International cooperation needed for agricultural development

Despite being one of the important pillars of Vietnam’s growth and providing incomes and livelihoods for tens of millions of people in rural and mountainous areas, the country’s agriculture sector continues to face various problems and needs support from international organizations.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) sees Vietnam as one of the focus areas of its activities. Many organizations and centers under the CGIAR, such as the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Bioversity International, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), WorldFish, the International Potato Center (CIP), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and others have implemented over 100 scientific research projects in agriculture in Vietnam over the past five years.

Notably, many projects of the IRRI relating to rice production have shown positive results and been adopted nationwide. The IRRI has also developed technologies for managing agricultural by-products, adding value and reducing emissions and transferring them to Vietnam.

Bioversity International and the CIAT have been coordinating a research program on climate change, agriculture and food security (CCAFS), which includes research aimed at transforming agriculture to increase resilience to climate change.

Research cooperation programs in Vietnam’s fisheries sector are coordinated by Worldfish. The pond cultivation project in cooperation with Can Tho University, Wageningen University, and a number of Vietnamese partners has developed a new nutrient system for aquaculture based on ecological intensification. WorldFish also collaborated with the Vietnam Institute of Fisheries Economics and Planning (VIFEP) to research climate-smart aquaculture in the north-central region.

In addition to its existing partnerships, the CGIAR also needs to promote cooperation with the private sector, associations, and industries to expand new cooperation opportunities and bring the latest scientific and technical advances into agricultural development in Vietnam, according to Mr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.