Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Craig Chittick

Australia will continue to support Vietnam’s agriculture sector and bring benefits to Vietnamese farmers, particularly women and ethnic minority people.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Craig Chittick made this statement at the Country consultation on an Australia-Vietnam collaborative research strategy on agricultural development 2017-2027, held in Hanoi on March 6.

Organised by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the event aimed to define demand of Vietnam and support from Australia to build a collaborative strategy between the two countries and help Vietnam achieve its development goals.

According to the Australian Ambassador, the agriculture sector of Australia can share agricultural production experience and research with Vietnam to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the agricultural supply chain.

He hoped that the collaborative research strategy will cover the priorities of both Vietnam and Australia for the next ten years, bringing benefits to the peoples of the two countries.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh said that Vietnam will review its agricultural priorities as the country is faced many challenges from climate change and increasingly pressure on food safety, requiring changes in land use, seedling research and others.

Doanh noted that Australia has many advantages in agricultural research, particularly pest control, effective management of agricultural supply chains, quality management, and advanced farming techniques, which Vietnam needs to learn from.

“I hope that the two sides will build a collaborative research strategy in the 2017-2027 period, contributing to addressing two important issues including food safety and climate change response,” Doanh added.

At the event, the two sides discussed several research issues including food safety, climate change, soil fertility improvement, market understanding and approach, policy analysis skills and the increasing values of forestry and fishery products, among others.

The ACIAR has invested over AUD96 million (roughly US$72.9 million) in 170 agricultural projects in Vietnam by 2017.
  
Rocky road to the right end

A strong campaign launched weeks ago by authorities of HCMC’s District 1 to restore order on sidewalks has achieved encouraging results, when footways along major streets now look more spacious, pedestrians feel more secure, and traffic to some extent is more disciplined. The greatest achievement, however, is that the endeavor has won strong backing from all walks of life, from top leaders of the country to the media and the public.

For many days on end, authorities of District 1 led by vice chairman Doan Ngoc Hai have aggressively tackled all violations by bringing down illegal structures on the sidewalk, removing chairs and tables of cafes and eateries, towing away autos parked at wrong places, and imposing heavy fines on violators.

Such a strong determination has sent positive ripple waves across the city, and inspired authorities elsewhere in the country to roll up their sleeves for the same cause. The question now, however, is how the campaign can be sustained, and whether well-conceived plans have been made ready to back up the campaign.

The local media, showing strong backing for the campaign, has pointed to the great merits of restoring order on sidewalks.

The urban space in general and the footway in particular must belong to the community, says Thanh Nien newspaper in an analysis. The paper stresses that anyone encroaching on such space must return what they have occupied, whether it is an individual or an organization, private or public.

According to the paper, the effort to redeem the sidewalk for pedestrians shows the determination to eradicate injustice that has existed for decades.

Lao Dong newspaper, in the same chorus, hails efforts by authorities to take back the sidewalk, and stresses that the widespread illegal use of sidewalks has been a reason behind chronic traffic congestion in the city. Similarly, Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper remarks that restoring sidewalk order meets people’s expectations. The paper quotes Tran Duc Tai, deputy police chief of HCMC, as saying that restoring order on the sidewalk is a must to secure safety and other public interests.

Many other districts have followed suit. Grassroots authorities in collaboration with the police have taken to the streets to do away with all cases of sidewalk encroachment. Meanwhile, many people who have long illegally used the sidewalk for business purposes have voluntarily returned the space.

Even in Hanoi City, Hoan Kiem District authorities early this week launched a similar campaign, and within two days, nearly 300 sideway encroachment cases have been tackled, with fines totaling over VND240 million imposed on violators, according to Vnexpress.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, at a regular cabinet meeting in Hanoi yesterday, threw his support behind the campaign in HCMC, branding it “good news.” General To Lam, Minister of Public Security, has urged the police nationwide to lend a helping hand to authorities in the campaign.

There are concerns arising from the iron-fist campaign of removal and demolition, however.

