Agriculture Minister Cao Duc Phat is scheduled to deliver a keynotespeech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2014 in Davos, Switzerland,this week, radio The Voice of Vietnam reported on January 21.
AFood and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report shows agriculturalproduction needs to be boosted to feed the increasing global populationestimated at nearly 10 billion by 2050.
Rural workforce isdownsizing as a consequence of rapid urbanisation, posing a great threatto agriculture. In addition, the global food system is beset by seriouschallenges and risks: more volatile production and prices, high hungerand poverty levels, and unsustainable farming practices.
The2010 World Economic Forum on East Asia in Ho Chi Minh City put forwardthe initiative “A New Vision for Agriculture”, aiming to build a newfarming model that yields high output and improve farmer livelihoods.
The initiative has been undertaken in Vietnam, Indonesia and Myanmar (in Asia) in partnership with 250 stakeholders.
Vietnam lives off agricultural production, with rice, coffee, rubber,tea, pepper, fruits, aquatic and husbandry products keeping keypositions. In 2012, agriculture made up 21.5 percent of the country’sGDP, 20.8 percent of total export earnings, and nearly 50 percent of theworkforce.
However, the sector is faced with challengesarising from climate change, excessive use of water resources, and highlevels of greenhouse emissions.
A European Chamber of Commerce(EuroCham) white book reveals the ratio of agriculture in the GDPdropped from 46.3 percent in 1988 to 22 percent in 2012, and the ruralworkforce proportion also fell from 67 percent in 1997 to 47.5 percentin 2011.
In his 2014 New Year message, Prime Minister NguyenTan Dung raised concerns about the agricultural sector’s weaknesses,including an annual decreasing growth rate, uncoordinated links, and lowproductivity in the context of global fierce competition.
Hestressed the need to accelerate agriculture restructuring andtechnological application, with farmers forming the core.
The Government has approved a 10-year agriculture development strategy, encouraging the engagement of private businesses.
The agricultural sector has established six working groups on seafood,coffee, fruit and vegetables, tea, soybean and maize, as well assupport solutions, to realise the WEF initiative.
Vietnam hasgained encouraging results after undertaking the initiative for the pastthree years. Coffee yield rose 10 percent, consumed water amountdecreased 14 percent, gas emissions dropped 54 percent, and tea exportoutput rose threefold.
In the address, the PM affirmed theGovernment will introduce policies to increase the application ofscientific and technological advances, especially biological andinformation technology, in agricultural production and management,helping accelerate agricultural industrialisation and ruralmodernisation.
New cooperation models will be establishedbetween farmers and businesses to create value chains, from productionto consumption, and attract more investment in to agriculturalproduction, trading and services.
A Government decree,effective as of February 10, 2014, will encourage businesses to investin agricultural production and rural development. Investors will enjoymany incentives including land rent reductions or exemptions.-VNA
AFood and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report shows agriculturalproduction needs to be boosted to feed the increasing global populationestimated at nearly 10 billion by 2050.
Rural workforce isdownsizing as a consequence of rapid urbanisation, posing a great threatto agriculture. In addition, the global food system is beset by seriouschallenges and risks: more volatile production and prices, high hungerand poverty levels, and unsustainable farming practices.
The2010 World Economic Forum on East Asia in Ho Chi Minh City put forwardthe initiative “A New Vision for Agriculture”, aiming to build a newfarming model that yields high output and improve farmer livelihoods.
The initiative has been undertaken in Vietnam, Indonesia and Myanmar (in Asia) in partnership with 250 stakeholders.
Vietnam lives off agricultural production, with rice, coffee, rubber,tea, pepper, fruits, aquatic and husbandry products keeping keypositions. In 2012, agriculture made up 21.5 percent of the country’sGDP, 20.8 percent of total export earnings, and nearly 50 percent of theworkforce.
However, the sector is faced with challengesarising from climate change, excessive use of water resources, and highlevels of greenhouse emissions.
A European Chamber of Commerce(EuroCham) white book reveals the ratio of agriculture in the GDPdropped from 46.3 percent in 1988 to 22 percent in 2012, and the ruralworkforce proportion also fell from 67 percent in 1997 to 47.5 percentin 2011.
In his 2014 New Year message, Prime Minister NguyenTan Dung raised concerns about the agricultural sector’s weaknesses,including an annual decreasing growth rate, uncoordinated links, and lowproductivity in the context of global fierce competition.
Hestressed the need to accelerate agriculture restructuring andtechnological application, with farmers forming the core.
The Government has approved a 10-year agriculture development strategy, encouraging the engagement of private businesses.
The agricultural sector has established six working groups on seafood,coffee, fruit and vegetables, tea, soybean and maize, as well assupport solutions, to realise the WEF initiative.
Vietnam hasgained encouraging results after undertaking the initiative for the pastthree years. Coffee yield rose 10 percent, consumed water amountdecreased 14 percent, gas emissions dropped 54 percent, and tea exportoutput rose threefold.
In the address, the PM affirmed theGovernment will introduce policies to increase the application ofscientific and technological advances, especially biological andinformation technology, in agricultural production and management,helping accelerate agricultural industrialisation and ruralmodernisation.
New cooperation models will be establishedbetween farmers and businesses to create value chains, from productionto consumption, and attract more investment in to agriculturalproduction, trading and services.
A Government decree,effective as of February 10, 2014, will encourage businesses to investin agricultural production and rural development. Investors will enjoymany incentives including land rent reductions or exemptions.-VNA
