Can Tho (VNA)🐎 – Policy and technological solutions in supportof enterprises which are either agricultural start-ups or shifting theiroperation to agri-business were discussed at an APEC forum in the Mekong Deltacity of Can Tho on August 23.

The APEC Forum on Agricultural Start-ups and Innovation brought togetherbusinesspeople, investors and officials in the agricultural sector of membereconomies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The event is expected to stimulate efficient collaboration andpartnerships between public and private sectors in APEC economies, and topromote agricultural investment capabilities by providing right incentives foragricultural start-ups and innovations in the region, thereby transitioningtowards a regional ecosystem of ICT-enabled knowledge economies. The APEC economies are facing significant challenges in increasingagricultural production to meet the diversified food demands of increasingpopulation, at the same time, improving the sustainable use of natural resourcesfor future generations, the forum heard. Agricultural start-ups in the region have been constrained by limitedmarket access capabilities, investment opportunities and partnerships to expandtheir business operation. Speaking to reporters, Tri Nguyen, co-founder and CEO of MimosaTEK, a startup thatprovides farm management solutions for both smallholder farmers andlarge agricultural companies in different parts of Vietnam and for differentcrops, underlinedthe important role of technology in agriculture. Start-ups should take into consideration difficultiesin terms of the market, and especially how to change awareness of farmers abouttechnological applications in agriculture, he said.   Start-ups can join hands with big enterprises andorganisations to reform the farming sector, he said, noting that a strong start-upecosystem, which includes incubators, investors, supportive organisations andbig companies specialising in agriculture, can help start-ups gain successes. Godefroy Grosjean, from the International Centre forTropical Agriculture, stressed the need to create a favourable environment forthe agricultural sector to promote innovation, which means providing sufficientfinance for start-ups and ensuring their intellectual property. Besides, it is necessary to enable farmers to accessservices and invest in new technologies, raise their awareness of technologiesand provide them with training so that they can use the technologies, he said.-VNA