Abstract

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Present Situation of Cassava Production and the Research and Development Strategy in Vietnam 

Van Bien P.¹, Hoang Kim¹, J. J. Wang² and R.H. Howeler³

1. Institute of Agricultural Science of South Vietnam (IAS), 121 Nguyen Binh Khiem St., Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam   phamvanbien@hcm.vnn.vn

2. Vedan - Vietnam Enterprise Corp. Ltd., Phuoc Thai, Long Thanh, Dong Nai, Vietnam

Vietnam is ranked 13^th in terms of cassava production in the world.  In Vietnam cassava has great potential both for domestic consumption and for export.  In North Vietnam, cassava is grown for food and animal feed by small farmer households.  However, in South Vietnam cassava has become a cash crop and as raw material for cassava processing factories, which have a total annual processing capacity of one million tonnes of fresh roots.  The main constraints in cassava production in Vietnam are fluctuating prices and marketing problems and slow adoption of new varieties and improved technologies in remote areas.  Low soil fertility in cassava growing areas is also an important problem, as is the lack of processing facilities.  Cassava research in Vietnam has made remarkable progress since 1988 when Vietnam began its cooperation with CIAT and the Asian Cassava Research Network.  Further progress was achieved when Vietnam established its Cassava Research and Extension Network, in close cooperation with starch processing factories, especially Vedan Vietnam Enterprise Corp. Ltd.  New, high yield cassava varieties and more sustainable production practices have increased the economic effectiveness of cassava production, especially in the Southeastern region.  In order to transfer new technologies to cassava households, Farmer Participatory Research was conducted in mountainous and hilly areas of North Vietnam.  The project’s first phase was quite successful, with the second phase now expanding into the Central Coastal and Southeastern Regions.  The use of cassava roots and leaves for animal feed are also being studied.  Biotechnology has initially been applied in lysine and modified starch processing.  Our future cassava research strategy consists of: further advances in cassava breeding and in production practices; improving soil fertility of cassava growing areas; planning and establishing production areas for processing factories; developing post-harvest technologies, and expanding markets for cassava products.  The development of high starch and high yield varieties and the adoption of sustainable cassava production practices will help to maintain total cassava production while the growing areas can be reduced.  This will create a strong incentive for the development of cassava industrial processing and diversification of end-products.