvement of export and domestic markets for Vietnamese fruit through improved post-harvest and supply chain management - Milestone Report 10 " doc

Also SIAEP and SOFRI staff knowledge increased in how these pre-harvest factors affect the post-harvest fruit quality, shelf-life and saleability of mango and pomelo Participatory action

Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

CARD Project 050/04VIE

Improvement of export and domestic markets for Vietnamese fruit through improved post-harvest and supply chain

management

Milestone Report 10: SOFRI Capacity Development

Date June 2009

Table of Contents

1 Institute Information 3

2 Contact Officer(s) 4

3 Project Abstract 5

4 Executive Summary 5

4.1 Introduction & Background 8

4.2 Implementation Highlights 9

4.3 Southern Sub-Institution of Agricultural Engineering and Postharvest Technology (SIAEP) 10

4.4 Southern Fruit Research Institute (SOFRI) 12

4.5 Post CARD Project Implementation and capacity building for SIAEP and SOFRI 13

5 Mango Groups 44

5.1 Cat Hoa Loc Farmers Group (Co-operative) 44

5.1.1 Brief history of the Cat Hoa Loc Co-operative 44

5.1.2 Cat Hoa Loc Co-operative Mission 44

5.2 Cam Thanh Farmer Group 44

5.2.1 Brief history of the Cam Thanh Farmer Group 44

5.2.2 Cam Thanh Farmer Group Mission 44

5.3 Viet Hung Company (Private Company) 45

5.3.1 Brief History of the Viet Hung Company 45

6 Pomelo Groups 45

6.1 My Hoa Farmers Group 45

6.1.1 Brief history of the My Hoa Farmer Group 45

6.2 Hoang Gia Pomelo Company 45

6.2.1 Brief history of the Hoan Gia Pomelo Group 45

7 Practices before CARD project implementation 46

7.1.1 Supply/value chian analysis, strategic planning methodology and quality control 46

7.2 Pre-harvest Aspects Identified 46

7.2.1 Orchard design for mango and pomelo 46

7.2.2 Canopy management for pomelo and mango 47

7.2.3 Pest and disease control for mango and pomelo 47

7.3 Harvesting practices for mango 49

7.3.1 Maturity indicators for mango 49

8 Postharvest Aspects for pomelo and mango 49

8.1 Fruit grading and sorting for pomelo 49

8.1.1 Fruit grading and sorting for mango 50

9 Practices after CARD project implementation 52

9.1.1 Top 5 Priority for the Mango Strategic Plan are:- 52

9.1.2 Top 5 Priority for the Pomelo Strategic Plan are:- 52

9.1.3 Pre-harvest capacity building of mango and pomelo farmers 53

9.1.4 Postharvest capacity building for mango and pomelo farmers 62

9.1.5 Supply/value chain capacity building for mango and pomelo farmres 70

10 Examples of farmer groups and capacity built by CARD projects and benefits obtained 77

10.2 Pomelo 80

11 Environment issues 82

12 Conclusions 83

12.1 At the Grower/Farmer level: 83

12.2 At the collector, trader and wholesaler level: 84

12.3 Options 84

12.4 Sustainability 85

13 Appendix 1 86

1 Institute Information

markets for Vietnamese fruit through improved post-harvest and supply chain management

Vietnamese Institution Southern Sub-Institute of Agricultural

Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology (SIAEP)

Vietnamese Project Team Leader Mr Nguyen Duy Duc, M Eng

Australian Organisation Queensland Department of Primary

Industries and Fisheries (DPI & F)

Australian Personnel Mr Robert Nissen

Dr Peter Hofman

Mr Brett Tucker

Mr Roland Holmes

Completion date (original) May 2008

Completion date (revised) December 2008

2 Contact Officer(s)

In Australia: Team Leader

Name: Mr Robert Nissen Telephone: +61 07 54449631

Position: Project Leader Fax: +61 07 54412235

Organisation Queensland Department of

Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI & F)

Email: bob.nissen@dpi.qld.gov.au

In Australia: Administrative contact

Name: Michelle Robbins Telephone: +61 07 3346 2711

Position: Senior Planning Officer

(Emerging Technologies) Fax: +61 07 3346 2727

Organisation Queensland Department of

Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI & F)

Email: michelle.robbins@dpi.qld.gov.au

In Vietnam

Name: Mr Nguyen Duy Duc, Telephone: +84 (8) 8481151

Position: Director SIAEP Fax: +84 (8) 8438842

Organisation Southern Sub-Institute of Agricultural

Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology (SIAEP)

Email: siaep@hcm.vnn.vn

3 Project Abstract

4 Executive Summary

Having a good understanding of what constitutes a supply/value chain is critical to it understanding how they operate, how to analyse the chain and how to make changes to the chain to benefit all the chain members

Many individual companies adopt and adapt what they consider are key elements or building blocks of a supply/value chain They put these building blocks together to suit their particular needs without considering all the necessary supply/value chain elements to be successful

