HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development plans to promote activities under the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Việt Nam (PSAV), aiming at a sustainable and comprehensive agricultural value chain.

This was confirmed by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Nguyễn Xuân Cường during a conversation with a Vietnam News Agency reporter on a co-operation programme between the ministry and the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Cường, who recently attended the annual WEF 2017 meeting in Davos, Switzerland, said the agricultural value chain will be linked to global value chains and be able to respond to climate change.

To do so, the ministry would continue engaging participants from the private sector under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, setting up information systems and increasing dialogue among four parties -- MARD, foreign businesses, domestic firms and agricultural associations.

Additional PPP working groups for agricultural sectors would be established, firstly for rice and livestock, Cường said, adding that MARD would focus on reorganising management systems for key farm produce.

Co-ordination committees for each farm produce with representatives of State authorities, enterprises and farmers would be set up, tasked with preparing the development strategy for the sector, contributing to making policies, managing the market and promoting international trade.

Since 2010, the country has encouraged the involvement of the State and private sector in the PPP model under the PSAV, targeted at achieving sustainable growth of Việt Nam’s agricultural sector.

Major objectives of the PSAV include enhancing sustainable agriculture standards, building policies and good agricultural cultivation practices in Việt Nam and strengthening links between the MARD and partners, including State agencies, international and non-governmental organisations, sponsors, research institutes and businesses.

PSAV also aims for sustainable development management on the basis of science and with the consensus of partners, he said.

Minister Cường said, so far, Việt Nam has launched eight PPP working groups for coffee, tea, vegetables and seafood, as well as goods, peppercorn, chemicals and agricultural finance.

The MARD leader said the ministry has proposed that the WEF support Việt Nam in multiplying the PSAV model for 10 major agricultural products of Việt Nam, aiming to expand the model to provincial and local products.

Việt Nam has also asked for assistance in encouraging the private sector to build investment and business plans suitable to agricultural restructuring, he said, adding that the country also hopes to create connectivity between foreign and domestic firms so that they can share information and experiences in business efficiency and green agriculture development.

More attention will also be paid to supporting organisations, including the Farmers’ Association and cooperatives, in expanding successful models, thus increasing income for farmers and improving their living conditions. — VNS