World Bank Country Director for Vietnam recognized for contributions to agriculture and rural development

On the afternoon of March 29th, Minister Le Minh Hoan presented Ms. Carolyn Turk with the "For the Cause of Agriculture and Rural Development" medal. This ceremony marked her final engagement with a governmental body before assuming a new role in the Indonesia-Timor Leste region.

During her four-year tenure in Vietnam, Ms. Carolyn Turk has made significant contributions to the sustainable development of the agricultural sector. Her close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's leadership and her support in formulating and effectively coordinating macro policies has been noteworthy. Notably, she facilitated the collaboration among central agencies to organize the Regional Development Conference and develop Integrated Planning for the Mekong Delta.

Minister Le Minh Hoan expressed gratitude to Ms. Turk for her consistent support of programs to enhance Vietnam's resilience against the impacts of climate change. With assistance from the World Bank, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development successfully implemented the Sustainable Agricultural Transformation Project (VnSAT), laying the groundwork for the development of the 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice project.

"We deeply appreciate her profound dedication to Vietnam. Her contributions have not only significantly improved the lives of people across the country but have also fostered strong trust in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to achieve ambitious goals," the Minister expressed.

In response, Ms. Carolyn Turk expressed hope that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development would continue to explore solutions for effectively mobilizing carbon financial resources to support emissions reduction and provide necessary capacity-building activities. She commended Minister Le Minh Hoan as a visionary leader capable of steering the agricultural industry towards sustainable development.

During her tenure, Ms. Carolyn Turk also oversaw and supported the implementation of the Mekong Delta Integrated Climate Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Project (ICRSL), with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as the lead agency. This project, valued at $387 million, focused on infrastructure investment to help 1.2 million people adapt to climate change and diversify their livelihoods.

Ms. Carolyn Turk conveyed her best wishes to the Ministry's leadership and expressed her desire to introduce the technologies and initiatives implemented in Vietnam to Indonesia and Timor Leste in her upcoming assignment. She emphasized the value of her experience working with Vietnam's agricultural sector. She encouraged the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to actively engage in discussions with her country regarding mangrove restoration projects and strategies for reducing carbon emissions in agricultural production.