On August 31, 2021, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) officially launched the online forum "Connecting the Production and Consumption of Agricultural Products." The event attracted representatives from 63 provinces and cities, along with nearly 200 enterprises, industry associations, cooperatives, and production facilities nationwide.
The forum was established under the direct guidance of MARD Minister Le Minh Hoan, building upon the successful agricultural product connection activities of Working Group 970. Its core objective is to create a synchronized ecosystem that closely integrates all stages: from production, harvesting, and processing to circulation and consumption. Through this, a robust, multi-dimensional "linkage - cooperation" network among state management agencies, the business community, and farmers will be firmly established.
Member Benefits and the Mission to Resolve 3 "Bottlenecks"
Upon joining the forum, members receive strong support in promoting their brand image, sharing information, and participating in agricultural supply-demand chains operated by the Steering Committee for Agricultural Market Development (MARD).
Particularly in the context of the complex Covid-19 pandemic, which has disrupted numerous local supply chains, the forum takes on the mission of solving three major challenges within the agricultural sector:
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Eliminating fragmentation: Radically overcoming the issues of small-scale, spontaneous, and fragmented production.
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Expanding markets: Assisting in policy formulation, as well as searching, negotiating, and connecting with potential consumer markets.
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Elevating the role of enterprises: Promoting the leading role of businesses to guide the agricultural sector towards creating high-quality, safe, and responsible products that meet the increasingly strict demands of the market.
5 Core Tasks of the Forum
To realize these goals, the forum will focus on implementing five main tasks:
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(1) Trade promotion: Connecting supply and demand not only for agricultural products but also for agricultural input materials and rural tourism products.
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(2) Providing strategic information: Gathering statistics, synthesizing data, and forecasting market trends to serve management and trade promotion efforts.
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(3) Promoting digital transformation: Accelerating the application of planting area codes, product traceability, and ensuring food quality and safety.
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(4) Training and capacity building: Supporting the organization of production and promoting value chain linkages.
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(5) Resolving obstacles: Promptly proposing solutions to overcome difficulties within the production-consumption chains.
Flexible Operations by Theme and Region
A standout feature of the forum is its flexible organizational structure, tailored to specific commodity themes, crop seasons, and regional characteristics. Specifically, the forum will host separate food supply-demand connection sessions for key areas such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, the Northern Midlands and Mountains, the Red River Delta, the Central Coast - Central Highlands, the Southeast, the Mekong Delta, or regions currently under social distancing orders.
Additionally, the forum focuses on connecting the supply and demand of input materials to boost crucial agricultural seasons throughout the year (e.g., the 2nd and 3rd shrimp farming crops; the autumn-winter and winter-spring rice crops in the Mekong Delta; or the winter crop in the North).
Gathering top-tier managers and industry experts, the forum promises to be a practical, open space where enterprises, cooperatives, and farmers can freely discuss and receive in-depth consultations on organizing production, consumption, and market-oriented agricultural development.
(Reference source: Nong Nghiep Newspaper)