Inclusive aquaculture in Vietnam: cooperatives take the lead

Over the course of its first year (March 2024-March 2025), the “Making Aquaculture Cooperatives Inclusive and Bankable” (MACIB) project, funded by the Dutch Government and implemented by Agriterra under the Netherlands–Vietnam Combi-Track collaboration, has reshaped the aquaculture cooperative landscape in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta.

From Soc Trang to Ca Mau provinces, the project supported clam and shrimp cooperatives to become more inclusive, professional, climate-resilient, and bankable. Out of the 18 cooperatives initially scoped, seven were selected for in-depth assessment. Among them, six cooperatives, Hoa Nho, Hoa De, Toan Thang, Phuoc Binh, Tai Thinh Phat, and Tan Phat Loi, received tailored guidance to develop five-year business plans.

These plans included ASC and Organic certification pathways, market expansion strategies, and revenue projections linked to €1.5 million in concessional finance. Importantly, none of the targeted cooperatives initially had youth or gender inclusion strategies in place, an issue the project actively addressed with concrete results.

Innovation in Services and Climate Action

MACIB helped cooperatives transition from passive producer groups into service-driven, market-ready enterprises. Through Sustainable Services Workshops held in March 2025, Hoa Nho and Hoa De Cooperatives in Soc Trang province designed action plans to offer high-quality shrimp seed, water testing, and weather alert services to 70–100% of their members. These plans were informed by Climate Clever Checks (CCC), conducted in collaboration with CIAT, which identified salinity intrusion, biosecurity gaps, and erratic weather as major vulnerabilities. In response, cooperatives committed to water reuse systems, biofloc training, and farmer-led monitoring tools, integrating climate resilience directly into their cooperative business models.

Building Leadership: Youth and Women Transform Governance

In a breakthrough, MACIB’s Youth Kick-Off Workshop and Female Leadership Training in March 2025 empowered 21 young and female members from four cooperatives. Real change followed: Tan Phat Loi Cooperative committed to electing two women to its board and launched a youth-led TikTok shrimp campaign; Toan Thang Cooperative formed a women-led marketing team; and Hoa Nho A Cooperative initiated a youth-run testing lab. These results signal a growing shift in cooperative culture, moving toward intergenerational and gender-inclusive governance. Follow-up training in Year 2 will deepen these gains with a focus on lab diagnostics, digital branding, and leadership skills for young women. “For the first time, I see myself having a place on the board, not just helping behind the scenes,” shared a participant from Hoa De Cooperative.

From the Lab Up: Technical Transformation

Another highlight of Year 1 was the Laboratory Technical Transformation Training held in Bac Lieu province in April 2025. Participants, mostly youth and women, were trained in PCR-based disease diagnostics, water quality testing, and shrimp health monitoring. As a result, eight trainees from Toan Thang, Hoa Nho, and Phuoc Binh Cooperatives are now certified to operate cooperative-run lab services. These new service units will reduce mortality rates, strengthen biosecurity, and add a revenue stream to cooperative business models, demonstrating how farmer-led innovation can advance both resilience and market competitiveness.

Performance and Way Forward

As of March 2025, five business plans were completed ahead of schedule, eight public-private partnerships were signed (vs. two planned), and the groundwork was laid to train over 100 members in climate-smart practices, financial literacy, and inclusive governance. The project also contributed to the Combi-Track consortium’s learning exchange journey mission in November 2024, aquaculture training needs assessment study in March 2025; and raised its profile at major events like the Green Economy Forum & Exhibition (GEFE) 2024. 

In Year 2, MACIB will focus on scaling lab services and cooperative-led innovations, expanding access to finance, and solidifying women and youth leadership at the governance level. With strong momentum and robust local partnerships in place, the project is well-positioned to demonstrate how inclusive business models can unlock sustainable aquaculture in Vietnam and serve as a blueprint for transformation in other regions.