Farmers shape the future of rural Vietnam. Their work drives local prosperity. For the past four years, Agriterra has worked with them through the Farmer Focused Transformation program (FFT1). This journey, stretching from 2021 to 2025, has been more than a project. It has been a shared effort to place farmers at the center of change, strengthen the cooperatives that support them, and nurture a foundation for thriving tomorrow.
In November 2025, cooperative leaders, government partners, private-sector allies, and Agriterra staff gathered for an important milestone: the FFT1 reflection and results workshop. This was a moment to look back with pride and look forward with purpose.
A sector in transformation
Vietnam is home to nearly 30,000 cooperatives, most of them rooted in agriculture. They are engines of opportunity for rural families. But they also face real challenges: climate change, market pressures, a need for stronger governance, and the urgent call for youth and women to help shape the next generation of leadership.
FFT1 stepped in with a simple belief: when farmer organisations grow stronger, entire communities grow with them.
Across 16 provinces, the program supported 35 cooperatives directly and reached many more through alliances and training. This meant practical guidance in business development, financial management, climate adaptation, and digitalization, always shaped by what farmers themselves identified as most needed.
And the results speak for themselves.
Seeds sown. Roots strengthened. Change underway.
Empowering farmers
- 1,500 people increased their knowledge in youth participation, marketing, finance, and member engagement
- Farmers gained tools to make informed decisions and guide their organisations with confidence
Strengthening cooperatives
- 14 million euros in grants mobilised, with major support from the Ministry of Planning and Investment
- Youth and women councils formed in 20 percent of cooperatives
- Eight cooperatives linked to financial institutions
- Six cooperatives adopted digital tools for production and marketing systems
Creating wider impact
Partnerships grew with provincial cooperative alliances, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, Fresh Studio, De Heus, and several embassies and international organisations. These partnerships helped strengthen cooperative development across the country and supported local prosperity for many rural families.
Mrs. Cao Xuan Thu Van, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, shared the following insight:
“FFT1 has made an important contribution to building the image of a modern and effective agricultural cooperative, which plays an increasingly significant role in developing agriculture and rural areas toward sustainability and integration.”
What we learned
One lesson stood out. A modern cooperative must place the farmer at the centre.
Change takes time, but when farmers lead, when their voices shape solutions, transformation becomes lasting. FFT1 has shown that with the right support, farmer organisations are capable of building resilient, future-ready businesses that lift entire communities.
Looking ahead: FFT2 and beyond
With FFT1 drawing to a close, the workshop served as a bridge toward the next chapter. There are still areas ready for growth: access to finance, governance capacity, succession planning, member engagement, and market integration.
The base is strong.
The partnerships are strong.
And the commitment to a thriving tomorrow is stronger than ever.
Agriterra remains dedicated to partnering up with Vietnam’s cooperatives, alliances, and farmers, continuing to sow the seeds of change together.
