The Australian university sector and Vietnamese innovation ecosystem have been granted a A$1.45 million boost through the Australian Government's Aus4Innovation program to develop technological solutions that support sustainable agricultural practices in Vietnam.
Managed by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, the Aus4Innovation program has announced funding to three projects that aim to address the complexities of modern agriculture through the use of high-tech solutions.
The impact of these projects will enhance agricultural productivity, include market development for agricultural outputs, and address efforts for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Dr. Kim Wimbush, CSIRO Counsellor to Vietnam and Director of the Aus4Innovation Program, said the projects will use artificial intelligence for carbon farming, geospatial technology to provide real-time crop data, and digital traceability and certification to enable more sustainable farming.
"Advancing technological solutions for local farmers in Vietnam by working with farmers, industry and research institutes will build enduring capacity and skills, to help reshape Vietnam's agriculture practices," Dr Wimbush said.
"These projects will not only have an impact on individual smallholder farmers, but shape the sector through adoption of these solutions more broadly.
"Partnering Griffith University and the University of Southern Queensland with the innovation ecosystem in Vietnam means the universities can test products at scale and speed in a unique market in Vietnam and bring the successful implementation techniques back to the Australian agricultural sector.
"Recipients of the Aus4Innovation Partnership Grants also benefit from CSIRO's support through connections to our network of innovators and industry partners, guidance on gender and disability responsiveness and social inclusivity, and access to partnership brokering experts.
"This helps to ensure the success of projects and fortify the collaboration between Australian and Vietnamese entities within each project."
The three projects funded through this round of partnership grants include:
- Improving crop monitoring and access to information by smallholder farmers and government decision-makers in Vietnam - A collaboration between the University of Southern Queensland and the Vietnam National Space Center, this initiative will harness geospatial technologies to provide vital crop information, aiming to boost productivity.
- Proactive carbon farming with AI and digital twins for sustainable agriculture in Thanh Hoa Province - Griffith University and Hanoi University of Science & Technology will develop an AI-driven platform to better quantify greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon farming, ultimately contributing to sustainable agricultural practices and revenue opportunities through carbon credits.
- Empowering smallholder farmers through AI-powered certification and traceability for sustainable agriculture - Griffith University in partnership with Vietnam's Commission of Standard, Metrology, and Quality aim to elevate standards in agriculture through an AI and digitalisation system that ensures effective farm monitoring and product traceability.
The Aus4Innovation Program is a ten-year (2018-2028) A$33.5 million flagship program aimed at strengthening Vietnam's innovation system to support inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development.
The program is funded by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), co-funded and managed by CSIRO, Australia's national science agency, and delivered in a strategic partnership with Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology.
Additional quotes
University of Southern Queensland
University of Southern Queensland's Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment Acting Director Professor Robbie Girling said the University was proud to be leading research that would help address complex global challenges.
"The University of Southern Queensland is thrilled to hear that Professor Armando Apan, Professor Tek Maraseni, Dr Thong Nguyen-Huy and Dr Bikram Banerjee have been awarded an Aus4Innovation Partnership Grant," Professor Girling said.
"This research project will have a significant real-world impact in Vietnam by improving imagery and crop monitoring information, which will, in turn, enable farmers and other decision-makers to make fully informed decisions to improve crop yields and household incomes.
"This research, led by Professor Apan, is a prime example of the University of Southern Queensland's ongoing commitment to research that leads the way in shaping the future of sustainable global food production."
Associate Professor Henry Nguyen and Dr Thanh Tam Nguyen respectively, regarding the two projects below:
Griffith University
For the project "Proactive carbon farming with AI and digital twins for sustainable agriculture in Thanh Hoa Province" (lead by A/Prof. Henry Nguyen):
Associate Professor Henry Hguyen from Griffith University is the Australian lead for the 'Proactive carbon farming with AI and digital twins for sustainable agriculture in Thanh Hoa Province' project.
"We are excited to partner with Hanoi University of Science and Technology. Thanks to Aus4Innovation, this project will enhance sustainable agriculture and provide economic benefits through carbon credits, towards net-zero visions," Associate Professor Henry Nguyen said.
Dr Thanh Tam Nguyen from Griffith University is the Australian lead for the 'Empowering smallholder farmers through AI-powered certification and traceability for sustainable agriculture' project.
"By partnering with Vietnam's Commission of Standard, Metrology, and Quality, we aim to empower smallholder farmers with AI-driven certification and traceability. Thanks to the support from Aus4Innovation, this project will significantly enhance sustainable farming practices and improve transparency across the agricultural sector, benefiting local communities and fostering broader agricultural development," Dr Thanh Tam Nguyen said.