Upon complaints that District 1 authorities have not fully observed the due process of law, the HCMC government explains that authorities have several times called on violators to return public space but to no avail. However, at a meeting on Wednesday, HCMC chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said he had told authorities to persuade people not to occupy sidewalks before any tough measures are taken.

“For makeshift structures that encroach on sidewalks, violators should be given a certain length of time to remove. Punitive sanctions need to be in accordance with the right procedures and the law on administrative violations,” the chairman is quoted as saying in Tuoi Tre.

Another matter of big concern is the possible economic harm caused by the campaign. The “sidewalk economy”, as business establishments along the street are referred to, will certainly be adversely affected by the campaign.

“The sidewalk economy” has existed for a long time in HCMC, generating decent incomes for thousands of families, says Nguoi Lao Dong. That is not to mention a huge number of poor street vendors who often roam the sidewalk to earn a living, and efforts to restore urban order will strongly impact their livelihood.

According to the paper, instead of thoroughly taking back the sidewalk, competent State agencies should review regulations and conditions on how to use the sidewalk legally.

In Western countries such as France or the Czech Republic, for instance, sidewalks can still be used for business purposes, says Nguoi Lao Dong. Authorities in such countries would determine where and how such urban space can be used for business, and under such conditions, the space will be leased to traders to generate income for the State budget.

Therefore, to win the confidence of the public, especially those having relied on sidewalk businesses, it is imperative that the city government map out feasible policies to ensure that the “sidewalk economy” is not impaired while the campaign is sustained and urban order is restored.

Vietjet’s passenger wins a one-kilogram golden aircraft

Tran Phoi Hanh, passenger on Vietjet’s flight VJ610 from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang on February 3, 2017 has won a one-kilogramme golden aircraft under the campaign “Win a 1kg gold airplane, fly to a happy future” launched by the budget airline. 

The golden aircraft model was designed and produced by DOJI Gold & Gems Group.

Millions of lucky passengers have also won super promotional tickets priced from only 5,000 VND during the golden hours from 12h to 14h under the campaign. Many prizes of 3.75 gramme gold bullions and domestic air tickets have been given to lucky passengers, who successfully booked their tickets and flew from December 28, 2016 to February 28, 2017.

Hanh said she always flies with Vietjet for its affordable ticket price, good and friendly services, promotional campaigns and amazing entertainment. 

“I am so surprised and excited for this valuable prize. Thanks Vietjet so much for this with all my heart. I believe that no other airline in the world has ever awarded their passenger such a golden aircraft like Vietjet. I hope the airline will continue to grow so that many people can fly and get lucky awards like me,” she said.

Vietjet is the first airline in Vietnam to operate as a new-age airline with low-cost and diversified services to meet customers’ demands. It provides not only transport services but also uses the latest e-commerce technologies to offer various products and services for consumers. 

Vietjet is a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate. The airline was also named as one of the Top 500 Brands in Asia 2016 by global marketing research company Nielsen and “Best Asian Low Cost Carrier” at the TTG Travel Awards 2015, which compiles votes from travelers, travel agencies and tour operators in throughout Asia. 

The airline was also rated as one of the top three fastest growing airline brands on Facebook in the world by Socialbakers.

Currently, the airline boasts a fleet of 45 aircraft, including A320s and A321s, and operates 350 flights each day. It has already opened 63 routes in Vietnam and across the region to international destinations such as Thailand, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, China and Myanmar. It has carried nearly 35 million passengers to date.

Looking ahead, the airline plans to expand its network across the Asia Pacific region. To prepare for this plan, Vietjet has signed agreements with the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers to purchase more brand-new and modern aircraft.

Tien Giang restructures agricultural production

The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang plans to invest nearly 1.4 trillion VND (62 million USD) in restructuring agricultural production in the province’s eastern part, part of efforts to reduce damage caused by drought and saline intrusion. 

According to Cao Van Hoa, acting director of the provincial Department of Agriculture, and Rural Development, the restructuring will be implemented from 2016-2020 in 30,000 ha of farm land across 38 communes, three wards and four towns in Cho Gao, Go Cong Tay, Go Cong Dong and Tan Phu Dong districts, and Go Cong township.

