Newsletter

Website on Vietnam Agriculture
and Rural Development
WWW.AGROVIET.GOV.VN
(Official Website of Ministry 
of Agriculture and Rural Development of S.R Vietnam)

Agroviet.gov.vn Website on Vietnam Agriculture and Rural Development
(Official Website of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of S.R Vietnam)

Introduction

Agroviet is the official website of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of S.R Vietnam developed by Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development. Agroviet has been licensed by Ministry of Culture and Information to provide information on the Internet (ICP).

Agroviet is the bridge linking policy makers and sectoral managers with producers, businesses, consumers, investors and donors. This is the official information source on the Internet on agriculture and rural development, agricultural trade promotion of Vietnam.

Main Contents

1. Market information

• Prices of agro-forestry products and agricultural materials all over the country;
• Trade news, including official and unofficial import and export;
• Domestic and international market forecast and analysis;
• News on main agro-forestry commodities (rice, coffee, rubber, sugar, tea, pepper, cashew nut, wood, meat, fruit and vegetable and etc)

2. News on production

• Agro-forestry production;
• Recommendations and guidelines on agricultural production;
• Disaster prevention, natural resource management;
• Extension, plant protection, animal health,...

3. Common issues on agriculture and rural development

• Information on workshop, conferences, guidelines, policies and etc of the Government and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Summary of proceedings of workshops and conferences;
• Overview on agro-forestry-irrigation sectors;
• Planning – Projection, Orientation, Overview and Action Plan of Agriculture and Rural Development sector;
• Information on rural development;
• Information on International Cooperation activities;
• Introduction of key programs of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

• New technological advances;
• Standards and process;
• Information on training agencies, research-development agencies of agriculture and rural development sector;
• Application of technological advances in agro-forestry production and processing;

• Introduction of agencies and enterprises under agricultural and rural development sector and relevant enterprises.
• Introduction of activities of Agriculture and Rural Development Departments, local agencies under the control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development all over the country.

• Newly issued documents of the Government, sectors and ministries relating to agriculture and rural development sector.
• Database on agriculture and rural development legal documents.

1- In order to early accomplish the webpage in English, we appeal the support of English volunteers with high professional knowledge to participate in translation of the website’s content.

2- We welcome Software Development Company (VASC), under Vietnam Posts and Telecommunication Corporation who has committed to cooperate with us in this program. We call for the enthusiast support of interested donors.

    3.4. Database

• Database: Agricultural extension
  techniques (plantation, livestock, forestry and etc); Science and technology information; historical agro-forestry prices, files and list of books in library; agro-forestry commodity’s quality criteria; enterprise profile; list of investment projects and assistance projects in agriculture and rural development sector;
• Professional database of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

• Publications of ICARD:

• Production and Market Bulletin;
• Science and Technology Bulletin;
• Strategic Bulletin serving leadership (policy and strategy);
• Newsletter (in English);

• Other publications:

• Bulletin on Seed Program
• Sugarcane Bulletin

Main agro-forestry commodities such as rice, coffee, rubber, sugar, fruit and vegetable, cashew, pepper, livestock products, wood, tea and etc. Each page provides daily updated information including:

• Prices
• Import and Export
• Forecast and analysis
• Specialized bulletin
• Business opportunity.

Industrialization and Modernization of Agriculture and Rural Areas

Over the last 10 years, Vietnam has transformed its agriculture to commercial sector with rather comprehensive development, high growth rate (averagely 4.2%/year). Industry sector, rural industries and services in rural areas have initially recovered and developed, socio-economic infrastructure have been invested, ecological environment and living standard of rural people have remarkably been improved, local political authority has been enhanced, local democracy has been strengthened, political and social stability has been ensured. Those achievements have contributed to the socio-economic stabilization and development, creating prerequisites to accelerate modernization and industrialization cause of the country.

Against this background, the 5th Session, 10th Congress Party issued the Resolution on accelerating modernization and industrialization of agriculture and rural areas in 2001-2010 period.

2. Objectives of agricultural and rural modernization and industrialization

Overall and long-term objectives of agricultural and rural modernization and industrialization are establishing a big, effective and sustainable commercial agricultural sector with high productivity, quality and competitiveness on the basis of applying advanced science and technology to better serve domestic and export demand; building rural areas richer, more democratic, more equal and civilized with rational economic structure, suitable production relations and ever modern socio-economic infrastructure.

From now to 2010, all resources should be focused on basically implementing the long-term and overall objectives.

3.1 Developing production forces, transforming agricultural and rural economic structure

+ Ensuring national food security, improving rice production effectiveness based on establishing high quality and low production cost rice production areas near processing and consumption sites.

