Innovations of production and supply chain systems for improved off-season vegetable
The vegetable sector is becoming more of a focus for research, development and the private sector in Southeast Asia due to the high nutritional and economical value that can be generated. However, the sector faces key challenges including (1) low average yields of vegetable production in many places; (2) poor competitiveness within the region as well as outside the region; (3) postharvest losses as high 40%; (4) produce that does not conform to quality and safety demands of consumers; (5) and problems meeting market demand during the wet season.
Vegetable production is concentrated mostly in the dry season, when producers take advantage of more suitable climatic conditions, and often conventional and relatively simple techniques can be used to grow vegetables. Improving off-season (wet season) production potentially helps farmers take benefits of higher prices and fill production gaps, but it does require different technical applications to manage production, postharvest handling and market access. Many research, development and private sector partners have been working on techniques to develop innovative production and supply chain systems that enable the vegetable industry to meet consumer demand year-round.
A forum was held in 2017 with the focus on ‘Fostering a safe and sustainable vegetable sector’. The more technical aspects of production as well as supply chain systems were identified as topics of interest at the previous event, and it is timely to bring together key stakeholders to share research and development results for improving off-season vegetable production and quality.
The regional vegetable forum 2018, as a part of this series of events, has been again initiated by the ACIAR project ASEM/2012/081 – Improving market engagement, postharvest management and productivity of the Cambodian and Lao PDR vegetable industries. The theme of this forum is ‘Innovations of production and supply chain system for improved off-season vegetable’.
This forum is proudly sponsored by Agroecology Learning Alliance in South East Asia (GRET/ALiSEA), Life With Dignity (LWD), World Vision International Cambodia (WVI-C), DanChurchAid (DCA), Banteay Srei, Cambodian Horticulture Quality (CHQ of Plant and Food Research PFR) New Zealand, Oxfam, Caritas Cambodia, World Renew, and Anakot Kumar (AK).
The ACIAR project ASEM/2012/081 is the collaboration between the University of Adelaide, Charles Sturt University, Department of Primary Industry NSW, General Directorate of Agriculture, Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), iDE global, SNV, National University of Laos (NUOL), National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute Lao PDR (NAFRI) and Clean Agricultural Development Centre (CADC).
OBJECTIVES OF THE FORUM
- Share knowledge to promote innovative technology in production and supply chain systems to improve quality and productivity, especially off-season vegetables;
- Forge networks between public, NGO and private sector professionals in the regions for future communication and collaboration;
- Form a process and structure for creating this event annually.
Contacts
- Dr Sonnthida Sambath [email protected] +855 99 886 885 Cambodia
- Ms Heang Chanthou [email protected] +855 77 833 386 Cambodia
- Dr Thongkhon Sisaphaithoung [email protected] Laos