Supply/value chain participants today must be highly adaptable, as inflexible participants will not generate added value and will be forced out of their industry These participants must adopt new supply/value chain strategies that will deliver value for money to their customers and ultimately, the end consumer

Before the commencement of the CARD Project, SIAEP staff skills were confined to postharvest aspects They had some knowledge of pre-harvest practices, e.g crop physiology, agronomy and cultural methodology Some of the SOFRI staff in the postharvest section were reasonably knowledgeable of the postharvest aspects of mango and pomelo fruit and methods to maintain shelf-life in Vietnam under Vietnamese conditions

Traditional farming practices based on planting seedling mango trees with no canopy management

is significantly affecting productivity, control of pests and diseases, fruit quality and shelf-life of mango fruit The types, effectiveness and usage of chemicals in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam is of major concern

The fruit industry in Vietnam has a great potential and plays an important role in agricultural production In 2003, Vietnam exported US$43 million of high value fruit to high-income countries and imported US$14 million of fruit and vegetables Vietnam is experiencing difficulties in competing with other Asian nations in export markets and its own domestic market, especially with China and Thailand This suggests that Vietnam’s horticultural industries require substantial development to be globally competitive Vietnamese consumers are demanding safer and higher quality fruit This project has identified key pre-and post-harvest technology gaps that reduce product quality, safety and consistency Targeted training programs are focusing on the total supply chain and are providing benefits by helping to implement quality management systems and GAP systems at the village level providing greater employment for the farming community This project embraces the five CARD strategies for rural development; and in particular; strategies to increase production and competitiveness of agricultural systems; reduce poverty and vulnerability, and increase stakeholder participation whilst ensuring sustainability

Traditional harvesting practices based on no standardised maturity indicators, process to eliminated fruit damage, handling, packaging and transportation and the lack of postharvest practices and development of effective, efficient value/supply chains is seriously affecting the development of the domestic and export markets for Vietnam

To build knowledge, SIAEP and SOFRI along with the Australian team developed and produced 5 booklets for Vietnamese farmers as best practice GAP guides These were:-

• Mango Cultivation Handbook

• Mango Pest Quick Guide Booklet

• Mango Disease Quick Guide Booklet

• Pomelo Cultivation Handbook

• Pomelo Pest and Disease Quick Guide Booklet

By developing these manuals and booklets knowledge for both SIAEP and SOFRI was substantially increased in the best practice and GAP pre-harvest factors Also SIAEP and SOFRI staff knowledge increased in how these pre-harvest factors affect the post-harvest fruit quality, shelf-life and saleability of mango and pomelo

Participatory action learning training and capacity building in supply/value chains was conducted by the Australian team for SIAEP and SOFRI Staff of SIAEP and SOFRI, assisted by the Australian team members then trained farmers and farmer groups to increase their knowledge of supply chains and technical processes to maintain fruit quality improve shelf-life and saleability This capacity building consisted of 4 phases implemented during this project

1 Understanding value/supply chains

2 Developing value/supply chains

3 Implementing new value/supply chains

4 Evaluating new value/supply chains

SIAEP and SOFRI have now developed good working relationships with various farmer groups and private enterprises and these include:-

• Cat Hoa Loc Group

• Metro Cash and Carry

• Thu Duc Wholesale Markets

• COFIDEC Company - Mango processing

• EMU Vietnam (Khanh Hoa Province)

• My Hoa Pomelo Cooperative

• Cat Chu Mango Producers

• Viet Hung Company (Dong Thap Province)

• Can Thanh Mango Company Two quality assurance manuals were developed as part of this CARD project They were based

on Vietnamese standards and in consultation with the various farmers groups, collectors and wholesalers in the mango and pomleo value/supply chains operating in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam These manuals were also submitted to CARD Project Management as part of Milestone

9 Reporting

Dr Le Thi Thu Hong from SOFRI presented an oral talk and paper at the International Society of Horticultural Science (ISHS), Improving the performance of supply-chains in transitional economies conference held at the Sofitel Plaza Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam, 13-17 September 2007

The Cat Hoa Loc mango group have implemented new harvesting and GAP procedures They have also built a new pack-house and implemented new handling, postharvest treatments and quality assurance standards, packaging and logistics systems

With help from the SIAEP staff and the CARD Project they have:-

• purchased and constructed a cool room

• constructed a ripening room

• constricted drying grading and sorting tables

• developed a specific gravity maturity test

• constructed and are using a washing and hot water heat treatment tanks to remove contaminates, control fruit fly and diseases on the harvested fruit

• using fans to dry the fruit on the sorting and grading tables

• packing and grading fruit into fibreboard cartons

• placing the trade mark stickers on each mango fruit in the carton

• implemented quality assurance standards such as:- the pack-house will only accept extra, first and second grade fruit Third grade fruit is returned to the grower and the grower asked not to send any third grade fruit to the pack-house in the future

