Learning about current Australian agricultural practices and technologies

June 20, 2024

The Crawford Fund South Australia Committee recently supported a training opportunity for Mr Me A Vang, a researcher from the Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Tay Bac University in Vietnam.

“This course was an opportunity for me to discover an advanced education, professional knowledge in science and technology and modern techniques in agriculture. It also allowed me to discover Australia and its culture, and to improve my English which I also studied during the training period,” said Mr Vang.

Mr Vang working with Dr Hue on soybean hybrids at the University of Adelaide.

Some of the research processes Mr Vang was involved in during his time at the University of Adelaide included:

• Collecting data to evaluate the development of soybean plants through stages, and planting soybean plants in pots
• Collecting and preparing barley and soybean leaf tissue for DNA extraction
• Disease assessment of Faba bean within the Faba bean breeding program
• Measuring photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance and installing sensors for the almond trees as part of irrigation assessment in commercialised almond cultivars
• Making artificial hybrids of soybeans.

Left: Visiting an organic apple orchard run by Kym Green at Lenswood. Right: Participating in faba bean disease assessments as part of the faba bean breeding program.

“I also visited farms around Adelaide such as apple orchards, vineyards, and farms producing cucumbers, capsicum, and tomatoes. I saw how Australian farmers apply science, technology, engineering, and modern machinery in agriculture – all aimed at reducing labour and harvest time, increasing crop productivity, and making agriculture and food safe,” he said.

“I learned how to use tablets to collect data as part of this training course. I will apply these new skills in my research by using tablets to collect data because in the past it was all about data collection by using paper. However, due to the lack of modern equipment and facilities, some of the knowledge skills learned cannot be applied immediately, but this will open up a new way of thinking for me about research, learning, and agricultural production, a career in the future,” he said.

“I will also share what I learn with students and colleagues of Tay Bac University, so that we can share and help each other in our work.”

“I have experienced a new Australian culture. Australians are very friendly, open, willing to help strangers, agile in their working style, professional, on time, and honest in their work,” he said.

“I would like to say thank you to the teachers at The University of Adelaide, and many thanks to the SA Crawford Fund committee for granting me this scholarship and giving me this  opportunity to develop myself and access an advanced education,” he concluded.