Hanoi (VNA) –ꦆ Leaders from the Vietnam Farmers’ Union and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have engaged in a dialogue with farmers to address a series of critical challenges at the 9th National Farmers' Forum in Hanoi.

Key issues tabled at the October 14 event included capital shortages for post-disaster recovery and limited land resources for expanding high-yield agricultural models. As heard at the forum, Typhoon Yagi and subsequent floods left in their wake a trail of damage across many farming regions, prompting farmers to request support in the form of crop seeds, livestock, and agricultural inputs. Key suggestions from forum participants highlighted the need for debt rescheduling, deferred payments, and new loans for those directly affected. This financial assistance, they argued, would enable the group to quickly resume production. Nguyen Sy Binh from the Phat Co Aquaculture Cooperative in the northeastern coastal province of Quang Ninh, shared that Typhoon Yagi had swept away aquaculture assets accumulated for years, with each cooperative member facing estimated losses of 5 – 6 billion VND (197,199 – 236,639 USD). To resume production, they urgently need financial support. Binh proposed the Government, relevant departments, and particularly the farmers union conduct damage assessments and provide post-storm support. He also called on ministries to secure additional funding and help farmers access low-interest loans. Binh suggested that existing debt should be deferred or temporarily postponed and new preferential loans should be offered to help farmers rebuild production infrastructure. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan expressed admiration for the resilience of farmers, who returned to planting essential winter crops within days after the storm and subsequent floods.

He acknowledged that capital for recovery remains a critical concern and noted that the State Bank of Vietnam has rapidly mobilised commercial banks to join its efforts to address the issue. Hoan said his ministry will have a meeting with the central bank and commercial ones next week to accelerate the delivery of funds to those in need. The ministry is committed to accompanying farmers in their production recovery and development endeavours, the official pledged. Another highlighted topic at the forum was the shortage of land for expanding profitable farming operations. Nguyen Huu Anh, a farmer from the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau, talked about the success of ray-finned fish farming in his area over the past two decades, saying despite favorable soil conditions, the lack of available land hampers further development of the model. In response, Chairman of the Vietnamese Farmers' Union Luong Quoc Doan announced that discussions are underway with leaders in the province to tackle the land issue as soon as possible. Minister Hoan added that the 2024 Land Law includes a new term of “multi-purpose land.” This change allows agricultural land to be used flexibly for aquaculture, livestock, or tourism. This eases long-standing land conversion issues and benefits farmers like those raising ray-finned fish in Ca Mau and snakehead fish in the central province of Quang Binh, and other localities.

The forum also tackled topics related to building agricultural brand identities, digital marketing for agricultural products, and policy incentives to promote green, sustainable farming practices in line with Vietnam’s net zero emissions goal. These issues were explored in depth through discussions between farmers’ cooperative representatives, and officials from the Ministry and Union./.