In 2008 about 700kg to 1 tonne of Cat Hoa Loc grade 1 fruit were sold to Metro Cash & Carry Vietnam Ltd., as a trial shipment This fruit sold from 55,000 to 75,000 VND/kg This is about double to triple the normal price At the end of the CARD Project, a contract was signed with Metro Cash & Carry to supply 5 tonne of fruit The group also supplies about 70 tonne of fruit to a processor who exports to Japan

The Nam Roi Pomelo My Hoa Farmers Group has obtained Global Gap certificate 2 Tthey exported 18 twenty foot containers to Holland and received about 10,500 VND / kg This is double the local price paid for pomelo In 2009 this group exported about 70 twenty foot containers (about

1000 tonne) to Holland and Belgium for about 8,700 VND / kg They have now signed a contract with Metro Cash and Carry for 34 tonnes of pomelo They also supply supermarkets in Hanoi with about 18 tonnes of pomelo They have been trialing fruit vacuum bagging to reduce moisture loss and extend the fruit shelf life They have also trailed citra shine wax They have implemented GAP process such as:-

• CV for each orchard

• production procedure for each member

• cultivation procedures

In the pack-house they have also implemented quality assurance processes Some processes put

in place at the pack-house are:-

• fruit are cleaned by water solution containing chlorine at 150 ppm

• trialing vacuum bagging and drying by fan of pomelo fruit for export to Europe

• trialing the use net bagging of fruit

• constructed a cool room

4.1 Introduction & Background

Ford et al., (2003) analysed the competitiveness of fruit industries in Vietnam and identified:

• poor unstable product quality

• no quality standards

• poor post harvest technologies

• poor pre-harvest practices

• lack of group co-operative marketing structures

• little information about supply chains, prices and customers needs

Stakeholder/beneficiary analysis of fruit crops in the Mekong delta showed that both mango and pomelo (with plantings of 33 000 ha and 9 000 ha, respectively) are very important fruit crops in Southern Vietnam The objectives of this CARD project 05/040 VIE are to:

• Improve pre-harvest technologies to produce high quality mango (integrated pest management, integrated crop management, fruit fly control, maturity indices, reduced pesticide residues, better environmental and human health etc)

• Improve mango and pomelo post-harvest technologies (eg, cool chain management, packaging, post-harvest dipping, ethylene ripening, waxing, washing and wetting agents, quality assurance)

• Improve quality standards and quality assurance programs for mango and pomelo The approach and methodologies developed for these crops through this project will be applied to other fruits and vegetables

• Map current supply chains to domestic and selected export markets, with particular emphasis on determining consumer preferences and needs, and reporting results back

Assessment and documentation of SOFRI and SIAEP institute staff and the farmer group’s competence in:-

• Application of supply chain analysis and methodology

• Application quality assurance procedures and processes

This report is based on case studies of Institutes SIAEP and SOFRI and farmer mango groups (Cat Hoa Loc, Cam Thanh and Viet Hung Company) and the pomelo groups (My Hoa and Hoang Gia Pomelo Company) Information presented in this report highlights the situation before the project commenced (pre-project) and the project impacts (post-project) This report show how the capacity of the institutes and farmer groups has been substantially increased Each case study also provides evidence of the application of supply chain analysis and methodology and quality assurance procedures and processes

4.2 Implementation Highlights

4.2.1.1 Background of supply/value chains

In the past supply chains were analysed using generic logistic processes such as Commodity Management (CM) as implemented by large supermarkets This analysis process has now changed to one of creating value for all participants in the supply chain; therefore supply chains are now transformed into value chains A supply/value chain can be described as:

• The planned continuous improvement of processes and relationships that exist to support the movement of goods and services through the value chain that benefits its customers and members

• A value chain is a mutual business agreement between both Horizontal and Vertical businesses whose combined actions result in the delivery of products to a customer for the benefit of all involved

• The value chain of an organisation covers the full range of activities from the earliest level

of input through the internal process in the host organisation and on to the output distribution system

Having a good understanding of what constitutes a supply/value chain is critical to it understanding how they operate, how to analyse the chain and how to make changes to the chain to benefit all the chain members

Many individual companies adopt and adapt what they consider are key elements or building blocks of a supply/value chain They put these building blocks together to suit their particular needs without considering all the necessary supply/value chain elements to be successful Therefore; supply/value chain participants today must be highly adaptable, so that they can generate added value These chain participants must adopt new supply chain strategies that will deliver will benefits for themselves, create value for money to their customers’ and ultimately, the end consumer

Supply/value chain participants today must be highly adaptable, as inflexible participants will not generate added value and will be forced out of their industry These participants must adopt new supply/value chain strategies that will deliver value for money to their customers and ultimately, the end consumer

