On May 27th and 28th, the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Resources, Dong Thap University met with Dr. Alan Broughton – a retired lecturer, organic agriculture researcher at Victoria Technical College. The faculty also welcomed the vice president of the Organic Agriculture Association in Grippsland, Victoria, Australia as well as other trainers of Mekong Organics at the meeting.
The meeting commenced with a talk between the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Resources, Dong Thap University with the experts from Mekong Organics. The two parties had an open and friendly discussion and reached an agreement on a number of collaboration contents. The faculty and the experts are also expected to sign the MoU in the near future.
The major agreed cooperation contents include mutual support to organize training on professional skills, develop training programs, take internships, and create job opportunities for students of some related majors. The two parties also agreed on connecting the two sides and some localities to implement projects related to sustainable agriculture and rural household economic development. Especially, the meeting participants reached an agreement in supporting lecturers and students of agricultural economics, culture and tourism, social work, and environmental resources in seeking scholarships to follow higher education as well as short-term internships at organizations in the Mekong region countries, Australia, Japan, etc.

Some photos taken during the meeting

During the business trip, Dr Alan Broughton conducted two presentations on what organic agriculture is and sharing experience in building, operating, and managing community organic vegetable gardens. In addition, Mr. Huynh Ngoc Duc – Master, lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources in An Giang University (Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City) had a sharing about the experience of applying for scholarships and learning about organic agriculture at the Asian Rural Institute, Japan, and KS. Also, Mr. Truong Thanh Dat - founder and CEO of Ếch Ộp Farm, Long Xuyen City, An Giang, delivered two presentations on locating organic farmers and ecosystem-based pest management techniques.
This business trip is the premise for closer connections and cooperations between Dong Thap University and Mekong Organics as well as their partners in Vietnam in the near future.