Fishermen rescued at sea off Quảng Bình

A rescue ship from the second regional coast guard tows the boat with nine fishermen on board to port. — Photo thanhnien.vn

A group of nine fishermen adrift on a fishing boat were saved off the coast of Quảng Bình on Friday as their vessel was towed to safety.

Earlier on Thursday, upon hearing the news that the crew was fishing off the coast of Quảng Bình when the boat’s engine broke down, the command of the second regional coast guard assigned a ship to immediately initiate a search for the boat.

The fishing boat, coded ĐNa90917 TS, was captained by 42-year-old Nguyễn Văn Độ, a native of Đà Nẵng.

Due to rough seas, it took two hours for the rescue ship to reach the boat and tow it to the mainland. All the fishermen are in a stable condition.

On Thursday, a fishing boat with eight fishermen was also saved by command of the first region. The boat was led by Hoàng Văn Tiến, 22, from Nghệ An Province’s Quỳnh Lưu District. Its engine failed 80 nautical miles off Cửa Hội Beach. The trawler was towed to the province’s Lạch Quèn Port after drifting at sea for a day and a half.

District official dismissed for land appropriation

Forest land in Đắk Nông Province. — Photo laodong.vn

The People’s Committee of the Central Highlands Province of Đắk Nông has decided to dismiss the Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Tuy Đức District for appropriating public land.

Nguyễn Hữu Huân was found to have appropriated over 75,000sq.m of public forest land managed by Quảng Trực Afforestation Farm in Quảng Trực Commune.

The land was taken over by Huân in 2000 for cultivation purposes when he held the positions of deputy head of the planning office and deputy director of the afforestation yard.

He asked a resident to register the land for him and then granted the resident a land use right certificate, and then transferred the land use rights to his wife.

HCM City takes steps to deal with high tides

Flooding caused by high tides on Mạc Đĩnh Chi Street in District 1. HCM City is deploying solutions to reduce tidal damages. 

The HCM City Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control has directed personnel to take measures to prevent flooding caused by high tides.

The People’s Committee of districts 12, Thủ Đức, Bình Thạnh, Bình Tân, Củ Chi, Bình Chánh and Hóc Môn have informed the public about the specific dates and times of the expected tidal peak.

In addition, the districts have prepared equipment to reinforce weak embankments.

The city’s Department of Transport, Steering Centre of The Urban Flood Control Programme, and HCM City Urban Drainage company are working to prepare human forces, equipment and solutions to prevent damage caused by tides.

They are also working with the city’s firefighter police to apply pumps in areas that are easily flooded.

In addition, the city’s authority directed traffic police and young volunteer forces to regulate traffic in flood-prone areas.

According to the Southern Hydro-Meteorological Station, the tidal level of Sài Gòn River measured at the downstream Sài Gòn-Đồng Nai river is expected to exceed the alarm level 3 by 0.1 to 0.15m on December 8 and 9.

The tidal level measured at Phú An Station and Nhà Bè Station will exceed alarm level 3 by 0.07 to 0.12m.

The tidal peak is expected to appear from 5am to 7am and 5pm to 7pm.

Vietnam to complete legal corridor for remote sensing activities

Tam Coc Bich Dong, a popular tourist destination in north Vietnam and part of the Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex UNESCO World Heritage site from above. 

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) recently proposed a draft decree on remote sensing activities.

The decree aims to complete policies on the use of high technology in managing natural resources and the environment.

Remote sensing technology has been an important tool for the assessment and management of natural resources, environmental pollution, natural disaster prevention and security and defence in Vi?t Nam for years.

However, State management of this field was only officially applied in 2013 with a decree regulating the function, rights, obligations and organisation of MONRE, including the official establishment of the Department of National Remote Sensing.

After five years, a system of legal documents has been reviewed and supplemented. But it still lacks a legal basis for remote sensing, according to the ministry.

MONRE is drafting a decree on remote sensing, specifying principles in these activities such as providing remote sensing images for basic and professional survey and mapping, regularly updates of data and information, monitoring natural resources and the environment, search and rescue, disaster prevention, response to climate change and ensuring national defence and security.

The national remote sensing database will be maintained, operated and updated regularly and used to update the national geographical spatial system.

According to the ministry, the policy framework, legal documents, standard system and technical regulations of remote sensing will be formulated by 2025 and legal framework will be completed by 2030.

MONRE will build and develop a network of remote sensing data receivers (fixed stations, mobile stations and virtual stations), control stations, remote sensing data processing and remote sensing data transmission networks to provide remote sensing data to ministries, sectors and localities.