Two quality assurance manuals were developed as part of this CARD project They were based

on Vietnamese standards and in consultation with the various farmers groups, collectors and wholesalers in the mango and pomelo value/supply chains operating in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

4.3 Southern Sub-Institution of Agricultural Engineering and

Postharvest Technology (SIAEP)

4.3.1.1 History of SIAEP

SIAEP is located in HCMC and is a merger between Post-harvest Technology Institute and the Agriculture Electro Engineering Applied Centre in 2003 SIAEP is now involved with a range of supply/value chain projects in the fruit and vegetable industries, with a focus on improved quality management, management of maximum residue limits (MRL) and food safety issues They have used their sound technology base and are extending to combine this technology skill set with business development skills to be, as a direction of MARD, a more market driven institution Part

of this market driven approach is to engage more directly with the private sector and develop more successful public:private partnership (PPP) These PPP have been developed primarily in the fruit and vegetable wholesale markets of HCMC to support improved quality and food safety management, but have the capability to be extended through the supply chain to smallholder producers Although based in HCMC, SIAEP has been involved in a number of projects that have been focussed in a number of regional provinces in the Mekong Delta and South Central Coast of Vietnam

4.3.1.2 Pre CARD Project Implementation

4.3.1.2.1 P RE - HARVEST K NOWLEDGE

Before the commencement of the CARD Project, SIAEP staff skills were confined to postharvest aspects They had some knowledge of pre-harvest practices, e.g crop physiology, agronomy and cultural methodology Mr Binh was developing good agricultural practice (GAP) processes for pomelo and mango farmers, but SIAEP staff did not have an understanding how pre-harvest factors affect the postharvest fruit quality and shelf-life of mango and pomelo Some staff members also had the capability of indicating that a fruit was affected a disease or pest but did not understand the factors contribution to these pests or disease Areas where important knowledge was lacking were:-

o Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated Disease Management (IDM) concepts and how this can improve fruit quality, fruit shelf-life and saleability, and reduce types and quality of chemicals applied and on-farm input costs

o Canopy management (pruning and training) (See Appendix A for these pre-harvest factors and their affects on postharvest shelf-life, saleability and fruit quality.)

o Orchard management and Orchard design to facilitate the harvesting, handling, sorting, grading and consolidation (packaging) for transport to markets

o Fertiliser (organic and in-organic) and irrigation practices to enhance fruit quality, life and saleability

shelf-o Flowering and fruit growth aspects and how these factors affect fruit quality, shelf-life and saleability

o Elimination of sap burn, abrasion, impact and rub marks of fruit

4.3.1.2.2 P OSTHARVEST K NOWLEDGE

Most of the SIAEP staff were reasonably knowledgeable in the physiological aspects and traditional postharvest aspects mango and pomelo fruit and methods to maintain shelf-life under

pomelo based on external characteristics, e.g oil gland development, skin colour and texture, but this was developed further into a quality assurance manual for Vietnamese pomelo farmers SIAEP staff did have some knowledge of some new postharvest methods developed overseas but the practical aspects and experience of applying these methods was lacking Such aspects were:-

o reduction or elimination of sap burn

o excess nitrogen effects or fruit ripening and internal fruit quality

o latest findings on internal fruit breakdown

o new methods of ripening mango fruit (ethylene injection vs acetylene)

o ripening and storage temperatures

o and storage methods and their affects on fruit quality and shelf life

Other areas where the SIAEP staff lacked good first-hand knowledge was:-

o the development of quality manuals and quality standards

o how to produce quality manuals

o how to engage all members of the supply chain in the development of these manuals

o why packaging is important at the grower - collector level

o product temperature control along the supply chain from grower/collector/wholesaler to the consumer

o cool room and ripening room design and development

4.3.1.2.3 S UPPLY /V ALUE C HAIN K NOWLEDGE

Some of SIAEP staff had little knowledge of what supply chains or value chains were, but they lacked detailed knowledge on how to:-

• understand the complexities and analysis existing supply/value chains

o understanding what customers and consumers want and development of effective and efficient logistic and distribution systems

o develop information sharing and communication channels

• assist chain members to improve their products and chain participation to achieve more profitable outcomes

o how to create product value and share with other chain members the value created

o how to get the product right for the consumer

o how to work with chain participants (groups of growers, wholesalers, retailers etc.,) working with farmer groups to achieve the desired outcomes such as lead growers implementing new techniques or

• develop or build new supply/value chains

Having these skills is now critical for many public and private institutes/companies in Vietnam This

is due to:-

• Adherence to the WTO rules of trade between nations and The Codex Alimentarius Commission This Commission was created in 1963 by FAO and WHO to develop food standards, guidelines and texts on codes of practice under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme The purpose of this programme is to protect the health of the consumers and ensuring fair trade practices in the food trade, and promoting of all food standards governmental and non-governmental organizations

• Development of the Vietnamese VIET GAP standards

• Development of new agribusiness supply/value chains to satisfy both domestic and export

