Proposal

Project Hung Yen Longan: Building a Sustainable Brand, Increasing Farmer Income, and Protecting the Environment

1. The Problem

Despite its reputation as a specialty fruit in Vietnam, the Hung Yen longan industry faces significant challenges that hinder brand development, farmer income, and sustainability.

• Low Brand Awareness: Hung Yen longans are primarily known domestically, limiting export potential, reducing product value, and restricting brand growth.
• Fragmented Supply Chain: The disjointed supply chain lacks strong links between production, distribution, and consumption, leading to price fluctuations, unstable farmer income, and quality control difficulties.
• Unsustainable Farming Practices: The use of excessive chemical fertilizers and pesticides harms soil quality, water resources, and consumer health. This degrades soil fertility, increases pest resistance, and necessitates higher chemical use, creating a vicious cycle.

These interconnected issues negatively impact each other. Low brand awareness limits market access, forcing farmers to accept low prices from intermediaries. Conversely, chemical use harms both the environment and product quality, hindering brand building and international competitiveness.

2. The Solution

The Hung Yen Longan Project aims to address these challenges through three main strategies, establishing a sustainable brand, ensuring farmer income, and protecting the environment.

Brand Building:

• Develop a unique brand identity (logo, packaging, marketing materials) emphasizing quality, origin, and specialty characteristics.
• Implement multi-channel marketing campaigns (online and offline) to promote the brand to domestic and international consumers.
• Participate in agricultural fairs and international trade exhibitions to connect with potential importers and expand export markets.

Sustainable Supply Chain Development:

• Establish cooperatives or farmer associations to consolidate products, ensuring quality and consistency. This strengthens farmers’ bargaining power and reduces reliance on intermediaries.
• Create direct distribution channels connecting farmers to consumers through supermarkets, organic food stores, and e-commerce platforms. Eliminating intermediaries increases farmer profits and ensures fair consumer prices.
• Implement product traceability technology (blockchain) to ensure transparency in origin, quality, and production processes.

Sustainable Farming Practices:

• Encourage and support farmers in adopting organic farming methods, using biological fertilizers and natural pesticides. This protects soil and water resources, minimizes environmental impact, and enhances product quality.
• Organize training sessions on organic farming techniques and biological pest management for farmers to improve productivity and product quality.
• Research and apply integrated pest management (IPM) methods for effective pest control and reduced environmental impact.
• Provide high-quality, disease-resistant plant varieties to minimize pesticide use.
• Research and apply integrated pest management (IPM) methods for effective pest control and reduced environmental impact.

3. Contribution to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Hung Yen Longan Project not only addresses local agricultural challenges but also contributes to several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: By building a brand and developing a sustainable supply chain, the project increases farmer income, improves living conditions, and contributes to sustainable poverty reduction in the region.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The project creates jobs in agriculture, processing, transportation, export, and related industries, driving local economic growth.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The project promotes organic farming, reducing fertilizer and pesticide use, and contributing to soil, water, and biodiversity conservation.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: Organic farming reduces greenhouse gas emissions, improves soil quality, and promotes climate change adaptation.

4. Conclusion

The Hung Yen Longan Project is a comprehensive initiative to address local agricultural challenges, establishing Hung Yen longans as a sustainable and reputable brand in the international market. The project not only enhances farmer income but also contributes to environmental protection and sustainable socioeconomic development in the region.