The Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP) Class 16 travelled to Vietnam and Thailand for two weeks in February on a diverse agricultural and cultural tour. The current AALP class of 26 agriculture professionals from across Ontario, as well as one class member from each of Quebec and Alberta, were introduced to agricultural, political, economic and cultural comparisons to Canada.
The first leg of the tour was spent in Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding area. The group spent time touring various parts of the city and area, including the Independence Palace, War Remnants Museum and Cu Chi Tunnels. For the group, learning about the Vietnam War, the fall of Saigon and the country’s political climate post-war – from the perspective of the Vietnamese people – was an excellent lesson in leadership styles and their repercussions. Class 16 also had the opportunity to visit the Hi-Teck Agricultural Park with its extensive and innovative vegetable greenhouse facility, as well as visiting a rubber plantation, worm farm and dairy farm. A day was also spent with groups from LEAD NY and RLND – agricultural and rural leadership programs in New York and North Dakota. The three groups participated together in presentations and discussions with individuals from the Public Affairs Office of the US Consulate, Vietnam Gardening Association, Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Vietnam and the Vietnam Farmers Union. The day was very full, but set the tone for the rest of the trip having received a lot of background and historical information on Vietnam and the state of its agricultural sector.
The Da Lat region was a highlight for many, as the class welcomed some cooler temperatures and some breathtaking scenery. In Da Lat, the class learned about the extensive flower production that occurs here to meet the flower demands of Ho Chi Minh City. Many farms were visited in this region including: artichoke, coffee, tea, pepper, crickets and weasel coffee. In Da Lat, the class also met the largest distributor and manufacturer of crop protection chemicals in Vietnam, the Loc Troi group.
The Red River Delta region surrounding Hanoi was an excellent capstone to the class’s time in Vietnam, as it showcased the political heart of country as well as fresh market vegetable production, aquaculture and rice cultivation. Hanoi, as a city, uniquely framed the rich history of the country, pre-colonial, communist and the emerging international style. In and around Hanoi, the group visited a local market and garden plot district and had tea with a local farmer. Then it was off to Ho Ba Dinh Square, site of Vietnam’s Declaration of Independence , National Assembly and the resting place of Ho Chi Minh, all capped off by a visit from the Canadian Embassy and a traditional water puppet show. Our final stretch in Vietnam was spent on Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO world biosphere and host to great fishing and aquaculture activities, as well as a presentation from a representative of the Syngenta Foundation of Vietnam.
The hustle and bustle of Bangkok was a stark contrast to time spent in Vietnam. Cars outnumbered scooters for a change, and the group experienced rush hour traffic that would put Toronto to shame. The class spent two days being enveloped in the culture, sights and sounds of the city. The group was exposed to Buddhism, temples and a welcome change from Vietnamese food to delicious Thai food. After two days of experiencing the tastes of Bangkok, the class travelled outside of the city to experience Thailand agriculture and tour a farm that fully immersed itself in agri-tourism. The owner, a retired teacher and now third generation farmer, showed the group how he has integrated crop production, lodging, a restaurant and coconut sugar production. The class was welcomed with open arms, and was encouraged to explore everything his farm had to offer. Mango production, coconut production, bananas on rows of raised beds surrounded by water canals and fish production located within the same water canals. The sun was hot and the water was cold as the group boarded the bus to travel to an orphanage for children with disabilities, where Class 16 made a donation of supplies and a monetary donation. To see the love and support the children received here was definitely heartwarming. Finally, after returning to the hotel for some much needed rest, the group ventured to the Bangkok airport, where several class members were more than happy to indulge in Burger King!
“The International Study Tour is an important part of the AALP Class journey,” said Rob Black, Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Ontario Institute. “It allows for the class to compare and contrast both agriculture and leadership in a different area of the world with that of Ontario and Canada.”
Source: ROI