Information on the thesis "The Role of Ho Chi Minh City's Supermarket System in Agricultural Product Production (Case Study of Dong Nai Province)" by graduate student Pham Van Hanh, majoring in Sociology.1. Student's Full Name: Pham Van Hanh 2. Gender: Male 3. Date of Birth: November 2, 1983 4. Place of Birth: Hai Duong 5. Decision No. 2551/2007QD-XHNV-KH&SDH, dated November 2, 2007, issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. 6. Changes during the training process: None 7. Thesis Title: The Role of Ho Chi Minh City's Supermarket System in Agricultural Product Production (Case Study of Dong Nai Province) 8. Major: Sociology. Code: 60 31 30. 9. Scientific Advisor: Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha - Deputy Head of the Department of Sociology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi 10. Summary of thesis results: The research focuses on clarifying the role of supermarket systems in guiding activities, strengthening linkages, and improving production efficiency of farmers. The study selects the case of pig farmers in Dong Nai province participating in the pork supply chain for supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City. The main results of this research are as follows: The pork supply chain in Dong Nai is quite complex due to the participation of many actors and the close ties of interests between them. Farmers do not receive a fair price for their products, and consumers have to pay higher prices due to the inefficient distribution system. A certain percentage of farmers have participated in the supply chain for supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City; however, very few of them have signed direct supply contracts, with most participating through intermediaries. Large-scale livestock farmers have many opportunities to participate in the supply chain with supermarkets. Small-scale farmers, being a disadvantaged group, are vulnerable to risks such as rising feed prices, falling live pig prices, or disease outbreaks. Agricultural product contracts are not common in most large and small-scale livestock farming operations because farmers are unwilling to participate. Instead, informal contracts between farms and large traders are predominant. In its role of guiding production activities for pig farmers, the participation of supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City in the pork supply chain has promoted production towards greater integration, better meeting market demands, and helping farmers determine output and adjust production scale at the household level. This guidance, through the provision of market information, helps farmers answer important questions such as: What should they produce? On what scale? At what time? What product quality requirements are needed to achieve the best price?... Participating households in the supply chain also means building strong linkages to better support their production activities by sharing and supporting market and production information to improve the efficiency of the value chain. The supermarket distribution channel significantly contributes to increasing the profits of pig farmers. Although the average cost per pig for the group of households supplying to supermarkets is higher than that of the group using traditional channels, the final profit shows the positive impact on income when farmers participate in the supermarket distribution channel. 11. Practical application: The research results affirm the important role of supermarkets in the pig farming activities of farmers. Through this, it suggests building a model of linkage in commercial pig farming between farmers and distributors (supermarkets). The difficulties encountered in the production linkage process, as pointed out in this study, include: (i) Livestock farmers lacking legal status, (ii) Lack of market information, (iii) Limited livestock farming techniques, (iv) Low participation rate in contract production, contracts easily broken; (v) What is the role of the state?... These are issues that need to be addressed during implementation. 12. Further research directions: Research on piloting a production linkage model between pig farmers and supermarkets, proposing solutions and lessons learned for Vietnam's agricultural product sectors. 13. Published works related to the thesis: * Survey on Meat and Food Consumption in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (2008). Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Information, Institute of Agricultural and Rural Development Policy and Strategy * Research on the distribution system of some major agricultural products in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (2009). Institute of Agricultural and Rural Development Policy and Strategy.
INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS
1. Full name : Pham Van Hanh 2. Sex: Male 3. Date of birth: Nov 02nd 1983 4. Place of birth: Hai Duong 5. Admission decision number: 2551/2007QD-XHNV-KH&SĐH signed by Principal of Social Sciences and Humanities University, Vietnam National University, Ha Noi. Dated: Nov 02nd 2007. 6. Changes in academic process: None 7. Official thesis title: Role of supermarket systems in HCMC to agro-commodity production (Case study: Hog-raising household in Dong Nai) 8. Major: Sociology 9. Code: 60 31 30 10. Supervisors: Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha - Deputy Director of Faculty of Sociology, Social Society and Human University, Hanoi National University 11. Summary of the findings of the thesis: This study aims at clearly defining the role of supermarket system in orienting the operation, strengthening the uniting capacity as well as enhancing the effectiveness of the production of farmer household. The study has selected case study of hog-raising household in Dong Nai province that takes part in a pork supply chain of supermarkets in HCMC. Major results of the study are as follows: Pork supply chain in Dong Nai is quite complicated because there are so many actors involved and they are bound tight by the common benefit. Farmers do not receive the equivalent price for their products; consumers have to pay higher as the distribution system has been ineffective. A certain ratio of raising-households participating in a supply chain to supermarkets in HCMC; however, very few of them have taken part in signing direct supplying contracts, most of them have joined the supply chain via other intermediaries. Large-scale breeding households have more opportunities to take part in the supply chain to supermarkets. Smaller scale breeding household are dangerous and easy to be vulnerable when facing risks of a rise in feed price, a drop in live hog price or the epidemics. Agro-commodity contracts are uncommon in the hog-raising sector with most scales, from small to large one because raisers do not want to take part in signing official contract. Non-official contracts are signed by hog farms and big traders instead. With the role of orienting the production of hog-raising household, the participation of supermarkets in HCMC in the pork supply chain has boosted the production in the united direction, meeting better demand of the market and helping hog-raising household orient the output as well as adjusting the production scale at household level. The orientation of the production of households via supplying market information aims at helping raisers to answer key questions like What should they produce? Which scale? When?, What are requirements on the product quality to get the best price?, etc. The participation of households in the supply chain also means the establishment of firm association to well support their production in the direction of sharing and supporting the information about the market and the production in order to enhance the effectiveness of the value chain. Supermarket distribution channel makes contribution to raising significant profits of hog-raising household. Although the average cost per one pig of households supplying pork to supermarkets is higher than that of households using the traditional channel, the final profits show positive influences in raising the income of household taking part in distribution channel to supermarkets. 12. Practical applicability, if any: Results of the study have made confirmation about the important role of supermarkets to hog-raising of households, by which the suggestion about establishing unified model in hog-raising between households and distributors (supermarkets) is raised. Challenges in uniting the production are shown by the study such as: (i) Hog-raising household lacking legal personality, (ii) It is lacking in market information, (iii) Hog-raising technique is poor, (iv) Ratio of household taking part in signed contracts is low and the contract is prone to be broken; (v) What is the role of the State? etc. These issues need paying much attention when the model is deployed. 13. Further research directions, if any: The study deploys pilotly production united model between hog-raising household and supermarkets as well as makes recommendation about solutions and experience lessons to agro-commodity sector of Vietnam. 14. Thesis-related publications: * Survey on Meat and Foodstuff Consumption in Hanoi and HCMC (2008). Information Center of Agriculture and Rural Development, Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development. * Study on Distribution System of some major agro-commodities in Hanoi and HCMC (2009). Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development.
