(MARD) – On August 20, in Tokyo, Japan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Trần Thanh Nam had a bilateral meeting with Senator Maitachi Shoji, Deputy Minister of Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed several topics regarding strengthening cooperation in agricultural projects, training, experience exchange, market access, and more. Deputy Minister Trần Thanh Nam shared the objectives of the project for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice linked to green growth in the Mekong Delta region.
According to the Deputy Minister, to effectively implement the project, it is crucial to mobilize resources to enhance the capacity of cooperatives and farmers. Therefore, Deputy Minister Trần Thanh Nam proposed that Japan collaborate on capacity-building programs for cooperatives participating in the project. Specifically, this includes the development of a digital system for chain management and the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation system to reduce emissions.
Deputy Minister Trần Thanh Nam expressed hope that Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries would support and facilitate cooperation among relevant agencies such as the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and Japanese NGOs to assist training institutions of the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The two leaders also discussed promoting and facilitating joint ventures and partnerships between Japanese and Vietnamese enterprises in the fields of organic agriculture, digital technology in agriculture, logistics, and agricultural trade.
Given the potential for cooperation in organic agriculture, the leaders of the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development suggested that Japan consider cooperating to develop a program encouraging Japanese enterprises to partner with Vietnamese businesses to invest in organic agriculture and apply digital economy practices in agriculture.
Deputy Minister Trần Thanh Nam requested that Japan expedite the completion of the documentation procedures for Vietnamese pomelos to be permitted for import into the Japanese market and continue to assess risks and pests for Vietnamese passion fruit and avocados.
Source: HNN (mard.gov.vn)
