Intranet access

• FR
• EN

Log in

Or

If you don't have a LuxDev email account

I forgot my password

Help

LuxDev, Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency

• 2017
• • 16 November
  • By Sandrine THINNES
  • 
  • Asia Office VIE/034
  • Share Tweet

  Vietnam - Bac Kan Vocational College - Partner in promoting organic farming in Bac Kan province

  

  In recent years, Vietnamese families have increasingly opted for organic and healthy food. Aware of this trend, Bac Kan Vocational College (BKVC) embarked on a new intervention with the support of project VIE/034 to promote organic and clean agricultural production by offering training courses for the farmers of Tan Son commune in Cho Moi district. The training is aimed at guiding farmers in growing organic vegetables, applying standardized processes and measures to ensure the produce meets the standards. Besides funding the construction of a lightweight protective growing facility covering a 660m2 area to be used as a demonstration and practice site, project VIE/034 also sought professional technical support from PUM, a Senior Expert organization from the Netherlands, to help BKVC in developing and upgrading the training curricula for agricultural trades. 

  

  ^{Safe agricultural production project in Tan Son commune}

  During the PUM expert’s two-week mission from 16 to 28 October 2017, former Director of De Groene Welle Vocational Training College in the Netherlands, visited the local agricultural cooperatives, agro-forestry production models including Tan Son project, tree nurseries and safe food stores. The discussions with the teachers of BKVC Agro-Forestry faculty and the farmers provided him with sufficient insight on the agricultural sector and agricultural vocational training of Bac Kan. The director of BKVC shared that currently they are studying the feasibility of growing, on a larger scale, a special indigenous tomato variety that is currently exclusively grown by Dao ethnic people, in the effort to market this new variety. BKVC is capable of offering a specialized program for interested producers.

  

  ^{Visits to local agricultural cooperatives}

  

  ^{The director of Sa Ha cooperative introducing the local “Bo khai” vegetable (Erythropalum scandens)}

  Beside field visits, the expert also experienced local tourism to Ba Be Lake (Three Lakes) in Ba Be National Park, the largest natural fresh water lake in Viet Nam.  The expert learnt of the great potential for community based tourism which is still underexploited today. At the end of the mission, the workshop “Vocational training in association with developing safe agricultural production models in Bac Kan province” was held to present the findings and recommendations for improving training programs of the Agro-Forestry faculty. During the workshop, the participants including representatives of local authorities, farmers, cooperatives and enterprises also had a chance to listen to multiple experiences and professional consultations about how to promote organic farming in Bac Kan province, as well as how to create a value chain and build better linkages between farmers and markets. The workshop ignited an inspired and motivated discussion among the participants and signaled more aligned synergy for future development of the agricultural sector in the province. The issue of sustainable ecotourism in combination with agriculture was also raised by the expert and attracted a lot of interest.

  

  ^{The PUM expert presenting his findings and recommendations from the field trip in Bac Kan}

  “Thanks to the support from VIE/034, I had chance to attend a workshop in Moscow and learned about the Industry 4.0 in education. I realized that the Industry 4.0 will bring both opportunities and challenges for everyone, including farmers. BKVC should thus update its training programs in order to adapt to the development trends because agricultural and rural development is a main focus of Bac Kan province. As a training centre, BKVC will try its best to meet educational requirements and become a center of excellency for high quality agro-forestry education with the support from the Luxembourg development cooperation”, remarked the director of BKVC.

  The VIE/034 Project Coordinator added: “BKVC plays a key role in promoting agricultural production and organic farming in the province. In the second phase of Luxembourg’s support to the school, project VIE/034 has paid more attention to the Agro-Forestry faculty. The project has found reliable partners in the agricultural sector, including PUM from the Netherlands. I hope that contributions shared in the workshop today will be valuable in forming a relationship between PUM and BKVC and I hope that the school will strengthen its cooperation with PUM not only in agro-forestry field but also in the field of eco-tourism and other sectors”.

  As the result of the mission, the PUM expert promised that his institution will provide continued cooperation and assistance by sending more subject experts to train BKVC teachers on organic farming, plant diseases, agricultural economics, and aquaculture in combination with horticulture. Both sides will work together to plan a detailed training schedule and training program which is expected to take place in 2018.

  

  ^{Combined garden of seedless persimmon and bo khai vegetable (Erythropalum scandens)}

  

  ^{Meeting with local farmers}

  ↑ To the top
• 2016
• • 22 September
  • By Sandrine Thinnes
  • 
  • Asia Office VIE/021 VIE/034
  • Share Tweet

  Vietnam – Record-breaking intake at Bac Kan Vocational College 257 new students enrolled for the 2016-17 academic year on Admission Day – 5 September 2016

  Bac Kan Vocational College (BKVC), previously known as Bac Kan Intermediate Vocational School, was funded by Luxembourg Development Cooperation under project VIE/021 from 2007-2011 and now continues to receive support for a second phase. Starting with only two departments, it currently offers a wide range of training programmes, including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, automotive engineering, construction, agro-forestry, IT, as well as accounting and has seen increasing numbers of students over the years.

  

  Since early 2016, the BKVC Recruitment Centre kicked off a multimedia blitz advertising campaign covering Bac Kan television, newspapers and banners displayed in district schools. They organised career orientation days at almost all secondary schools in the province and visited potential students’ families in villages. Prospective students were also invited to BKVC for a campus tour, from which they had a chance to see for themselves what BKVC has to offer in terms of not only training programmes but also the living and studying environment.

  

  On 5 September, secondary school graduates and their parents from all districts in Bac Kan province gathered at BKVC campus for Admission Day. A mixed feeling of nervousness and excitement was easily discerned on those young faces who are about to part from their parents and family home for the first time in their life. Carrying backpacks or bags of various shapes and sizes, they queued in line for their turn to register. Students who already made a decision over what to study simply filled in the enrolment form, submitted and then waited to be taken to their dormitory. There are also consultation desks where dedicated faculty members gave helpful advice and guidance to still-undecided students.

  

  After finishing the paperwork, students got together in a hall for an introduction session to BKVC. The college’s Director, Mr Trinh Tien Long, provided students with information about different policies, support and conveyed a bright outlook, further solidifying their confidence in the choices they made and ensuring the time they will be spending on campus will be a rewarding experience. 

  

  Admission procedures did not cease until the end of the day. Results showed that recruitment efforts have paid off. Total number of new enrolment was reported to have reached 257 – the highest enrolment ever recorded on an admission day and more are expected to follow. The most enrolled occupations include automotive engineering, veterinary and mechanical technology. Recruitment activities will continue until the end of 2016 with support of the VIE/034 project in order to reach the target of 440 new students.

  ↑ To the top

Display previous news

<12