+ Developing production and processing of export agricultural products within advantages of each region, with suitable size; improving quality, effectiveness and competitiveness of those products in domestic and international markets.

+ Developing appropriate production in capable regions to improve and gradually substitute imported commodities.

+ Food crops: establishing rice production areas in Mekong River Delta and Red River Delta; maize areas in North East South, Central Highlands, the North mountainous areas and Mekong River Delta; using new, high yielding and high quality varieties matching with market requirements; applying synchronous measures to reduce production cost; developing processing and preserving technologies.

In dispersed and thinly populated mountainous areas with under-developed commercial production, low – quality infrastructure and difficult transportation conditions but with good conditions for food production, state investment should be poured to construct small irrigation system, terrace fields and develop good varieties to help people ensure their life.

+ Industrial crops and fruit and vegetable trees: setting up concentrated production areas of industrial crops, fruit and vegetable trees; applying bio-technology in selecting and expanding varieties; importing foreign varieties and technologies to produce high yielding plant varieties; mechanizing production, harvesting and preserving; developing processing technologies in close linkage with material areas.

+ Livestock sector: developing industrialized livestock sector in suitable farms; establishing concentrated commercial areas free from disease; upgrading and newly building slaughtering houses; processing livestock products with modern facilities meeting demand of quality and food safety, serving domestic and export demand. The state focuses its investment and policies to apply modern technologies in varieties production, industrial feed, veterinary and products’ quality control.

+ Forestry products: protecting available forestry resources and enriching forests, especially critical and protection forests; projecting to set up forestry material areas in close linkage with processing areas; applying tissue culturing technology and other advanced crossing methods; using enough high quality varieties for forestry plantation; issuing policies to ensure the life of forestry care takers and planters; encouraging farmers’ households and state farms to buy machines and facilities to mechanize production; improving transporting and processing forestry products to develop firms to produce paper, paper mill, board, furniture and wooden handicraft goods.

+ Salt production: projecting and gradually investing to modernize salt fields to gain higher productivity and quality and to reduce production cost; improve salt processing to ensure enough salt for domestic consumption for both industrial production and export, substituting imports.

- Rural economy: supporting and encouraging the strong development of rural industries especially agro-forestry-aquaculture processing industry and other labor-intensive sectors using local materials; setting up industrial sites in rural areas, linking economic interests between material producers and processing firms.

The state should facilitate farmers in providing land, encouraging and supporting rural industries to use machines, advanced tools and mechanize production stages.

Projecting and reorganizing chemical industries and firms producing fertilizer and insecticide serving agro-forestry activities in the whole country and in each region.

The state should issue policies to encourage and facilitate households, and farms to develop commercial production on bigger scale. More support should be
poured to cooperatives in training staff. The state should also formulate rational tax policies to service and trade activities. People Credit Funds need to be developed in communes serving the agricultural and rural development.

More state efforts should be focused on doing what other economic sectors can not do, supporting other economic sectors, playing the key role in trading and processing agro-forestry-aquaculture products.

Investing in further developing irrigation system towards using water resources to provide enough water for agriculture, industry, daily life, improving environment, preventing and controlling disasters.

Applying advanced technologies, water-saving irrigation technologies.

Developing cooperation organization managing irrigation system for farmers.

Quickly developing rural transportation system, rural electricity to provide effectively electricity with high quality.

Seminar Series on Agricultural Policy

WRI REPSI is a collaborative effort, encompassing numerous research institutions throughout mainland of Southeast Asia to enhance the supply-demand for policy-relevant analysis and information concerning upland development and environmental challenges. In an effort to institutionalize a forum for exchange of analysis, ideas and perspectives concerning the priority issues of agriculture and rural development in Vietnam, REPSI and ICARD has collaborated to establish a MARD Policy Seminar Series, initially 3 monthly seminars.

The first discussion was organized in ICARD on 28 May 2002 on "Resource Management in the Basin of Ca River". The seminar is participated by about 20 representatives from ICARD, Department of Water Resource Management, Department of Flood Relief and Damp Management, Irrigation Science Institute, Irrigation Projection Institute, Forestry Development Department, Forest Protection Department, Resettlement and New Economic Zone Department, Policy Department, Hanoi Agricultural University No 1, Institute for Science Management under Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, and Environment Department.

