Farmers as Knowledge Holders: Insights from Núi Voi Seed Club

Learning from a co-farmer. Mr. Tran Thanh Hung, a farmer breeder at Nui Voi Seed Club, first joined the Community Biodiversity Development and Conservation (CBDC) Program of the Mekong Delta Development Research Institute in 2005. After hosting a Farmer Field Day on his farm, he showcased varieties such as NV 1, which originated from the CBDC project, and has since developed 35 additional varieties through his plant breeding practice.

Knowledge is the foundation of sustainable agricultural systems. When farmers capture, share, and apply knowledge, they foster learning that can lead to agricultural advancement and transformation. Participatory processes such as Farmer Field Days provide a practical forum where farmers and other stakeholders can observe, discuss, and exchange ideas.

On the second day of the learning exchange in An Giang Province, farmers evaluated and compared rice varieties, discussed their observations, and shared experiences from different countries, gaining insights they could apply in their own communities. 

Rice Observation. Participants actively engage in field observation and documentation, applying hands-on learning as they assess rice crops and farming practices. Farmers actively demonstrated and explained why certain varieties performed better than others.

During the evaluation of varieties, they provided both qualitative and quantitative assessments, which they willingly shared with their fellow farmers and civil society workers. The second day also demonstrated how the learning exchange offered farmers an opportunity to learn from their peers while providing a platform to share their expertise.

Cross-Country Knowledge Exchange in Practice. Participants, together with CSO representatives and community members of Chi Lang Commune, learned from each other after assessing the yield, pest resistance, and overall characteristics of rice varieties in Nui Voi Seed Club.

Eva Incon, a farmer from the Philippines, observed that the varieties are adaptable and resistant to pests. Chinese participants also shared the same sentiments as Eva and realized that diversity allows better access to varieties.

Kaneungnit Chanamo (Pi Aum), a farmer from Thailand, shared that while they have a farm seed management system, it is necessary to use their own resources to breed varieties, unlike in Vietnam, where farmers receive institutional support—highlighting the importance of the role of various institutions, most especially, the government.

Sudarmanto, an Indonesian farmer, shared that the activity sparked his curiosity about possible ways to collaborate with the government. Commune leaders responded that farmers in the commune have also raised these questions. They shared that in Vietnam, there are generally no conflicts among seed actors and companies, allowing smoother coordination in seed production, with the goal of providing good quality and affordable seeds. One noted benefit is that seed production within the commune is more affordable than that produced by seed companies.

Local government officials and commune leaders join the field activity, showing strong institutional support for farmers and ongoing initiatives in rice production.

Discussions further highlighted that the government, CSOs, and the scientific community offer different perspectives. However, with a shared goal of supporting farmers, these differences can be addressed through continuous dialogue and by creating open spaces for mutual learning.

Nori Ignacio, SEARICE Executive Director, emphasized the need to recognize farmers as capable individuals within a model that fosters partnership between NGOs and the government.

Day 2 showed that farmer-centered, participatory learning approaches, alongside institutional collaboration, enable farmers to put seed sovereignty principles into practice in the field. Participatory evaluation gives farmers a sense of agency over which varieties work best for them, based on their preferences.

Beyond a field day, diversity matters because it allows farmers to share and adapt best practices with their co-farmers. Knowledge is a powerful means to empower farmers within an agricultural system that enables them to become positive agents of change.