Australia helps Vietnam with agricultural development

Illustrative image (Source: Australian Embassy in Vietnam)

Hanoi (VNA) – Australia’s cooperation and sharing through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in Vietnam has helped Vietnam improve its research capacity in the agricultural field, contributing to reducing poverty and raising farmers’ income.

The remark was made by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh at a fair in Hanoi on April 11 marking the 25th founding anniversary of the centre (1993-2018). 

He described the ACIAR as a special partner of Vietnam in the field of agricultural research and development. 

Meanwhile, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick said agricultural cooperation forms an important part of the Vietnam-Australia relationship, under the coordination of the centre. 

Australia’s support to Vietnam through agricultural cooperation projects is within the country’s official development assistance programme, the diplomat added, expressing his delight that the assistance greatly contributed to Vietnam’s development, especially noted changes in the farming sector. 

Professor Andrew Campbell, ACIAR CEO, said the Australian side has shared its experience in production, marketing, food safety and quality control, water conservation, forest management and aquaculture with Vietnam over the past time.

According to the Australian Embassy, over the past 25 years, the Australian Government has invested 100 million AUD (77.5 million USD) in 170 agricultural research projects in Vietnam, helping improve capacity for many local researchers. 

A wide range of agricultural products of cooperation projects between Vietnam and Australia were displayed at the fair, jointly held by the Australian Embassy in Vietnam and the ACIAR.