The project aims to optimise the use of cultivating land by changing the pattern of crops and multiplying intensive farming models while promoting switching to plants resistant to forecast changes in climate.

Local farmers will be encouraged to reduce the cultivation of rice from three crops to two crops a year using intensive farming techniques. In areas along rivers and the coast with high risks of saline intrusion, rice will be replaced by fruit trees, grass for animal husbandry or aquaculture farms. 

To serve the project, the province has invested nearly 50 billion VND (2.25 million USD) to dredge and upgrade Canal 14, which is the main channel bringing fresh water from Tien river to coastal communes in Go Cong Dong district and Go Cong township.

Tien Giang is also building three sluices to prevent saline intrusion and store fresh water in Go Cong area with capital of 89 billion VND (4 million USD). The sluices are expected to be completed within this year.

Injured Khoa to hang up his football cleats

Midfielder Trần Anh Khoa of SHB Đà Nẵng has decided to retire from competition at the age of 25.

Khoa suffered a serious injury to his knee ligaments and leg bone after being tackled by Quế Ngọc Hải in a match between Đà Nẵng and Sông Lam Nghệ An in September, 2015.

Hải was later suspended for six months from all football related activities, while Khoa had to travel to Singapore for surgery.

However, after a long treatment period, Khoa still can’t exercise strongly with the ball, so he decided to say goodbye to his footballer career.

After hearing the news, chairman of SHB Đà Nẵng Bùi Xuân Hòa said he will create favourable conditions for Khoa to study more to become a coach to train young footballers.

“Leaving my profession is not my wish, but I have to accept it. I will try my best to return to the ground with a new position: the coach,” said Khoa.

Consumers cheer market food safety project

A pilot programme on creating markets with adequate food safety and hygiene in 32 provinces and cities in the 2011-15 period has increased consumer confidence, according to the director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Science and Technology Department.

Nguyễn Phú Cường, speaking at a meeting held yesterday in HCM City on  food safety and hygiene, said that consumers had responded positively to the programme, with markets seeing an increase in sales.

The markets’ stalls that sell pork and poultry, seafood, vegetables and fruit have been upgraded or rebuilt to reduce bacterial contamination, Cường said.

Managers and traders at the markets were also provided training on food safety and hygiene, he added.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade plans to expand the programme to all remaining provinces and cities in the country.

However, Cường said that it was difficult to do so because of a shortage of government funds.

Only several of the 32 provinces and cities have allocated more funds to expand the programme to an additional one or two markets.

There are 8,660 markets in the country, but only 284 of them are listed in category one, which includes facilities with modern and hygienic standards.

Close management of food at wholesale markets is also vital and should be improved, said Dr Nguyễn Thị Hồng Minh, former Minister of Agriculture (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) and chairwoman of the board at Traceability Solutions and Services Joint-Stock Company.

Food from these markets is delivered to many stores all over the city.

She said that associations such as grapefruit growers should attend courses on control and management of food safety and hygiene.

State authorities, including representatives from the ministries of health, agriculture and rural development as well as trade and industry, are currently in charge of management of food safety and hygiene.

Associations can also help guide farmers follow domestic and foreign good agricultural practices and develop markets.

“This will help agriculture develop in a sustainable way,” she added.

Minh said the government should require farmers to follow Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGap).

She said that farmers should receive training in growing vegetables and fruit under VietGap standards.   

Farmers should also be required to meet VietGap standards within a given period of time set by the government after they receive training. Any farmer not following VietGap standards will be required to stop cultivation, she said.

Deputy Minister of Health Trương Quốc Cường said that government agencies had faced difficulties in tracing products because many traders buy goods that have no label of origin.

Cường suggested that the government set up a central specialised board in charge of food safety and hygiene, similar to the one in HCM City.

