Vietnam and the International
Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have signed a document on the
establishment of an IRRI Office in Vietnam.
The
document was inked by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
(MARD) Cao Duc Phat and IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler in Hanoi on
November 27 as part of a conference on restructuring the rice sector in
service of rural development.
As the first
international agriculture study facility that has been recognised by the
Vietnamese Government, the office will assist the exchange and
connection between Vietnamese scientists and IRRI experts, contributing
to realising the rice strategy of Vietnam.
During
the conference, the MARD and IRRI also agreed on overall cooperation
strategies and programmes as well as technical support for Vietnam to
make the rice sector an important driver of the country’s economic
growth.
According to MARD Minister Cao Duc Phat,
over 80 percent of rice varieties cultivated in the Mekong Delta region
are originated from IRRI researches and selection.
Vietnam has about 10 million farmer households living in rural
areas, while about 70 percent of the country’s population involve in
agriculture, he noted.
Restructuring the rice sector
is significant to raising farmers’ incomes as well as agriculture’s
value, since rice accounts for nearly a half of the value generated by
farm products, he stated.
The minister called for further support from the international community, including the IRRI, in the work.
He also pointed to the need for the rice sector to do more for farmers
and the growth of both the agriculture sector and the economy.
The establishment of the office constitutes the determination and
commitment of Vietnam and the IRRI to working together closely in making
the rice sector and agriculture better, the minister underscored.-VNA