Agricultural restructuring was one of the most hotly discussed topics
during the plenary sessions on October 30-31 of the ongoing eighth
session of the National Assembly.
According to Dinh
Thi Phuong Khanh, a representative from the Mekong Delta province of
Long An, connections between farmers, and between farmers and
businesses have been poor.
She suggested more
effective measures be applied to utilise the advantages of each
locality, paying special attention to enhancing the competitiveness of
Vietnamese agricultural products.
She proposed that
the Government allocate enough funds from the State budget to the
application and transfer of processing technology and establish pilot
models for farmers to engage with joint-stock agricultural enterprises,
while encouraging enterprises to invest in the field.
Meanwhile, deputy Le Dinh Khanh from Hai Duong province said it was
necessary to reconfirm agriculture as a key pillar of the economy.
He proposed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development focus on
researching domestic plant and livestock species to reduce imports of
different varieties; creating a brand image for Vietnamese agricultural
products; and strengthening links between the State, farmers,
researchers and businesses, with the State playing a central role.
At the same time, Le Nam, a deputy representing Thanh Hoa province
highlighted the need to accelerate the distribution of 16 billion VND
to support fishermen and implement measures to help the fishery sector
operate more smoothly.
Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development Cao Duc Phat responded to the issues raised on October
30 and 31, and said that despite a number of achievements, such as a 13
percent year-on-year growth in exports and 785 communes fulfilling all
the criteria of the new-style rural area building programme, the sector
still faced numerous challenges.
He highlighted the
key role agricultural restructuring played in adding value to the
sector and achieving sustainable development.
The
ministry implemented a number of measures to reform the sector,
including 16 projects, with six focussing on restructuring cultivation,
animal husbandry, aquaculture, and agricultural product processing, and
another six focussing on reforming investments, the legal framework,
scientific and technological research, and human resources development,
he said.
In addition, the Government issued a number
of support policies to boost agricultural restructuring, transform
cultivation in the Mekong Delta region, and develop aquaculture, he
noted.
Currently, the Government is directing the
implementation of policies to encourage the protection of forests and
reduce poverty amongst ethnic minority groups, the Minister said. The
Ministry also called for more investments in agriculture, he added.
He pointed out the sector’s progress so far, with over 120,000 hectares of rice fields converted into large-scale fields.
However, he also pushed for the stronger involvement of ministries,
sectors and localities in implementing agricultural restructuring
measures.-VNA