Vietnam, FAO celebrate 30-year ties, entering partnership

Hanoi (VNA) – The relationship between the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Vietnam has become a “partnership” from the previous “aid” and “assistance” giver and recipient.

FAO Representative in Vietnam Andrew Speedy highlighted the changing role of the UN agency in his speech on the occasion of the 30 th anniversary of Vietnam-FAO relationship.

He stressed that the change can be attributed to Vietnam’s achievements in agricultural development, especially when the country became self-sufficient in food.
“Vietnam can now rightly be described as a world leader in rice and aquaculture technology, and in coffee, pepper, rubber and fish processing and furniture production”, the FAO official said, adding that Vietnam can also supply experts to less developed countries in Africa to assist with food production.

“Our technical assistance has thus moved from being supply-driven to being more demand-driven to complement Vietnam’s improving technical capacity,” Speedy said.

In the first years after coming to Vietnam in 1978, FAO’s assistance to Vietnam focused on helping the country restore the agricultural sector. Later, the UN agency expanded its involvement to the provision of policy advice, with the aim of enhancing the ability of the agricultural sector to respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by the new market environment.

FAO has so far implemented more than 400 projects in sustainable agricultural development and food security in Vietnam . Of which, the 1992-2007 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme was considered the most effective project that benefited over 90 percent of communes in all provinces and cities nationwide.

Director of the National Institute for Agricultural Policies Dang Kim Son said that a system of new strategies and policies is being built in line with the new situation and in the direction of connecting production with processing and consumption.

“With the government’s commitment to increase public investment in agriculture, Vietnam ’s agricultural sector will be able to satisfy the society’s consumption demand, raise rural labourers’ incomes and stabilise food prices, contributing to the world food security,” Son said, adding that top priority is being given to institutional reforms to achieve the goal of developing sustainable agriculture.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, over the past decade, per capita income in rural areas has increased by 2.7 times and rural households’ savings in 2006 doubled the 2001 figure. The poverty rate has remarkably reduced.

However, the FAO representative also pointed out that the annually-narrowed agricultural land fund is the big challenge facing Vietnam in ensuring food security.

Although Vietnam is not facing a food shortage and its agricultural production is very good, the rise in food prices has led to increased vulnerability among specific population groups and regions, particularly areas which are characterised by high poverty rates and poor nutrition, and which are most affected by natural disasters and resulting crop failure, he said.

He noted that the future cooperation between Vietnam and FAO will focus on ensuring food security for all people, developing sustainable agro-forestry and dealing with climate change.

The FAO representative also said that food prices, vulnerability and food security in Vietnam will be discussed at the ASEAN Agricultural Ministers’ Meeting to take place in Hanoi next week.-

President: Vietnam needs int’l help in clearing mines

Hanoi (VNA) – State President Nguyen Minh Triet on Oct. 17 said that Vietnam needs help from international organisations in clearing mines and bombs.

He was receiving Peter Goldmark, a leading official of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) and the global alliance for mine action (GAMA), and CEO of GAMA Gilonne d’ Origny, who attended an international conference on climate change in Hanoi from Oct. 13-15.

President Triet welcomed the US organisations, saying that climate change is a major matter of the world, including Vietnam, and that Vietnam is one of countries suffering from heaviest damages caused by climate change.

The Vietnamese government has promoted campaigns to raise people’s awareness about climate change and environmental protection, President Triet said, adding that Vietnam has actively participated in international conventions on climate change.

The President was pleased at the progress in Vietnam-US relations and cooperation in various fields over the recent past.

He stressed that Vietnam had gone through several wars with bombs and mines. Many of unexploded mines left from the wars have not been defused, causing deaths and injuries to many people.

The leader highly appreciated VVAF’s aid over the recent past and hoped that VVAF and GAMA to continue with humanitarian initiatives and projects in Vietnam , contributing to development of the two countries’ friendship and cooperation.

Peter Goldmark and Gilonne d’Origny said that the conference on climate change, organised by the US-Vietnam Trade Council Education Forum, is a valuable chance for the two sides to share experiences on measures to face global climate change.

Goldmark hoped that Vietnam would take part in the negotiations for a global agreement on climate change in 2009 and play an important role in the process.

He affirmed that US businesses will be eager to help Vietnam to develop environmentally-friendly industries.-

UNHCR officials visit Dak Lak province

Dak Lak (VNA) – A delegation of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) paid a fact-finding trip to the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak from Oct. 15-17.

The delegation, headed by Senior Regional Officer for Southeast Asia Maria Corinna Miguel-Quicho, visited a number of ethnic minority people who had illegally crossed the border and then repatriated from Cambodia .

The UN officials witnessed the improved living conditions of the targeted highlanders in the communes of Ea Uy, Ea Knuec, Ea Hiu, Ea Tu, Cu Ebur, Ea Kao and Cu M’Ta as they were provided with accommodations, land for housing and production, safe water and other preferential treatment.

Working with Dak Lak People’s Committee Vice Chairwoman Mai Hoa Nie K’dam, the UN officials said the ethnic minority people had illegally crossed the border due to economic reasons.

They said the UNHCR is planning to fund a number of projects in the province to improve the living conditions for the locals, including the returnees.-

Deputy PM hopes for more cooperation with RoK

Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy PM Nguyen Sinh Hung said on Oct. 17 that he hoped RoK, which has been the leading investor in Vietnam for years, will continue to cooperate effectively with Vietnam in fields of economy, culture, natural resources and environment, and others.

He was receiving Lee Jac Hoon, Deputy Minister of Knowledge Economy of the RoK, who was in Vietnam on a working visit.

Deputy PM Hung expressed his satisfaction at the close relationship between Vietnam and the RoK over the past years.

Deputy Minister Hoon reported the results of his meetings with Vietnam ’s Ministry of Industry and Trade and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

He stressed the need for the two countries to work closely with each other to mitigate negative effects and overcome possible difficulties caused by the current world financial crisis to both of them.-