Modified sleeper buses present increased fire hazard in Vietnam

Multiple cases of sleeper buses catching fire have been recorded across Vietnam in recent months, with authorities scratching their heads to determine the cause and to prevent similar incidents.

Numerous cases have occurred since late 2016, reflecting an increased risk of fire on the mode of transportation.

In the most recent incident, the sleeper coach of Anh Tuan Bus Lines was traveling from Da Lat City to Gia Lai Province, both in the Central Highlands, on February 21 when it broke down.

The driver then discovered that the rear of the bus was on fire and managed to clear passengers and their belongings before the flames became out of control.

Minutes later the entire coach was engulfed in flames.

Earlier on February 8, a 42-seat passenger bus was devoured by a fire during its journey from the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum to the central city of Da Nang.

Similar cases also occurred in 2016, with one incident recorded in September and two others in December.

While all of those vehicles and property inside were destroyed by the inferno, no passengers were harmed.

In the two most recent cases in February, examinations by police officers showed that the fires were caused by electrical faults.

According to Tran Vu Quang, director of Ha Son Hai Transport Company, most vehicle fires arise from problems with the electrical system.

If the buses are regularly inspected, such accidents would be less likely to happen, Quang confirmed.

“Some transport businesses import their coaches from South Korea or Japan but equip them with Chinese-made electrical devices to save money,” he said.

“For example, a Japanese air conditioner installed on the bus costs about VND180 million [US$7,879] while its Chinese equivalent sells for VND60 million [$2,626],” he elaborated.

According to one officer of the Vietnam Registry, recent inspections have revealed that many bus operators have made several modifications to their passenger buses, including the installment of decorative lights, electronic banners, televisions, and DVD players.

Manufacturers of these vehicles have done careful calculations in their original designs, the officer said, warning that adding such devices could cause an overload to the electrical system, and result in fires.

Meanwhile, an official from the Vietnam Registry said that some bus operators have used outdated transformers to switch the buses’ original power of 24 volts to 220 volts in order to supply power to their TV screens.

The Ministry of Transport has ordered tighter supervision of passenger buses to prevent operators from altering the makers' original design.

Accordingly, officers from the Vietnam Registry will only grant approval documents to bus operators if their vehicles stay with their original designs, said Nguyen Hong He, an official from the agency.

Any additional equipment that can lead to potential fires need to be removed, he added.

US funds school in Ha Giang

A new school which was constructed with funding from the US Pacific Command’s Overseas Humanitarian Disaster Assistance and Civic Action Programme has just opened in the mountainous province of Ha Giang.

The inauguration ceremony the new Pho Bang Primary School was held on March 3 with the attendance of US Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius, along with local and Ha Giang provincial representatives.
 
The new three-story building features eight classrooms and two meeting rooms. In addition, several existing structures were converted in dormitories with new bunk beds to give the students more living space. In times of natural disaster, Pho Bang Primary School can also serve as an emergency shelter.

Speaking at the ceremony handing-over the school, Ambassador Osius said, “People are our nation’s most precious resource, and a good education is the foundation to growing this resource. Vietnam has a saying, ‘To reap a return in 10 years, grow trees, to reap a return in 100 years, grow people.’ I hope this school provides the foundation that will help propel Vietnam to its fullest potential.” 

Since 2009, the US government, through the Overseas Humanitarian Disaster Assistance and Civic Action Programme has partnered with the Vietnamese government to construct schools, clinics, disaster co-ordination centres and bridges in many towns and villages throughout Vietnam. The Pho Bang Primary School is the 20th school built in Vietnam through this relationship.

Old book festival lures huge crowd in town

A three-day festival featuring old books at September 23 Park in District 1, HCMC attracted a lot of book enthusiasts, reports Vietnamplus.

Visitors could browse for favorite books published by old and new publishing houses in the country, including Ha Than, Vi Dan, Khai Vinh, Momo Books, Kim Dong Publishing House and Saigon Books. They also had a chance to join roundtables and exhibitions on an old Saigon via the old language of the city, the hobby to collect old books, how to evaluate old books; and literature in southern Vietnam in 1930-1945.

