Hanoi, Vietnam
September 30, 2008
Projects aiming to solve
agricultural science issues related to crop variety, harvesting,
fisheries and food security are eligible to win potential grants
of up to VND500 billion (US$30.3 million) each.
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung gave the directive at a
meeting in Ha Noi yesterday to the Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development, research institutes and scientists to select
the projects, which should include training and improving
technology standards in rural areas to solve relevant issues for
farmers to meet the real demands of production.
There are three main elements necessary to build modern rural
areas and agricultural techniques and improve people’s living
standard, which include implementing new technologies, training
experts and attracting talented people to rural areas, and
building modern infrastructure, according to Hung.
A report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
said nearly VND1.3 trillion was invested in agricultural
technology in 2001-05, accounting for 2.3 per cent of total
investment in agriculture sector. The sum is expected to be
increased by 11.6 per cent in the 2006-10 period.
The amount given for agricultural technology for a farming-based
country like Viet Nam was too low as it was only 0.1 per cent of
GDP, said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc
Phat.
In other regional countries, the figure is from four to seven
times higher.
Phat reported that the country’s rice production was listed high
in the world rankings, as was the production of pepper, coffee
and cashew.
However, the agricultural sector was still fell short of meeting
demand from farmers for consulting on increasing the production
of certain crops.
The minister admitted that Viet Nam lacked experts in
agricultural science and the sector had not sufficiently caught
up with all issues related to research and applying high-tech
products for increased production.
Many countries have developed agricultural science by sending
their staff abroad and pouring money into international research
institutes to acquire about new technologies but in Viet Nam, it
is very difficult to persuade management agencies to invest in
international research institutes, according to Director of Viet
Nam Agricultural Science Institute Nguyen Van Bo.
He felt it was time to earmark and contribute money to such
institutes because for every dollar invested in research
institutes a potential five to seven dollars gain could be seen
from increased production.
Phat admitted that Viet Nam had not yet encouraged the
development of agricultural science.
Phat said agricultural science was the most important to help
the agricultural sector reach basic development targets, which
included maintaining the sector’s growth rate of 3-3.5 per cent
per year, reducing the number of rural labourers to below 50 per
cent of the population and increasing income for farmers by 2.5
times by 2020. To reach these goals, it was necessary to
increase agriculture technology investment to 0.3 - 0.5 per cent
of GDP, he said. |
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