The topic was presented by Dr. Tran Duc Vien, Vice Rector of Hanoi Agricultural University No 1 and his colleague, focusing on 4 main parts: (i) Introduction of social environment and forestry land management in the Basin of Ca River; (ii) advantages and disadvantages of policy formulation for the aspect; (iii) lessons learnt; and (iv) policy recommendations. The presentation is followed by an open discussion for policy makers in the field, stating that in general, the report covers the main issue in resource management policy, giving out proper policy recommendations for resource development of the area. However, for the time constraint, the report still lacks practical data for proving good ideas raised.

The next seminar is planned to be organized in June 2002, focusing tentatively on people participation in plantation and protection of Tram Forest in Mekong River Delta, facing recent serious forest fires These are very useful seminars, concentrating on very hot issues in the sector. We hope to further get support from the international donors, the Ministry and relevant agencies for better organization of these seminars, serving policy formulation of the Ministry.

Conference implementing Extension program in 2002

After over one year of implementing extension program under the spirit of Decree No 63-CT/TU on 28/2/2001 on improving research activities and applying technologies serving rural industrialization of Political Bureau, Resolution No 09/2000/NQ-CP on 15/6/2001 of the Government on orientations for transforming economic structure and products’ consumption and agricultural economic development targets of the MARD, Department of Agro-forestry Extension organized the conference to assess results of Extension Program in 2001 and implement Extension Program for 2002.

Based on Resolution No 09/2000/ND-CP on 15/6/2000, Department of Agro-forestry Extension has formulated plans of Extension Program following the main directions:

1. Extension Program in remote and ethnic minority areas to contribute to poverty reduction.
2. Extension Program encouraging advantageous commercial production.
3. Extension Program encouraging import substitution commercial production
4. Extension Program applying new technical advances to improve productivity and quality of animals and plants, ensuring effective agricultural production, ensuring food safety, developing sustainable agriculture and protecting environmental resources.
5. Extension Program on information, training and improving capacity in extension activities
6. Extension Program on building Cooperative models combining production, processing with commercial production organizations and household and farm economy management.
7. Extension Program on trade promotion.

In this conference, the department has distributed 66 billion VND for 11 extension programs in 2002, including:

• Extension Program for food crops

• Extension Program for industrial and fruit and vegetable trees

• Extension Program for livestock sector

• Extension Program for plant protection

• Extension Program for animal protection

• Extension Program on information and training.

• Program on improving extension capacity

• Forestry extension program

• Program for extension staff

• Program on preserving and processing agro-forestry products, machinery, salt production and rural industries.

• Agricultural Extension program on deploying pilot model.

Recommendation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for Accomplishing  Comprehensive Poverty Reduction  and Growth Strategy (CPRGS)

CPRGS has been approved by the government of Vietnam. This is a very important document, making active contribution to supporting poverty reduction programs of domestic agencies and international partners.

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has assigned staff to participate in the process of drafting CPRGS. However, the draft has not fully covered requirements of agriculture rural development. Therefore, MARD has coordinated with donor agencies, especially the World Bank (WB) and Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) to establish a program to improve this document.

On this basis, the MARD has established a task force consisting of 15 experts representing 8 departments and center under the control of MARD and 7 main donor agencies. The taskforce is led by Dr. Cao Duc Phat, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, coordinated by Dr. Dao Trong Tu, Vice Director of International Cooperation Department, MARD, participated by a leader of each agency and followed by an expert of each department.

A group of national and international experts coordinated by Dr. Dang Kim Son, Director of Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development has effectively supported activities of the Task Force. The group has made recommendation documents for the Task Force to submit to the Ministry’s leadership and then send to Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Two groups have done the following activities:

• Choosing list of original documents to set up strategic framework including:
  • Resolution No 09.
  • Plan of Action of MARD implementing Resolution No 06.
  • Development Report for 2002: implementing reform for higher growth and quicker poverty reduction.
  • Vietnam: the voice of the poor.
  • Vietnam: attacking poverty.
  • Vietnam: accelerating rural development: from perspective to action
  • Resolution No 71
  • Forestry Development Strategy 2001-2010.
  • Development Report for 2001: Chapter 3: " transformation of rural economy".
  • Draft CPRGS.
  • National Environment Protection Strategy 2001-2010.
• Based on 11 original documents on strategy of Vietnam Government, strategies of agricultural sector and main research documents of donors, formulating "strategic framework" including 3 sectoral strategic objectives, 12 development objectives and 46 policy objectives.
• Based on the mentioned – above "strategic framework", making recommendations for CPRGS draft version 3 and 4; rewriting chapter 3 named "strategy of agriculture and rural development sector on poverty reduction".

Generally, recommendations this time have been updated, put in the last CPRGS and approved by the Government.