The event was also aimed at creating a venue for researchers and experts to talk about the traditions, culture and history of Saigon and southern Vietnam as a whole.

There were over 20 booths selling new books at discounts of up to 50%.

Farm scrap needs to be treated as natural resource

Many people have long seen scrap in the agricultural production process as a kind of garbage harmful to the environment even though it can be treated as a natural resource to help enterprises reduce input costs.

A seminar was held in HCMC last Friday by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Vietnam Cleaner Production Center, and the Hanoi University of Science and Technology to highlight the useful aspect of farm scrap.

Rice processing is vital in the agricultural sector, so it needs improving to reduce emissions by using advanced technology, said Miroslav Delporte at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), which sponsors an industrial waste minimization for low carbon production project.

Experts said many rice processing plants guzzle electricity, making finished rice expensive. Rice processors make use of scrap to lower costs, according to SECO. 
     
US$146 million disbursed for victims of fish kill on central coast

The four central coast provinces hit by last April's fish kill had by February 18 disbursed VND3,330 billion (US$146 million), over 70% of VND4,680 billion which the Government has advanced, for victims to cope with the aftermath of the incident.

Concerning the remedy for the Formosa steel project-caused sea pollution which washed ashore more than 100 tons of fish in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien-Hue provinces and struck many fish trading firms, Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has asked the General Department of Fisheries to step up inspections into compensation payments in these provinces.

The department should work with the ministries of health, and industry-trade to destroy the unsafe seafood still in cold storage facilities. More than 839 tons,  over 85% of 966 tons of seafood found unsafe for human consumption in these provinces, has been discarded.

Quang Binh has achieved the highest disbursement rate, 76%, according to the department.

At a meeting held last Friday to review the agriculture sector's performance in the first quarter of 2017, the minister proposed boosting the farming of two key products: shrimp and tra fish (pangasius).

The department will have to complete a master development plan for the shrimp sector by the end of this month so that the ministry can pass it to the Government for consideration.

He said the shrimp farming area should be kept unchanged at 700,000 to 800,000 hectares, and that science and technology should be applied to increase shrimp production and value.

Regarding tra fish, the ministry urged an improvement of tra fish breeds. Despite a slew of difficulties in exports to the U.S. and the European Union (EU), the tra fish export sector has secured big orders from the Chinese market.

Educating environmental protection via art activities

Utilising art performances and the model of green school to teach environmental protection in schools is the main topic of an international workshop held by Hong Duc University in the central province of Thanh Hoa on March 6.

Cultural exchange activities and art performances combining environmental education, especially puppet-shows, were also held at the workshop which runs through March 9.

International environmental organisations Project Central and Stonelion Puppet Theatre provided 7,000 USD to instruct teachers to implement the model. 

Shari Wilson, Director of Project Central, said their target is to raise awareness of environmental issues among students and instruct them how to protect the environment.

Deputy Headmaster of Hong Duc University Hoang Thi Mai thanked representatives of international organisations for their discussions with teachers and students to help them gain better understanding of environmental education.

There are shortcomings in environmental protection education in Vietnam due to the lack of diversified teaching methods. To raise a sense of responsibility of students towards the environment, teachers are advised to use technical methods and design interesting lessons.

Vietnam, Australia boost agricultural cooperation

The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research held a conference in Hanoi on March 6 to discuss the Vietnam-Australia agricultural cooperation strategy for 2017-2027.

The conference aimed to clear up the demand of Vietnam and assistance from Australia for the plan.

Topics of discussion included food safety, climate change, soil quality and agricultural market issues.

At the event, Le Quoc Doanh, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, stressed Vietnam’s priority of producing safe farming products and tackling climate change challenges.

Doanh said Australia has strengths in modern farming as well as the management of diseases, supply chains and product quality in response to climate change, adding that Vietnam needs to boost capacity in those areas.

He expected the 10-year cooperation strategy will soon be completed.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick, said Australia can support and share experience with Vietnam regarding safe and effective farming practices.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri/VNE