In the morning of March 5th, in Hanoi, with the consent of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of Vietnam Farmers' Union (VNFU), Administration Department coordinated with Small Grants Programme at the Global Environment Fund (GEF SGP), United Nations Development Program (UNDP) organized a consultation workshop to supplement and complete the project "Strengthening capacity and creating a forum on support services for young farmers to start up and innovate in the context of digital transformation through OCOP products".

The workshop was organized as a hybrid event. Presiding over at Hanoi site was Mr. Nguyen Khac Toan- Member of the Standing Committee, Director of Administration Department of Vietnam Farmers’ Union. Also attending were Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen- National Coordinator, Small Project Sponsorship Program, Global Environment Fund; representatives of leaders of Department of External Affairs and International Cooperation, Center for Support of Farmers and Rural Areas and staff of Administration Department. Attending the webinar, there were also representatives of the Farmers' Unions of several provinces and cities connected from the other sites.
 
The project sets out four main goals, including: Firstly, to improve the knowledge and awareness of farmers (especially young farmers) to change their thinking and awareness about innovative start-ups in the era of digital transformation with local agricultural staples, contributing to community development in rural areas. Second, create livelihood opportunities on the basis of promoting local advantages to develop staple crops and livestock to meet domestic consumption and export demand; at the same time preserve and promote the unique cultural values ​​of the ethnic groups and regions. Third, develop brands and support consumption for products of “One commune, one product” program (OCOP). Fourth, contribute to promoting sustainable community development in rural areas through the activities of FU’s professional branches which are similar
to community.
 
Speaking at the seminar, Mr. Nguyen Khac Toan said: If approved by the GEF SGP, Administration Department of Vietnam Farmers’ Union will report to the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of Vietnam Farmers’ Union for the project implementation in 2022. Thereby, it will collaborate with related departments and units of VNFU and the Farmers' Unions of some provinces and cities to organize a number of activities such as: organize training to raise awareness about entrepreneurship and creativity in the period of digital transformation through OCOP products for staff; promote and introduce product brands through agricultural festivals, fairs and exhibitions; organize the compilation and printing of manuals on start-ups and creativity in the digital transformation period through OCOP products for grassroots FU officials; organize seminars, policy dialogues on agriculture, farmers, rural areas, innovative start-ups in the digital transformation period in agriculture...
From connected sites of the workshop, representatives of the leaders of the provincial Farmers' Unions expressed their high consensus with the idea of ​​the project's content and activities. The delegates also focused on sharing and discussing mainly around groups of issues such as: The OCOP national program helps localities to create many strong products, but farmers still face obstacles, difficulties in creating brands and trademarks of products; most of the provinces and cities have built product stores, aiming to build into a connection chain, inter-provincial and inter-regional to create sustainability. Many farmers have applied the method of creating a sales application for specific products, but still do not know about the e-commerce platform; counterpart funds of Farmers' Associations of provinces and cities when participating in the project...
 
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huyen - Country Coordinator: Up to now, UNDP-GEF SGP has supported resources to implement more than 40 projects across the country. In particular, it focuses on supporting localities in implementing activities to conserve biodiversity, preserve cultural identities, and ensure livelihood for people in ethnic minority areas. On assessment, there are many models of typical young farmers that have created a ripple effect of positive actions in the community.
 
Assessing that this project is very necessary and appropriate, Ms. Thu Huyen also suggested some more ideas for the leaders of the Farmers' Unions of the provinces and cities to pay attention such as: Where there are existing projects and resources can be attached to the implementation of this project; OCOP driven tourism is difficult to do, but it is really good that Phu Yen and Da Nang are suggested to study and apply based on the available local advantages...