• An increase in supermarkets in Vietnam (domestic and foreign owned) and their food quality assurance programs to supply their customers with products that meet Vietnams GAP and health standards

• Vietnam is experiencing difficulties in competing with other Asian nations in export markets and its own domestic market, especially with China and Thailand This suggests that Vietnam’s horticultural industries require substantial development to be globally competitive

• Vietnamese consumers are demanding safer and higher quality fruit

4.4 Southern Fruit Research Institute (SOFRI)

4.4.1.1 History of SOFRI

Originally called the Long Dinh Fruit Research Center (LDFRC), was founded on 26 March 1994 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development LDFRC was then upgraded to be the Southern Fruit Research Institute (SOFRI) under the Decision No 1056/1997/QD TTg on 9th December

1997 SOFRI is located along the roadside of the national highway running towards the Mekong Delta at Long Dinh Commune, Chau Thanh District, in the province of Tien Giang SOFRI is about

75 km to the West of Ho Chi Minh City in Southern Vietnam and is 67.5 ha in size SOFRI is affiliated with the South Eastern Fruit Research Centre located on 476 ha of land located in Baria-Vungtau Province SOFRI has a 6 research divisions and 6 administrative divisions and all working in a multi-disciplinary manner SOFRI has significant experiencing with international donor funded projects, including ACIAR and CARD SOFRI recent involvement in supporting tropical fruit industries to develop GAP systems and certification with GlobalGAP or VietGAP enables SOFRI to play an important role in supporting grower groups and supply chains in GAP and accreditation The number of staff at SOFRI is 130, with 59 researchers and 18 post graduates (3 PhD, 15 MSc)

4.4.1.2 Pre CARD Project Knowledge

4.4.1.2.1 P RE - HARVEST K NOWLEDGE

Before the commencement of the CARD Project, SOFRI staff skills were good in pre-harvest aspects They had good knowledge of pre-harvest practices for mango and pomelo in crop physiology, agronomy and cultural methodology suited to Vietnamese conditions For example Mrs Minh was working on mango agronomic aspects and was developing documents on manipulating mango flowering and fruit set for the off season Staff members also had a good understanding of pathological (disease) and entomological (pests) affecting mango and pomelo Staff of SOFRI did not have a high degree of understanding on how these pre-harvest factors affected the postharvest fruit quality, shelf-life and saleability of mango and pomelo as fruit moved down the supply/value chain

4.4.1.2.2 P OSTHARVEST K NOWLEDGE

Some of the SOFRI staff in the postharvest section were reasonably knowledgeable of the postharvest aspects of mango and pomelo fruit and methods to maintain shelf-life in Vietnam under Vietnamese conditions For Example, staff of SIEAP (Mr Khanh, Mr Binh and Ms Sam Tram Anh) carried out some preliminary work on vacuum wrapping of pomelo with poly film and heat treatment

of mango to extend shelf-life Some work at SIAEP had also been carried out developing

methods Similarly, staff at SOFRI (Mr Hien and his wife Ms Hong) conducted experiments on placing pomelo in poly bags and cool storage and heat treatment of mango to extend shelf-life Mango heat treatment experiments showed that fruit rots were significantly reduced as well as increasing the shelf-life Both SIAEP and SOFRI staff did not have first hand knowledge of new postharvest methods developed overseas, especially on aspects such as:-

o reduction or elimination of sap burn (through the use of detergents)

o excess nitrogen effects or fruit ripening and internal fruit quality

o latest findings on internal fruit breakdown (stem end rots and internal rots)

o new methods of ripening mango fruit (ethylene injection vs acetylene)

o ripening and storage temperatures

o and storage methods and their affects on fruit quality and shelf life

Other areas where the SOFRI staff lacked good first-hand knowledge was:-

o the development of quality manuals and quality standards

o and how to produce quality manuals

o how to engage all members of the supply chain in the development of these manuals

o why packaging is important at the grower - collector level

o product temperature control along the supply chain from grower/collector/wholesaler to the consumer

o cool and ripening room design and development

4.4.1.2.3 S UPPLY /V ALUE C HAIN KNOWLEDGE

SOFRI staff also has little knowledge of what supply chains or value chains were They also lacked detailed knowledge on how to:-

• understand the complexities and analysis existing supply/value chains

o understanding what customers and consumers want and developing an effective and efficient logistic and distribution systems

o develop information sharing and communication channels

• assist chain members to improve their products and chain participation to achieve more profitable outcomes

o how to create product value and share value with other chain members

o how to get the product right

o how to work with chain participants (groups of growers, wholesalers, retailers etc.,) working with farmer groups to achieve the desired outcomes such as lead growers implementing new techniques or

