Grower productivity, profitability and longevity are the focus of Chi Nguyen as he steps into our Regional Development Officer role.

Joining vegetablesWA as Regional Development Officer (RDO) for Extension Services is a thrill for me. I am eager to hit the ground running, meeting and working with grower members to learn and develop how we can best work together in my new position.

While this is an exciting new chapter in my career, I am focused on making a positive contribution to the industry. My objective is to find ways that can assist and empower farmers to improve their productivity and profitability, as well as maintain their longevity.

So, who am I? Let's go back to five years ago when I was still in Vietnam. With my banking and finance background, I had the opportunity to interact with clients across diverse industries. However, I found myself drawn to the stories of farmers. My passion for the agricultural industry grew stronger over time. Pivoting my career towards agriculture brought me to Australia. I obtained a Masters in Agribusiness from the University of Queensland in Gatton in 2021, which helped me to develop a deep understanding of modern agribusiness practices, emerging technologies and sustainable techniques.

I am focused on making a positive contribution to the industry. My objective is to find ways that can assist and empower farmers.

Today, I am using this education and experience across vegetablesWA’s portfolio of extension services. It’s a diverse suite of projects across an equally diverse industry.

TAILORING activities to growers’ needs is key to the success of the project.

vegetablesWA has been a valuable source of extension services for the WA vegetable industry for the past decade thanks to funding from the Agricultural Produce Commission Vegetable Fee for Service and National Vegetable Levy funds through Hort Innovation. Starting on July 1, 2022, a new three-year extension project funded by the Vegetable Fee for Service funding was launched and will run until 2025 – it has five key features:

• Extension services to meet current grower needs
The goal of vegetablesWA extension activities is to provide valuable and crucial services to meet the evolving needs of growers. As RDO for Extension Services, I will further assist vegetable growers by addressing their current needs and connecting them to local and national projects. As growers’ needs and R&D gaps are assessed, the extension services will become aligned with the priorities and requirements of the growers and the wider WA vegetable industry.

• Assessment of growers’ needs
To direct the project's focus and tailor activities to growers' needs, vegetablesWA will conduct a systematic needs evaluation. The evaluation will target needs at the industry, regional and produce-type levels. By creating a forum for discussion, we address changing market expectations, tackle common challenges and identify areas for improvement.

• Identify available and relevant R&D and gaps
After identifying and prioritising grower needs, vegetablesWA will collaborate with industry partners and service providers to identify applicable R&D to address the issues. This R&D will be transformed into practical resources for growers. If no suitable R&D is found or cannot be applied, these gaps will be documented and reported to local and national funding organisations.

• Build extension knowledge and partnerships
vegetablesWA has established strong partnerships with local and national R&D funders and providers. By formalising a process for identifying grower needs and reporting R&D gaps, stronger and more productive relationships can be developed to drive investment toward growers' priority needs and issues.

• Delivery
A communication plan to promote and assess the impact of extension delivery will be created for the project. Grower feedback and support on extension delivery and improvement are crucial for the sustained success of WA extension services. A major focus will be to improve industry communications and keep vegetable growers informed, providing them with access to relevant industry information.

This modern approach to industry extension will lead to increased growers’ adoption of new practices and technology, drive investment in local R&D and support the longevity of WA vegetable growers’ businesses. This project is an exciting time for growers to be heard and set up their futures.

Contact Chi Nguyen on 0457 457 559  or email chi.nguyen@vegetableswa.com.au.