Vice Chairman of Cần Thơ City Nguyễn Thực Hiện (right) and Italian Consul General in HCM City Enrico Padula. — VNA/VNS Photo Ánh Tuyết

CẦN THƠ — Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the Mekong Delta city of Cần Thơ Nguyễn Thực Hiện held a working session with Italian Consul General in HCM City Enrico Padula on March 21 to discuss all-around cooperation opportunities, with a focus on climate-resilient agriculture.

Hiện outlined Cần Thơ's agricultural development plan, aiming for 2.5-3 per cent annual growth by 2030, an increase of 5.5-6 per cent in agricultural labour productivity, over 70 per cent of skilled workers in the field and a three-fold rise in the income of rural residents compared to 2020.

To such end, Cần Thơ is actively developing high-tech agriculture by establishing specialised zones and breeding farms, which will also partially cater to eco-tourism, he said, adding that the city is also increasing investment in technical infrastructure and expanding research partnerships with domestic and international institutes, towards forming a hi-tech agriculture centre for the Mekong Delta and the country as a whole.

According to the official, environmental protection, climate change and sustainable development are top priorities for the Mekong Delta and Cần Thơ in particular.

He urged Padula to act as a bridge popularising Cần Thơ's investment environment to Italian firms and investors while promoting investment through seminars, trade fairs and exhibitions in Cần Thơ and Italy.

Padula, for his part, acknowledged Cần Thơ as a crucial partner of Italy. He announced that a delegation of Italian firms will visit Cần Thơ later this year to explore potential in high-tech agriculture and industrial machinery.

Informing the host about his attendance at a seminar on the sustainable development of the Mekong Delta earlier the same day, he affirmed Italy’s commitments to Cần Thơ and regional provinces via specific activities to adapt agricultural products to climate change and align them with the European Union market, ultimately increasing profits for this sector.

Last year, Cần Thơ exported US$3.2 million worth of goods to Italy, mostly rice, aquatic products, garments, farm produce and processed agricultural products. Its imports totalled $0.21 million, primarily pharmaceutical materials. — VNS