• develop or build new supply/value chains

4.5 Post CARD Project Implementation and capacity building for SIAEP and SOFRI

4.5.1.1 Post CARD project knowledge building

When this CARD Project commenced, both SIAEP and SOFRI and the Australian partners developed a process and action plans where people with the various skills and expertise within each institute were given various tasks to complete They then called upon others staff members within their institutes to help complete their tasks For example, Mrs Le Thi ThuHoung of SOFRI was in charge of organising SOFRI staff to carry out various tasks, they had to complete the

manual on mango cultivation handbook This farmer GAP mango manual was completed by Mrs Tran Nguyen Lien Minh, Mr Vo The Truyen

4.5.1.2 Pre-harvest knowledge building

Key staff from both SIAEP and SOFRI were identified and then used to deliver training to Vietnamese farmer grower groups assisted by the Australian trainers Before training the Vietnamese farmers, train the trainer sessions were conducted Development of train the trainer sessions allowed information to be freely exchanged and training sessions developed for the Vietnamese farmers, farmer groups, collectors, traders, wholesalers, and retailers The Australian team members provided new information outside of the information available in Vietnam For example, new technologies for best practice and GAP in Vietnam were combination with the Australian Best Practice Manual for Mango Growing The Australian GAP manual was translated into Vietnamese by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and provided

to the Vietnamese trainers and institutes Information from Australia was then combined with the Vietnamese information and framer manual developed by Mrs Minh from SOFRI as indicated above Mrs Minh also delivered the best practice training on mango crop management, irrigation and fertilising, crop regulation and assisted with orchard design workshops etc., before resigning and leaving the CARD project to take up a new position Mr Pham HoangLam was ably assisted

by other SOFRI staff, Mr Vien Nghien Mr Do Minh Hien, Ms Nguyen Thi Ngoc Truc, Mr Le Quoc Dien and other staff for pests and diseases and development of farmer handouts along with assistance from Ms Tran Thi Ngoc Diep, Mr Le Minh Hung, Mr Ngo Van Binh, Mr Vu Cong Khanh,

Mr Tran Ngoc Linh, Ms Sam Tram Anh and Mrs Tran Thi Kim Oanh of SIAEP For example, 5 booklets were developed for Vietnamese farmers as best practice GAP guides and there were:-

• Mango Cultivation Handbook

• Mango Pest Quick Guide Booklet

• Mango Disease Quick Guide Booklet

• Pomelo Cultivation Handbook

• Pomelo Pest and Disease Quick Guide Booklet

By developing these manuals and booklets knowledge for both SIAEP and SOFRI was substantially increased in the best practice and GAP pre-harvest factors Also SIAEP and SOFRI staff knowledge increased in how these pre-harvest factors affect the post-harvest fruit quality, shelf-life and saleability of mango and pomelo Both SIAEP and SOFRI staff should now able to carry out a pre-harvest analysis of a supply/value chain and identify problem areas or factors, e.g best practice and GAP for canopy management (pruning and training for light interception), fertiliser and irrigation, fruit maturity indicators, harvesting and infield handling methods to meet safety and quality standards for mango and pomelo This was achieved through train the trainer methods based on participatory action learning processes and the development of these manuals and booklets These manuals were provided to the CARD Project Management Unit in Milestone 7 Report

Evaluations of all workshops attended by SIAEP and SOFRI staff were undertaken to obtain how effective the learning process was and capacity building by the prevision of new knowledge The Objective, Reflective, Interpretive, and Decisional Evaluation (ORDI) Process was used at the completion of each workshop and presented below is a summary of averages from all training

Summary of Mango Pre-harvest Training Evaluations

Suitability of tr aining facilitie s ?

All of it Most of it None

% of ne w inform ation to you?

Good Understand

Did Not Understand

Unde r s tand conce pts ?

Very Usef ul Usef ul Not Usef ul

Us efulness of m anuals/w ork books /m aterials?

Infor m ation us e ful to your w or k ?

Very Usef ul Usef ul Not Usef ul

Us e the s e m e thods /pr oce s s in your w or k ?

Very Good Good Not Good

Traine rs ' Know le dge

Trainers' pres e ntation

Mostly Satisf ied

Slightly Satisf ied

Training fulfille d your e xpe ctations ?

Summary of Pomelo Pre-harvest Training Evaluations

Suitability of training facilitie s ?

All of it Most of it None

% of new inform ation to you?

Good Understand

Did not Understand

Understand concepts?

Inform ation useful for you w ork?

Would furthe r training im prove

Very Usef ul Usef ul Not Usef ul

Would you us e the s e m e thods /proces s e s in

your ow n w ork ?

Any cultural barrie rs to the s e conce pts in

Very Good Good Not Good

Traine rs ' k now le dge ?

Very Good Good Not Good

Traine rs ' pre s e ntation?

Mostly Satisf ied

Slightly Satisf ied

Training fulfille d your e xpe ctations ?

