The "Advancing Women in Agriculture" Forum is held within the framework of the "International Year of Women Farmers" program in Vietnam. The program brings two prominent American female farmers, Ms. Jennifer H. Schmidt in the field of crop production and Ms. Jaclyn Wilson in the field of livestock production, to Vietnam to share their expertise in technology and market strategies. The program aims to promote dialogue on the challenges faced by women farmers in Southeast Asia, as well as exchange American agricultural education with female students in Vietnam.

Special event about the role of women in agriculture

Speaking at the opening of the forum, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, Director of Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), said that this is an important forum for staff and students, especially female staff and female students at Vietnam National University of Agriculture in creating excitement and strong inspiration for generations of staff and students of the Academy.

"In 2023, the Academy welcomed two female Deputy Ministers of Agriculture of the United States to attend a discussion with the Academy's staff and students on smart agriculture, innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture. The event was very successful, leaving a good impression on the staff, lecturers and students of the school. Today, the Academy is honored to welcome two outstanding female farmers, Ms. Jaclyn Wilson and Ms. Jenifer Schimidt from the United States, a country with the world's leading advanced agriculture, to share and exchange with the Academy's staff and students," Ms. Lan informed.

According to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, Vietnam Academy of Agriculture is one of the leading universities in Vietnam in the field of agriculture and rural development, with great contributions from female staff and female students, with 3 female scientists honored with the Kovalevskaia Award, honored and receiving many noble awards such as Labor Hero... The Academy has nearly 1,300 staff, of which female staff account for 56%, nearly 100% of female staff participate in scientific research, and are an important bridge in cooperation with the US and other countries in the world.

Currently, the Academy has a training scale of about 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students, of which women account for more than 50%. Ms. Lan said that female students of the Academy always have good achievements in studying and researching, and have many opportunities to participate in research projects and innovative startups. Thanks to their enthusiastic participation, there are footprints of female scientists from the Academy in all provinces and cities.

"Women have many advantages in the process of developing agricultural production. Specifically, for the Vietnam Academy of Agriculture, we create conditions for women to participate in scientific research and bring scientific and technical advances to serve farmers. Female scientists also go to farms, livestock households, female farmers also have more empathy, can share better and also understand women's psychology better and then women promote farmers and farm owners to produce better" - Ms. Lan affirmed.

Speaking at the forum, Ms. Vu Thi Phuong Lan, Chairwoman of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Trade Union, said that Vietnamese women have been playing an indispensable role in agricultural development and rural development. With their resilience and creativity, they have contributed significantly to the country’s socio-economic development. However, in the process, women also face many challenges and barriers, from gender equality to access to resources and development opportunities.

Ms. Lan informed that in rural areas, about 80% of women participate in agricultural production. Of which, about 25% of women participate in the management of agricultural cooperatives; 39% of OCOP product owners are women. Especially in difficult areas, the proportion of women holding leadership and management roles in cooperatives and OCOP owners is more common.

"The program responding to the initiative "International Year of Women Farmers 2026" in Vietnam is a strong affirmation of our commitment to promoting the role and position of women in agriculture. This is also a forum for us to share experiences, learn from each other and together build a sustainable future, where women can maximize their potential" - Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan said.

According to Ms. Lan, to enhance the role of women in agriculture, there needs to be close cooperation between government agencies, international organizations and local communities. We need to develop policies to support rural women, creating conditions for them to access capital, technology and markets. At the same time, it is necessary to promote training and raise awareness of gender equality so that every woman has the opportunity to participate and contribute to the common development.

Empowering Women in Agriculture

Jennifer H. Schmidt, a farmer from Sudlersville, Maryland, flew halfway around the world to attend the forum. She runs Schmidt Farms Inc., a 2,000-acre certified organic farm that grows corn, soybeans, wheat, vegetables, and grapes. She is also a certified pesticide and nutrient management expert.

Ms. Jennifer said that she currently applies many different technologies on her farm with many devices and screens displaying parameters of the status of crops on the farm, thereby making it easier to operate the farm.

Ms. Jennifer raised the phone she was holding and said: "All of this technology can be installed on my smartphone, ensuring the best farming efficiency. For example, I only need to look at my phone to know the fertilizer needs of my crops. The record of these parameters is set up and shared by my nephew, connecting with all management members on the farm, thereby clearly seeing what plants we are growing, at what stage, and what notes need to be noted. Thanks to the management software, I can monitor the entire 800ha farm without having to go there."

The popular app that Jennifer is using is Agronomic Reports and Alerts, through which she can know which crop areas are infested with pests and diseases, where irrigation is needed. In addition, this app also stores all crop data from previous years on acreage, yield, fertilizer and irrigation water used. This report is also informed to the US Department of Agriculture.

According to Ms. Jennifer, the US currently has many activities promoting the role of women in agriculture, focusing on diversifying the cultivation of different types of crops such as crops for animal feed; vegetables; growing wheat for bread; fruit trees such as grapes... In addition, American farmers also carry out activities related to technology, programs on nutrient and chemical management on their farms. "The great thing is that we are certified for sustainable agriculture," Ms. Jennifer said.

Meanwhile, Jaclyn Wilson is a female farmer who has been running Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch (Lakeside, Nebraska) since graduating from college in 2002. She runs a fifth-generation cattle and calf operation with her father, and was named the 2023 National Quality Beef Breeder of the Year. Jaclyn founded Flying Diamond Beef in 2019, pioneering the sale of NFT beef.

She holds leadership roles in the Nebraska Cattlemen's Association and the National Beef Association, was recognized as one of Farm Magazine's 40 Under 40 Influential People in Agriculture in 2016, and was honored by the State of Nebraska in 2023 for her achievements in agriculture.

Previously, Jaclyn Wilson's farm was a traditional one, but in recent years, she has stepped up "digitalization". Based on satellite images and available databases, she and her colleagues can receive early information about pastures, rains... to quickly move cattle to better areas, helping to ensure animal health.

In addition, technology has also helped Jaclyn's farm to minimize human resources (currently there are only 2 people helping her with all the work). Since graduating from university in 2002, Jaclyn Wilson has spent many hours a day carefully studying all 7,000 hectares of pasture. Through this, this farmer came up with the idea of ​​using AI to have real data about the cattle herd.

Specifically, the computer and supporting tools are placed in a 40ft container, one door opens, one door connects to a cow transport vehicle, an application called Cow Sense will measure the health of each individual cow. "On average, it takes us about 40 seconds to collect enough data for an individual," said the female farmer from the United States.

In addition to regular health check-ups, Ms. Jaclyn Wilson also wears a sensor in the cow’s ear, which provides continuous data on temperature, heart rate, etc. for each individual. Each piece of information is encoded and numbered in order. According to Ms. Jaclyn, promoting the application of technology in herd management is extremely necessary, especially when the agricultural industry in general is facing the challenge of feeding 8 billion people worldwide.

To solve this "big data" problem, the Nevada farmer said, five solutions are needed focusing on technology, compliance with regulations, efficiency, support, and community outreach.

The last thing the American farmer wanted to convey to all delegates was that more and more young women are entering the agricultural field with passion and enthusiasm. If in the past, Jaclyn Wilson was often the only woman in the meeting room, standing in a "sea" of men, now she is surrounded by many other female colleagues.

Ms. Jaclyn Wilson said that her farm is often open for internship programs, helping young women have more opportunities to experience the real world of agriculture.

"I believe that little by little, women will build confidence and be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in agriculture," said Jaclyn Wilson.