The Netherlands pledges to support Vietnam in transforming agriculture by developing sustainable value chains in aquaculture, saline agriculture, vegetables, and sustainable livestock, said Netherlands’ Ambassador to Vietnam Elsbeth Akkerman.
The diplomat made the promise in reply to the interview with the state-run Bao Chinh Phu (Government) newspaper, regarding Vietnam’s recent approval for Mekong Delta’s Planning in 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. She affirmed that the Netherlands would partner with Vietnam to achieve the planning’s goals.
Ms. Elsbeth Akkerman noted that Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, the same as the Netherlands, is vulnerable and sensitive to the impacts of climate change while facing the challenge of livelihood transition and agrarian transition in rural areas.
Emphasizing that agriculture is the most beneficial sector for this region, she suggested implementing shrimp/crab/clams farming in the coastal areas, deploying a rice-shrimp farming system or a vegetable-fruit farming system in alternating brackish water, and developing fisheries farming and rice/fruit-veggie production in the upper delta.
Vietnam needs to establish an agricultural product supply hub to collect local agricultural and aquatic products, thereby raising the product value through on-site processing centers. The Netherlands will support Vietnam in integrating these centers with services and other sectors, said the ambassador.
Besides, the Netherlands wishes to cooperate with Vietnam in developing seaports, cold storage chains, storage capacity, inland waterways, and water management, Ms. Elsbeth Akkerman said.
To date, the Netherlands invests more than $50 million in projects of knowledge enhancement, investment support, and public-private partnership majoring in climate change, agriculture and water, sustainable aquaculture, mangrove forests, saline agriculture, and tropical fruits. (Bao Chinh Phu [1])