Vietnam - Denmark to reduce Antimicrobial use in animal husbandry and aquaculture

Following a business visit to the UK, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien led a delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to Denmark with the aim of expanding cooperation in the agricultural sector.

The delegation worked with the IInternational Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions in Denmark on November 14.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien expressed his appreciation for the cooperation and support from ICARS with the implementation of commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding for "Establishing a Partnership on Reducing Antimicrobial Resistance in Animal Husbandry and Aquaculture” signed in 2019. Experts from Vietnam and Denmark have collaborated to develop a project on reducing the use of colistin in pig production in Vietnam.

“The Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development believes that with the help of the project, Vietnamese research and management units will have access to new methods from ICARS experts in collectiong data and making recommendations to state management aagencies regarding the application of research results in the process of developing legal documents in connection with practice”, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien told Ms. Helle Engslund Krarup.

According to Mr. Tien, the project has reached 30% completion according to the implementation plan. With the Covid-19 pandemic controlled starting from mid-2022, the project implementation speed is expected to accelerate and further increase in 2023.

In addition, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien expressed his gratitude towards ICARS for their continued support in the development of the Project on "Reducing antimicrobial use and identifying effective methods of vaccination in pangasius and tilapia production".

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has assigned the Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 1 as the project manager to coordinate with ICARS; with the support from the Directorate of Fisheries, the Department of Animal Health as well as other related units outside the Ministry.

“The parties have finalized the project outline to send to ICARS for technical and financial evaluation. We expect that the project will be approved and implemented by both parties by 2023", commented the Deputy Minister.

Regarding the proposal to sign the Statement of Support for Joining the Mission Partner Network, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien expressed his support for ICARS's goals of striving towards a future where antimicrobial resistance infections no longer pose a threat to human and animal health, the environment, global food security as well as economic prosperity.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien made four proposals to the representative of ICARS. Firstly, he suggested ICARS to coordinate with regulatory and research agencies to develop technical cooperation project outlines in the field of reducing antimicrobial use and researching alternative vaccines or replacement biological byproducts tp be used in animal husbandry and aquaculture (with emphasis on high-value freshwater and marine aquaculture for export).

Secondly, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien expressed his wish that ICARS would provide financial support to agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to participate in regional and international workshops and forums on reducing antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in the argicultural sector.

Thirdly, he proposed ICARS to develop and support long-term training programs for experts including master and doctorate degrees for universities and research institutes under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Denmark and Vietnam in related fields within the scope of ICARS activities.

Fourthly, Mr. Tien suggested ICARS to consider the possibility of establishing a Representative Office for the Asia-Pacific region in Vietnam to connect. Subsequently, the Representative Office can call for additional low- and middle-income countries in the region to the Mission Partner Network.

On the other hand, ICARS expressed gratitude for information regarding Vietnam's agriculture as well as the cooperation between the two countries in this field.

Ms. Helle Engslund Krarup highly regards the Ministry's views antimicrobial antibiotic use, food safety and the health of agricultural product users.

Ms. Helle Engslund Krarup explained that there are 4 supporting pillars in ICARS' activities. The first of which is testing solutions and subsequenty, technology transfer, staffing and consulting on said solutions. 

With 15 partner countries and over 30 projects underway, ICARS hope to discuss further and formulate positive ideas and plans with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam in the near future.

“ICARS's goal is to focus on sustainable development solutions”, emphasized Ms. Helle Engslund Krarup, adding that this is a priority when the organization works with partner countries.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien agrees with this priority and said that Vietnam has multiple advantages including a well-trained system of veterinary, animal husbandry, aquaculture, food safety; thorougly trained from the Central level to the local level.

Mr. Phung Duc Tien hopes that ICARS would set up an office in Vietnam in the future so that the two countries could cooperate more effectively, as well as promote ICARS' influence regionally and internationally.

Annual agricultural, forestry and fishery products exported to Denmark account for roughly 25% of Vietnam's total export turnover to Denmark. Additionally, Vietnam's seafood export to Denmark is currently recording a trade surplus.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs reported that the total import-export turnover between Vietnam and Denmark reached over 554 million USD in the first nine months of 2022. Namely, Vietnam exported over 384 million USD worth of products to Denmark, an increase of 51.8% over the same period in 2021; and imported nearly 170 million USD worth of products from Denmark, a decrease of 7.3% over the same period in 2021.