The project will build on the long-term partnerships between 4 Dutch consortium members and one Vietnamese, and Fresh Academy as a partner. It will concentrate on enhancing performance of selected vegetable and fruit value chains in Northern Vietnam with gender, youth and minority focus: 1)enhance capacity of next generation wishing to work in horticulture and fruit production in any part of the value chain so that they can meet labour market requirements; and 2) enhance capacity of stakeholders already working in horticulture so that they can improve their performance at individual, organizational and institutional levels and drive change to become more market-oriented at each step of the value chain.

Objective: Contribute to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (SDG 2) through the strengthening of capacity, knowledge and quality of individuals as well as organisations in the fields of Technical and Vocational Education and Training and Higher Education (TVET/HE) in OKP partner countries.

Long term impact:
1. Promote agricultural growth
2. Create ecologically sustainable food systems (must)
3. Water efficiency in agriculture increased (must) 
 
Outputs

1. Relevant curricula, innovative teaching material for technical, organizational and managerial areas developed/upgraded and applied through interactive and multidisciplinary teaching methods for academic, technical professional, mid-level management working in agriculture, cooperatives, quality assurance managers and purchasing staff of companies and supermarkets.

2. Through training of the trainers (ToT approach), pools of trainer are available to implement training activities at all levels above. Strategy is identified for institutional arrangements to  implement training activities 

3. Innovation Centre for Horticulture is operational
     3.1 Long-term strategy to operate the centre as financially viable enterprise as spin-off of VNUA is developed
     3.2 VNUA staff capacity enhanced (number of FTEs, knowledge, skills and attitude) to be able to operationalize the strategy for the Innovation Centre for Horticulture.
    3.3 Education / research / private sector / government partnerships set up for the purpose of applied research, technology development and transfer, supply chain optimisation, internship placement (Dutch and Vietnamese, TVET and higher education), and update of curricula, so that graduates meet job market needs; strategy for achieving financial sustainability is in place.
      3.4 Relevant innovative technologies adapted / developed based on local knowledge and with Dutch input for horticulture; stakeholders apply transferred technologies (adaptive greenhouse design, increasing water efficiency and food safety / quality, enhancing productivity, taking climate change into account, post-harvest management of fruits and vegetables; supply chain management) 

4. Agri Cooperative Knowledge Hub is operational: competencies of agri cooperatives and their farmer members are enhanced and; image of cooperative is enhanced; the hub is an active member of the Innovation Centre for Horticulture.
5. Market linkages of agri cooperatives and small farmers improved; they are able to develop local/domestic market or access domestic and international markets through development / upgrade of selected value chains in horticulture.
6. Relationships among consortium partners and linkages with local relevant stakeholders sustain after the project lifespan, well embedded institutionally in the Vietnamese context.