The programme will be conducted by a research group from California University in co-ordination with Hanoi University of Agriculture and Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry. 

The programme will be opened in December 2010 and last for three years, aiming to improve activities in growing subsidiary crops, as well as conducting market research and post-harvest activities in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Farmers will be involved in training courses on production procedure in order to limit post-harvest losses, improve food and hygiene safety, and increase access to the market to raise farmers’ incomes.

The embassy said the programme will receive a financial grant of US$500,000 from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The sum of money will be used to support farmers in producing high quality subsidiary crops in

Vietnam and Cambodia. In Cambodia, the Royal University of Agriculture will implement the programme.

The programme is part of five projects funded by USAID in 15 developing countries, aiming to help develop a new method of growing subsidiary crops based on research activities.