Challenges of enterprises are challenges for Vietnam’s agricultural sector

On August 16, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the United States-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) meet to discuss five critical areas of cooperation in Vietnam’s agricultural sector: animal husbandry & veterinary medicine, trade & agricultural investment, cultivation & plant protection, biotechnology, and food safety.

The working session focused on clarifying three main issues in the partnership between MARD and USABC: technology transfer and scientific application in farming and production; policy advisory and strategies to restructure the agricultural sector towards sustainable development; and institutional amendments in the agricultural industry.

Minister Le Minh Hoan recognizes the vital opportunity to openly share with international partners about MARD’s directions. At the same time, the meeting allows the United States - the leading country in scientific and technological application in agriculture - to share knowledge and experience with Vietnam. Especially, cooperation with USABC will help MARD develop policies and projects to ensure food safety and security in the context of precarious global climate change.

On the partner side, USABC highly appreciates the coordination between the United States and Vietnam in agricultural products and food trade. The Council is committed to supporting Vietnam’s agricultural development in a flexible, innovative and sustainable way. USABC delegations look forward to establishing a deeper relationship and nuanced dialogue with MARD.

Ms. Prelia Moenandar, Head of Government and Industry Affairs (ASEAN) of Corteva Agriscience, thanks MARD for supporting the plant protection industry, especially as the Plant Protection Department and CropLife recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to implement the Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework. The leading US enterprise in agrochemicals also hopes to support the Ministry regarding biotechnology.

Cooperation between MARD and Corteva over the years has changed the farming system in Vietnam. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department, hopes that US businesses will continue to support localities to improve their capacity. Through training and communication platforms, the Plant Protection Department is committed to changing farmers’ behavior so that they use pesticides responsibly and safely.

Furthermore, USABC delegates congratulate Vietnam on successfully developing a vaccine for African swine fever. To apply digital transformation in the veterinary industry, MSD Animal Health representative shares a method that applies Big Data to optimize the entire value chain, thereby reducing input costs for agricultural production. The world’s leading animal health business also mentions supplying advanced equipment to Vietnam for monitoring, epidemiological research, and pharmaceuticals.

Mr. Pushpanathan Sundram, Senior Advisor for Public Policy & Government Relations in Asia - Elanco Animal Health, wishes to further promote the use of antibiotics in livestock. He proposes to organize workshops with MARD to share the most advanced global technology in antibiotic management.

Mr. Pushpanathan Sundram is also interested in amending and supplementing several circulars and decrees related to public health and food and food security. This is an integral aspect of the sustainable development orientation. The advisors will share their knowledge and experience in policy formulation with Vietnam’s agricultural sector.

Besides, Cargill, a leading animal nutrition company, thanks MARD for supporting the approval of the 28-million-dollar Provimi Factory in Dong Nai. Cargill hopes that the Ministry will further support its production and business activities.

Receiving proposals and recommendations from the USABC delegation, Minister Le Minh Hoan commits to actively removing institutional obstacles and creating favorable conditions for domestic and foreign businesses. The Minister hopes that methodical cooperation will devise a smart and progressive agricultural system that constantly acquires new achievements and technologies.

“The challenges of enterprises are the challenges for Vietnam’s agricultural sector. I understand the enterprises’ challenges in dealing with legal requirements. We will soon propose solutions to expand the cooperation between businesses and localities. We hope that the experiences and knowledge of the private sector will help improve the capacity of Vietnamese farmers, and at the same time, standardize processing and production lines,” the Minister affirms.

To expand the initial success of the long-term partnership between the MARD and USABC, Minister Le Minh Hoan assigns the International Cooperation Department to research policies, develop specific programs, and soon sign a new MoU on transforming the agricultural system.