4.5.1.2.1 P OSTHARVEST KNOWLEDGE

As indicated above in the pre-harvest section key staff from both SIAEP and SOFRI were identified and then used to deliver training to Vietnamese farmer grower groups assisted by the Australian trainers Development of train the trainer sessions, allowed information to be freely exchanged and training sessions developed for the Vietnamese farmers, farmer groups, collectors, traders, wholesalers, and retailers The Australian team members provided new information outside of the information available in Vietnam For example, Mr Nissen purchased and imported into Vietnam the detergent/surfactant used for stopping sap burn on mango Sap burn on mango allows diseases, e.g Anthracnose and Rhizopus rots etc., to quickly infect the fruit make fruit unsalable with in a few days, especially under Vietnamese supply chain conditions This detergent was trailed via a demonstration session in train the trainer session Effects on fruit quality, storage life and saleability were assessed and results found the detergent to be highly effective, especially with Cat Hoa Loc Mango This was then demonstrated to farmers, farmer groups, wholesalers, traders, etc., in training workshops conducted in the Mekong Delta and Nha Trang by SIAEP Staff (Ms Tran Thi Ngoc Diep, Mr Le Minh Hung, Mr Vu Cong Khanh, Ms Sam Tram Anh and Mrs Tran Thi Kim Oanh) Ms Tran Thi Ngoc Diep, Mr Le Minh Hung, Mr Vu Cong Khanh, Ms Sam Tram Anh and Mrs Tran Thi Kim Oanh also conducted workshops assisted by the Australian team members on:-

• Harvesting and field handling of mango

• Mango post-harvest and physiology

• Development of mango and pomelo quality assurance guides

Mr Vu Cong Khanh, Ms Sam Tram Anh and Mrs Tran Thi Kim Oanh of SIAEP also conducted research on mango and pomelo to maintain fruit quality, improve shelf-life and saleability for the farmer groups involved in this project These experiments included:-

• The use of vacuum wrapping for pomelo and MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging)

• The use of cool storage (temperature control) for pomelo and mango to enhance shelf-life

• Pre - Coating of pomelo with CitraShine Wax to enhance shelf life

• Hot dipping mango to reduce the incidence of fruit diseases (anthracnose) and pests (fruit fly)

• Design and development of fibreboard and plastic crates for mango

• Design of cool rooms to enhance shelf-life of mango

• Design of a packing shed and quality assurance processes for farmer grower groups to deliver higher quality fruit to their customers

These experiments increased SIAEP and SOFRI staff knowledge, improved the practical application of these techniques and confidence to enable these methods to be applied at the farmer, farmer group, collector, wholesaler, trader, and retailer level in the supply chain

Evaluations of all workshops attended by SIAEP and SOFRI staff were undertaken to obtain how effective the learning process was and capacity building by the prevision of new knowledge The Objective, Reflective, Interpretive, and Decisional Evaluation (ORDI) process was used at the completion of each workshop and presented below is a summary of averages from all training workshop conducted

Summary of Mango Postharvest Training Evaluations

Suitability of training facilities

All of it Most of it None

% of ne w inform ation to you?

Good Unders tanding

Did not Unders tand

Understand concepts?

Very Usef ul Usef ul Not Usef ul

Inform ation us e ful for your w ork ?

Would furthe r training im prove your

Would you use these m ethods/process in

Any cultural barrie rs to the s e conce pts in

Trainers ' k now ledge

Traine rs ' pre s e ntation

Highly Satisf ied Mostly Satisf ied Slightly Satisf ied

Training fulfille d your e xpe ctations?

Summary of Pomelo Postharvest Training Evaluations

Very Good Good Not Suitable

Suitability of training facilitie s ?

All of it Most of it None

% of ne w inform ation to you?

Did not Understand

Unde rs tand conce pts ?

Very Usef ul Usef ul Not Usef ul

Inform ation us e ful for you w ork ?

Would further training im prove confidence?

Would you use these m ethods/processes in

your ow n w ork?

Any cultural barrie rs to the s e conce pts in

Traine rs ' k now le dge ?

Traine rs ' pre s e ntation?

Mostly Satisf ied

Slightly Satisf ied

Training fulfilled your e xpe ctations ?

4.5.1.2.2 S UPPLY /V ALUE C HAIN KNOWLEDGE

Participatory action learning training and capacity building in supply/value chains was conducted by the Australian team for SIAEP and SOFRI Staff of SIAEP and SOFRI, assisted by the Australian team members then trained farmers and farmer groups to increase their knowledge of supply chains and technical processes to maintain fruit quality improve shelf-life and saleability This capacity building consisted of several phases implemented during this project:-

™ Phase 1 Understanding value/supply chains

• What is a value/supply chain?