Lessons learnt:

1. The process of making recommendations for CPRGS document is the effective practice for agricultural sector. Through this activity, the task force of CPRGS has been established and planned to be sustained by MARD for the implementation of the strategy.
2. Through this activity, the role of expert group has been improved and coordination between Expert Group and Task Force has been built and worked effectively. This is a good prerequisite for the setting up of expert group supporting Task Force to monitor, assess, analyze effectiveness and propose policy recommendations for the later implementation of strategy.
3. Smooth and effective coordination between donors and MARD in terms of knowledge and material support has created good results for the formulation of policies and strategies.
4. Activities done by many parties such as establishing and implementing strategy should be managed in priorities to make agreement between participatory parties on "strategic framework, priorities, objectives and assignment for the implementation of specific activities.

This will be a good recommendation for the implementation of CPRGS in the near future.

Training Course on Policy Analysis Using the Vietnam Livestock Sector Spatial Equilibrium Model

Livestock sector plays a very important role in rural development strategy of Vietnam. In June, 1999, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) coordinated with Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to implement project "Livestock Policy Options to diversify and grow income of Vietnam rural people" with total fund of about USD 530,000 supported by the Government of Royal Denmark.

The project conducted a survey of 3800 households and enterprises in different agro-ecological areas to identify linkages between producers and consumers, including the following objects: producers, animal feed traders, meat traders, animal feed processors, slaughtering houses/meat processors, province/district veterinary services, communal veterinary services, urban consumers and breed centers. The project used a series of analyzing methods such as time series analysis of market chain, econometric analysis of meat demand, estimates of transportation costs, analysis of ability to apply technology and partial equilibrium model. The project also established a database of surveyed data and especially a livestock supply-demand model to analyze policies and forecast markets of livestock products. This is a very complicated model but very effective for policy and market analysis.

In order to build a Vietnamese expert group able to use commodity, market and policy analysis models that later can conduct researches serving policy formulation process, Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development organized a training course to receive the model supported by Agricultural Sector Program Support (ASPS). The course focuses on 3 main parts: economic theory, application method and model transfer in computers. The course is done in English by international exports from Agrifood Consulting International. Participating in the course are experts from Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam Agricultural Science Institute, Hanoi Agricultural University I, Agriculture Economics Research Institute, National Institute for Husbandry, Institute for Agricultural Projection and Design, Central Economic Management Research Institute and Trade Research Institute.

This is the second training course on policy analysis model that has been done in ICARD, after the training on Policy Analysis Matrix for forestry sector supported by Ford Foundation. It is a very useful course, providing trainees with comprehensive economic background and tools using economic policy analysis model GAMS, serving effectively for agricultural policy analysis in the future. All trainees have well completed the course, of them 4 gaining excellent marks and 3 attaining good marks.

At present, MARD is setting up specialized expert groups to analyze policies and markets serving market-oriented production. So in the near future, similar training courses should be implemented by ICARD in coordination with relevant agencies to continuously receive economic models and gradually establish commodity profiles. This is a very important capacity building activity for the Ministry, producers and businesses of all economic sectors. It is hoped that donors, national and international research partners will enthusiastically support this activity.

Signature Ceremony of the Project "Information Capacity Building Serving Agricultural Policy Formulation"

After over one year of preparation, 17 May, 2002, with the witnesses of the leadership from the Government of Vietnam and French Embassy, the financial agreement of the project "Information Capacity Building serving Agricultural Policy Formulation" has been signed by Dr. Cao Duc Phat, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Dr. Antoine Pouillieute, Ambassador of French Embassy. This ceremony marks a very important milestone for the cooperation of the two governments and the development of agricultural sector.

The project has been supported by the Government of France with the total fund of 1.5 million Euro for improving capacity of Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development and implementing some researches on agriculture and rural development. The project will be implemented about 1 month after the signature of financial agreement and lasting 36 months.

The implementation agency of the project is Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, who will gather research requests from decision makers and cooperate with agricultural researchers on the basis of open bidding from the project to implement some specialized researches (on agriculture and rural development, commodity competitiveness improvement and coffee). The research fund will be carried out on the basis of specific research topics chosen by the Steering Committee of the project. The research budget will be maintained open for further receiving contribution from concerned donors.

For the importance of the project on the development of market-oriented agriculture, it is expected to receive further support of the Ministry, relevant research institutes and international donors to successfully implement the project

News --- Stories --- International Cooperation
Newsletter --- Partnership --- Home

© Copyright by ICARD, All rights reserved.
2 Ngoc Ha Street - Ba Dinh - Hanoi - Vietnam,
Phone: 84-4-8235804, Fax: 84-4-8230381
Contact us: webmaster@agroviet.gov.vn