Celebrating Women Farmers and Advancing Sustainable FAW Management in Vietnam

As we celebrate the International Year of the Woman Farmer, we are highlighting the important contributions women make to pest and disease management across key crops in Southeast Asia.

This month we focus on women farmers in Vietnam, drawing on findings from our IPM Leaders research on maize production and the management of fall armyworm (FAW) across three major maize-growing provinces: Daklak, Phutho and Sonla.

The research, led by Dr Thi Thu Phuong from Vietnam National University of Agriculture in partnership with Dr Hoang Anh Tuan from the Plant Protection Department (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), and the ASEAN FAW Action team provides insights into the knowledge, practices and decision-making roles of women farmers, information that is critical for designing more effective and inclusive pest management strategies.

Why women farmers matter in FAW management

Across the three provinces, women play a central role in maize production and pest management. In many households they are responsible for activities such as:

• Monitoring crops for pests

• Applying fertilisers and pesticides

• Selecting maize varieties

• Harvesting and post-harvest activities

• Managing household finances and farm income

Their close involvement in these tasks makes women key actors in detecting and responding to pest outbreaks such as fall armyworm.

The importance of training and knowledge sharing

The research highlights a strong link between training and farmer knowledge.

In Phutho province, where farmers received FAW and integrated pest management (IPM) training between 2019 and 2022, farmers demonstrated significantly higher awareness of sustainable pest management approaches. This shows the value of farmer training programmes in strengthening local capacity to manage pests effectively.

Innovation in maize pest management

Farmers across the three provinces are adopting a range of strategies to manage fall armyworm while maintaining maize productivity, including:

• Adoption of Bt and improved maize varieties

• Use of integrated pest management approaches

• Greater awareness of natural enemies and biological control

• Use of biopesticides and other sustainable practices

These approaches demonstrate how farmers are adapting their practices to manage pests while supporting more sustainable maize production.

Further information

More information can be found

• Summary Report

Gender Vietnam Gender & FAW Report.

Download • 4.89MB

• Infographic

Looking ahead

Understanding gender roles in pest management is critical to designing effective agricultural programmes. When women farmers have access to training, information, and technologies, they can play a transformative role in improving crop productivity and sustainability.

As we celebrate the International Year of the Woman Farmer, this work highlights the importance of recognising and supporting women’s contributions to agriculture and pest management. By strengthening gender-responsive extension services and expanding access to knowledge and innovation, we can help farmers across Southeast Asia better manage invasive pests like fall armyworm while building more resilient food systems.