• Benefits of value/supply chains

• Management and coordination of value/supply chains

• Benefits of trust and communication

• Value/supply chains critical success factors

• Designing value/supply chains

• Value/supply chain networking and team development

• Group dynamics of participants in a value/supply chain

o Relationships – communication, information sharing, culture and cooperation

o People management

o Leadership

• Value/supply chain mapping

• Value/supply chain design and re-engineering of value/supply chains

• Diagnostic Process

o Designing surveys to obtain critical information

o Understanding Quality Assurance

™ Phase 2 Developing value/supply chians

• Value/supply chain strategic planning process

o Critical areas of major importance

ƒ Define and clarify

◊ Logistics and distribution patterns

◊ Communication and information flows

◊ Monetary flows

ƒ Action planning

ƒ Evaluation and performance

• Designing training workshops for farmers

o Principles of adult education

o Planning effective training content

o Evaluating the training activity

™ Phase 3 Implementation new value/supply chains

• Understanding the market by segmenting the market

• Building a marketing strategy

• Chain development- bring it all together

o Focusing on customer and consumers

o Getting the product right

o Building and effective information and communication strategy

o Building an effective distribution and logistics system

o Building effective relationships

o Creating shared values

™ Phase 4 Evaluation of the new value/supply chains

• Assessing Product Quality Standards

ƒ Developing product quality standards

ƒ Implementing product quality standards

• Monitoring Quality

ƒ Product defects

ƒ Setting tolerance levels

ƒ Documenting product quality levels

• Benchmarking and Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)

ƒ Socioeconomic analysis of mango and pomelo value/supply chains Both SIAEP and SOFRI are conducting training for GAP and value/supply chain using knowledge gained form the CARD Project For example:- SIAEP and SOFRI have now developed good working relationships with various farmer groups and private enterprises and these include:-

• Cat Hoa Loc Group

• Metro Cash and Carry

• Thu Duc Wholesale Markets

• COFIDEC Company - Mango processing

• EMU Vietnam (Khanh Hoa Province)

• My Hoa Pomelo Cooperative

• Cat Chu Mango Producers

• Viet Hung Company (Dong Thap Province)

• Can Thanh Mango Company Examples of capacity building and use information obtained as part of this CARD Project are: Monitoring quality was conducted by SOFRI staff, headed by Tran Ngoc Suong This study was on postharvest problems affecting fruit quality of mango in Can Tho Province They found the average percentage of sap burned Cat Hoa Loc mango fruit in the Can Tho to be 33.32% Results

of sap burned Cat Hoa Loc Mango fruit from individual markets in Can Tho City is presented in Table 1 below

Table 1 Percentage of sap burned Cat Hoa Loc mango in Can Tho City

Retail market Sap burned mango (%)

Cai Khe Trade Center 27,1

Further examples of SIAEP and SOFRI staff documenting and analysis of value/supply chains are contained in the two reports titled:-

• Report on the investigation into mango supply chains in the Mekong Delta Vietnam 2005-2007

• Investigations into the pomelo supply chains in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam These two reports were submitted to CARD Project Management as part of Milestone 9 Reporting Two quality assurance manuals were developed as part of this CARD project They were based

on Vietnamese standards and in consultation with the various farmers groups, collectors and wholesalers in the mango and pomleo value/supply chains operating in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam These manuals were also submitted to CARD Project Management as part of Milestone

9 Reporting

Dr Le Thi Thu Hong from SOFRI presented an oral talk and paper at the International Society of Horticultural Science (ISHS), Improving the performance of supply-chains in transitional economies conference held at the Sofitel Plaza Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam, 13-17 September 2007

Summary of Developing Farmer Training Workshops

Very Good Good Not Suitable

Suitability of training facilities?

Too Long Right Length Too Short

Length of training activities?

% of new inform ation to you?

Good Understand Did not Understand

Understand concepts?

Very Useful Useful Not Useful

Usefulness of m anuals/w orkbooks/m aterials?

Inform ation useful for you w ork?

Would further training improve confidence?

Use these m ethods/processes in your ow n w ork?

Yes Not Sure No

Any cultural barriers to these concepts in Vietnam ?

Trainer's know ledge?

Highly Satisfied Mostly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied

Training fulfil your expectations?

Summary of Supply Chain Training Workshops

Suitability of training facilities?

Length of training activities?

% of new inform ation to you?

Good Understand

Did not Understand

Understand concepts?

Usefulness of m anuals/w orkbooks/m aterials?

Inform ation useful for you w ork?

Would further training im prove confidence?

Would you use these m ethods/processes in your ow n

w ork?

Any cultural barriers to these concepts in Vietnam ?

Trainers' know ledge?

Highly Satisfied Mostly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied

Training fulfil your expectations?

Summary of Socioeconomic Workshop Training

Suitability of training facilities?

Length of training activities?

All of it Most of it None

% of new inform ation to you?

Good Understand Did not Understand

Understand concepts?

Usefulness of m anuals/w orkbooks/m aterials?

Inform ation useful for you w ork?

Yes Not Sure No

Would further training im prove confidence?

Very Useful Usef ul Not Useful

Use these m ethods/processes in your ow n w ork?