On the morning of 30 July, at the Quang Tri Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, CARE International in Vietnam, in coordination with the Quang Tri Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, organised the Award and Recognition Ceremony for the First Quang Tri Provincial Competition on Initiatives for Climate-Resilient Agricultural Economic Development.

The event was attended by Mr Le Van Bao, Vice President of Quang Tri People Committee; Mr Tran Quoc Tuan, Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment; Ms Edel Cribbin, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam (Irish Aid); Ms Le Kim Dung, Country Director of CARE International in Vietnam; as well as leaders of central and local agencies, development partners, businesses, cooperatives and community groups participating in the competition.

Organised within the framework of the Resilience First Project, with funding from the Government and People of Ireland, the competition aimed to identify and support innovative initiatives capable of addressing challenges in agricultural development and livelihoods amid the growing impacts of climate change in Quang Tri.

Identifying Innovative Solutions from Within Communities

Following the launch period, the competition attracted 57 applications from cooperatives, enterprises, cooperative groups, community groups and individuals across Quang Tri Province. The initiatives reflected a wide range of ideas and solutions, from innovations in production techniques, the application of science and technology and digital transformation, to value chain development, green livelihoods and sustainable natural resource management.

The initiatives focused on seven priority areas:

• Sustainable agricultural, forestry and fisheries development;
• Application of science and technology and digital transformation in agriculture;
• Climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and natural resource management;
• Greenhouse gas emissions reduction, green agriculture and the circular economy;
• Sustainable livelihood development and the enhanced roles of women and young people;
• Market development, value chain linkages and e-commerce;
• Agritourism, community-based tourism and ecotourism.

The Judging Panel, comprising experts and technical officers from the Quang Tri Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, Department of Science and Technology, Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, ietnam Cooperative Alliance and Women Union, assessed the initiatives against five groups of criteria: novelty and creativity; feasibility and potential for implementation; economic effectiveness; social and environmental effectiveness and climate change adaptation potential; and scalability and long-term sustainability.

More Than VND 1.15 Billion to Support Outstanding Initiatives

From the 57 applications received, the Organising Committee selected 14 outstanding initiatives for awards, comprising one First Prize, two Second Prizes, four Third Prizes and seven Consolation Prizes, with a total prize value of up to VND 1,155,000,000.

This support not only recognises innovative ideas but also enables the initiative teams to continue refining their models, conducting pilots, expanding their scale and improving market access in the coming period.

Outstanding Initiatives

The First Prize was awarded to the initiative “A ‘Flood-Resilient’ Giant Freshwater Prawn Farming Model for Climate Change Adaptation in the Hac Hai Lagoon Area” by the Loc Phat Agricultural and Aquaculture Production, Business and Services Cooperative. The initiative develops a giant freshwater prawn farming model suited to increasingly extreme flooding conditions, contributing to livelihood diversification, increased incomes and enhanced resilience among lagoon communities in the face of climate change.

The two Second Prizes were awarded to:

• “Application of Cold-Drying and Cold-Storage Technologies to Increase the Value of Coastal Glehnia” by the Cang Gian Village Community Group, Ben Hai Commune, contributing to improved product quality, longer storage periods and expanded market access opportunities.
• “Bio-Based Mulch Made from Medicinal Herb Residues and By-products to Replace Plastic Sheeting in Medicinal Plant Cultivation” by the Thuy Mai Clean Medicinal Herbs Cooperative, which makes use of agricultural by-products to create bio-based mulch materials, helping reduce plastic waste, improve soil quality and promote circular agriculture models.

The award-winning initiatives demonstrate the potential for innovation emerging from local communities, while also reflecting the trend towards greener, smarter and more climate-resilient agricultural development.

Contributing to an Innovation Ecosystem for Agriculture in Quang Tri

Beyond being a competition to identify ideas, the programme aims to build an innovation ecosystem in the agricultural sector, where promising initiatives can be connected with technical and financial resources and relevant partners to support their gradual refinement and replication.

Through the competition, initiatives are encouraged to draw on local knowledge and combine it with science, technology and sustainable business models to create solutions that both improve people’s incomes and reduce environmental impacts, while strengthening their ability to adapt to climate-related changes.

Ms Edel Cribbin, Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam (Irish Aid), shared:

“Community-led innovation is a foundation for building an agricultural sector that is more resilient to climate change. The Government of Ireland is proud to work alongside Quang Tri Province and its partners in supporting practical initiatives that contribute to improved livelihoods, greater equality and sustainable development for local communities.”

Mr Tran Quoc Tuan, Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated: “The initiatives honoured today not only demonstrate the spirit of innovation and creativity among local people, cooperatives and businesses, but also open up new directions for green and climate-resilient agricultural development. We expect these models to continue to be refined, replicated and to make a positive contribution to the province’s sustainable agricultural development strategy.”

Ms Le Kim Dung, Country Director of CARE International in Vietnam, emphasised that investing in local initiatives is an investment in the long-term resilience of communities. When practical solutions are supported at the right time, they can create sustainable change not only for individual households and communities, but also contribute to the transformation of the entire agricultural sector towards a more inclusive, green and climate-resilient future.

The Award and Recognition Ceremony marks an important milestone reaffirming the commitment of the Government of Ireland, CARE, the Quang Tri Provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment and their partners to promoting innovation for sustainable agricultural development, stronger climate resilience and improved livelihoods for local people.

About the Resilience First Project

The Resilience First Project, funded by the Government of Ireland, is implemented by CARE International in Vietnam in collaboration with government agencies and local partners. The project aims to strengthen community resilience to climate change through sustainable livelihood development, the promotion of innovation, increased participation of women and young people, and the advancement of green and inclusive economic development models.