Farming for the Future: Danish expertise for Vietnam’s green agriculture

Only three weeks after the establishment of the Green Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Denmark, a Danish–Vietnamese dialogue on green and resource-efficient food and agriculture production was held to materialize the milestone in the 50-year relationship.

Denmark produces three times more food than its population can consume, with some of the lowest greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark

As included in the existing cooperation in climate, environment and energy, trade and business collaboration, health, and statistics, food and agriculture have become one of the key sectors in the Green Strategic Partnership that was inked in early November.

For that reason, it’s of significance that a Danish Sustainable Agriculture and Food delegation came to exchange experiences and innovative solutions in sustainable food and agriculture with their local counterparts and business partners.

The delegation is led by representatives of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration and the Danish Agriculture and Food Council and accompanied by nine Danish agri-food companies specializing in livestock and fisheries, agricultural and food production and processing, and temperature-controlled storage solutions.

According to Mette Ekeroth, Deputy Head of the Danish Embassy in Hanoi, green transition in the agriculture and food sector is always a central theme of cooperation between Denmark and Vietnam, both in the ongoing Strategic Sector Cooperation program and the Green Strategic Partnership.

“We hope that this visit of the Danish Sustainable Agriculture and Food delegation could serve as a platform for key stakeholders, Danish and Vietnamese, to meet, share insights and forge partnerships that will continue shaping the future of agriculture and food production in both countries,’ she said.

To deliver Danish expertise in agriculture, a seminar titled “Farming for the Future: A Danish - Vietnamese Dialogue on Green and Efficient Food and Agriculture” held today [November 22] provided Vietnamese and Danish food and agriculture companies with the chance to identify potential areas of synergy for future cooperation. 

Key areas of focus included green solutions for sustainability and innovative practices and technologies for the agriculture and food industry. The seminar is a crucial step in enhancing collaboration, innovation, and technology between Vietnam and Denmark.

The seminar is an element in the long-term Strategic Sector Partnership (SSC) between Denmark and Vietnam, aiming to support Vietnam’s efforts to transform the agriculture and food sector towards green and sustainability.

Vietnamese and Danish Dialogue on Food and Agriculture held on November 22. Source: The Embassy of Denmark in Hanoi

Denmark extends agri-food expertise to Vietnam

The cooperation in agriculture between Vietnam and Denmark has been enhanced over the years.

Sharing with The Hanoi Times, Hugo Høllede who is in charge of HR & Administration at Mille Food A/S, said Denmark is famous for its world-class agriculture and food sector regarding food safety, quality, and healthy products, which are also very important for Vietnamese consumers.

Mille Food is aware of Vietnam's difficulties in producing enough safe products domestically. However, Vietnam's remarkable economic growth, rising income, and consumers' increasing willingness to try new brands and products give optimism that the market and customers will embrace goods made in Danish factories with the strictest quality control, Høllede said.

In a talk with The Hanoi Times, Henrik Norgaard, Country Manager, Denmark, TITAN Containers, highlighted the role of temperature-controlled storage solutions in food and agriculture, saying that the company looks forward to benefiting local businesses with its mobile and advanced solutions.

Meanwhile, Cloudfarms has been present in this market and chosen by some local pig producers to digitalize their farms. Cloudfarms has concluded that the Vietnamese pork industry is committed to implementing best practices and creating one of the most cutting-edge pork industries globally.

Cloudfarms is working to boost its presence in Vietnam as it sees this market potential for the company’s long-term investment strategy, Bogdan Samoylenko, Key Business Developer for Asia, Cloudfarms shared with The Hanoi Times.