The World Vegetable Center has published the final report of the SUSPER (Sustainable Peri-Urban Agriculture In Southeast Asia) project. Its a good reading for those interested in production and marketing of urban produced vegetables and market development in the Greater Mekong Region.

This report is a summary of the findings of the research done on market development in the Greater Mekong Region composed of Viet Nam, Lao PDR, and Cambodia. Problems and solutions were identified to achieve better matching between the peri-urban supply and urban market demand. This will have an impact on the quality, quantity, and consistent supply of produce available on the market. The study also looked on how to disseminate relevant information on market opportunities in an efficient and effective manner to the market stakeholders to help them in their decision-making process and increase cooperation in the market chains.

Read/download the full report in pdf format here…

The SUSPER (Sustainable Peri-Urban Agriculture In Southeast Asia) project was run jointly by AVRDC–The World Vegetable Center and the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD) from 2002 to 2006. The project studied peri-urban production systems around Hanoi, Phom Penh, Vientiane and Ho Chi Minh city and what was needed for market development for fresh peri-urban produce. Farmers in peri-urban areas of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Lao PDR were found to be relatively better educated, possess higher managerial skills, and have better access to information and input-output markets than their rural counterparts. They have a number of comparative advantages in their organization and proximity and connectivity to urban markets. The project also developed and extended sustainable safe vegetable production systems including production under rain shelters and grafted tomatoes during the wet season.

Visit the Peri-Urban Agriculture website at www.avrdc.org/susper/