Key skills and expertise

With over 23 years of experience in agriculture, the expert specializes in soil science, climate-smart agriculture, and environmental sustainability. As a leader in technical assistance and development cooperation, they have provided expertise in biodiversity, land evaluation, and conservation agriculture. The expert founded the Climate-Resilient AgriFood Systems research team, managing projects that have raised over 1 million USD in funding. Their leadership roles include supporting policy dialogue and collaborating with legislative agencies. Proficient in GIS software and statistical tools, they have contributed to numerous publications and international conferences.

Project experience and donor exposure

Bringing extensive experience in collaborating with international donors, the expert has worked with the Asian Development Bank, FAO, CGIAR, and Irish Aid. Their involvement encompasses project implementation, technical assistance, and capacity building in climate-smart agriculture, environmental sustainability, and food security. These projects have been both regional and national in scope, focusing on Southeast Asia, particularly in Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and the Greater Mekong Subregion. The expert's work has significantly contributed to enhancing climate resilience and sustainable agricultural practices in these regions.

Sectors and geographic focus

Having worked across key sectors, the expert has contributed to agriculture, environmental sustainability, food security, and climate resilience. Previously held roles include lecturer, researcher, consultant, and team leader, with a focus on soil science, climate-smart agriculture, and digital soil mapping. The expert possesses cross-cutting expertise in integrating digitalization with sustainable agricultural practices. Their work spans regional and national scopes, particularly in Vietnam and the Greater Mekong Subregion, contributing to both local and international development projects. With extensive geographic experience in Southeast Asia, particularly in Vietnam since 2002, the expert's regional expertise extends to Cambodia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, China, Myanmar, and Thailand. They have in-depth knowledge of local governance and regional development issues and have been involved in long-term assignments in the Greater Mekong Subregion, participating in national policy agendas in Vietnam.

Languages and education

The expert is a native Vietnamese speaker and is fluent in English, with an IELTS score of 7.0. English proficiency has been utilized in conducting trainings, workshops, and seminars, as well as in writing reports and publications. The expert has also worked in multilingual teams and conducted translation tasks. Additionally, they have a basic understanding of French. The expert holds a PhD in Agriculture from the Institute of Soil Science and Land Evaluation, Hohenheim University, Germany. They also earned a Master’s Degree in Agriculture from the University of Ghent and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium. Additionally, they obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture from Vietnam National University of Agriculture and a Bachelor’s Degree of Art in English from the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.