HCM CITY — A memorandum of understanding was signed in Washington D.C. last week between the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Vietnam, the National Agriculture Extension Centre, the PepsiCo Foundation, PepsiCo, and CARE for the “Harvesting Potentials – She Feeds the World Phase II” project in Việt Nam.

The initiative aims to strengthen the economic, social and climate resilience of farmers and small-scale agricultural producers.

It will run from 2026 to 2028 in Đắk Lắk, Gia Lai and Thanh Hóa provinces with a focus on regenerative agriculture and inclusive value chains to help communities better withstand the impacts of climate change.

It is expected to directly benefit 13,600 farmers and small-scale producers, and indirectly support 73,400 people.

C.D. Glin, president of the PepsiCo Foundation and global head of social impact at PepsiCo, said: “By providing access to the tools and resources that farmers and small-scale producers need, we are helping them build on their expertise to grow more sustainably and strengthen food systems for generations to come.”

It will be built on a strong public–private partnership model with government agencies, research institutes, local partners, and the private sector joining hands.

PSAV and NAEC provide technical support and regulatory guidance, working alongside provincial authorities, while scientific expertise is led by the Western Highlands Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute.

Vice Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoàng Trung praised PSAV and NAEC’s role in advancing the PPP model and emphasised the ministry’s commitment to closely coordinating with partners to scale up initiatives with broad social impacts.

He added that the ministry trusted “the PepsiCo Foundation, CARE and the business community will continue to play a pioneering role – not only in financial contribution but also in technological innovation, value-chain management and shaping sustainable consumption trends.”

The project focuses on three interconnected objectives to build sustainable, resilient food systems.

First, it aims to strengthen the capacity of farmers and small-scale producers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices, supporting climate-resilient livelihoods and sustainable sourcing.

Second, it seeks to build inclusive value chains by ensuring producers have fair access to essential inputs, finance, technology, and market opportunities.

Finally, the project will develop, document and share successful regenerative agriculture models, promoting their integration into the Food Innovation Hub Vietnam initiative to broaden impact and scale.

Prof. Seema Jayachandran, board member of CARE International, said: “The shift to a stronger focus on regenerative agriculture and climate resilience is critical.

“Harvesting Potentials is about equipping small-scale producers with the knowledge and resources to not only increase their yields but also to heal the land and secure their livelihoods against increasingly complex weather patterns. This is a crucial step towards long-term sustainability."

Harvesting Potentials forms part of She Feeds the World, a global programme by the PepsiCo Foundation and CARE supporting small-scale producers with the tools, skills and confidence needed to boost production, improve nutrition and build more resilient communities. — VNS