Human resource development, scientific research, the development of remote sensing technology and expanding international co-operation on remote sensing with other countries will be strengthened.

The ministry will publicise the planning and list of investment projects to encourage domestic and foreign organisations and individuals to participate.

There will be preferential policies to attract domestic and foreign investors to carry out projects in Vi?t Nam.

The draft will be proposed to the National Assembly to promulgate the Law on Remote Sensing and submit to the Prime Minister a master plan on development of the national remote sensing. 

Ðà Nang city launches a chatbot, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, on public service in promoting easy access to information of administrative procedure, traffic, health care, food safety, tourism and business registration.

Da Nang has recently launched an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot for public service to promote easy access to information on administrative procedure, traffic, healthcare, food safety, tourism and business registration.

Vice director of the city’s information and communications Tr?n Ng?c Th?ch said at a press conference the chatbot, which was funded by the United Nations for Development and Programme (UNDP), aims to boost ties among communities and local administration.

Users can access the Chatbot at the website 1022.vn.

“The AI technology will help resident access public information service easier and more openly. The application will support local administration in policy making through viewing community’s feedback,” Th?ch said.

“The chatbot launch was a positive step to speed up the process of building Ðà N?ng as a smart city by 2025,” he said.

He added that the city had offered more connections with local people in approaching to public service including the website gopy.danang.gov.vn to get feedback on city services from the local community, switchboard 1022, Zalo, Facebook and text messages.

According to Nguy?n Van Qu?c, deputy director of the city’s public service centre, the centre’s online portal and switchboard received 1,000 opinions and complaints from local residents and tourists and 10,000 phone calls for public service consultancy, while 30,000 messages were exchanged via Facebook and text per month.

Internet users could send all problems related to security, tourism, public disorders, environmental pollution, and administrative procedures to the concerned authorities via the website, switchboard, Facebook and website.

Earlier this year, the city’s tourism department also launched a chatbot application – the Danang FantastiCity chatbot, in English and Vietnamese, to help visitors search for destinations, things to do, events, hotels, cuisine, directions, bank machines, public rest-stops and weather forecasts. 

The scene of the fire occurred near the National Children’s Hospital in Hà N?i that killed two people and damaged 20 houses on September 17. 

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuân Phúc has issued a directive to strengthen fire prevention and fighting and fire safety checks in residential areas.

The PM requested ministries, sectors and local administrations accelerate dissemination of fire prevention knowledge, skills and rescue measures to enhance people’s awareness of fire prevention and safety skills.

The People’s Committee of provinces and cities were asked to arrange firefighting forces, prepare fire prevention measures at places at high risk of catching fire and inspect and handle fire safety violations.

Firefighting drills should be conducted at all residential areas every year with the participation of fire-fighting forces, he said.

The Prime Minister asked the Ministry of Construction to work with the Ministry of Public Security to review regulations on fire prevention and fighting for housing.

The Ministry of Public Security was urged to enhance inspections of areas at high risk of catching fire and tighten the management of explosive items and businesses trading these substances.

From 2013 to 2018, 15,027 fire and explosion incidents were recorded in the country, killing 513 people and injuring 1,237 others, and causing total loss of VNÐ7.84 trillion and destroying more than 6,000 hectares of forest.

In the first nine months of 2018 alone, there were about 3,000 fire and explosion incidents, killing 73 people, injuring 163 others and causing a loss of  VNÐ1.59 trillion.

About half of cases occur in residential areas and households with a tubular structure, causing great damage to people and property.

Experts blamed the issue on low awareness on fire safety of local residents who often live and do business in narrow rooms. To protect their houses, some households even install iron cages on their balconies which make rescue work more difficult during fires.

The lack of necessary firefighting equipment and survival skills were also problems, they said.

The ceremony marking 710 years since King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong's Nirvana attainment in Quang Ninh province on December 7 

A grand ceremony was held at Truc Lam Palace, part of the Yen Tu landscape relic site in Uong Bi city of northern Quang Ninh province, on December 7 to mark 710 years since the Nirvana attainment of King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong.

Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308), born Tran Kham, was the third king of the Tran Dynasty. He ascended to the throne when he was 21. He was famed for defeating Yuan-Mongol invaders twice as well as developing the national economy and culture during his 15-year reign.

The king abdicated when he was 35 and spent the rest of his life on Yen Tu Mountain, located in what is now Quang Ninh province, practicing and propagating Buddhism. He founded the Truc Lam sect of Zen Buddhism here.

At the commemoration, held by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee, officials and thousands of Buddhist monks, nuns, and followers reviewed the career of and honoured the great merit of Tran Nhan Tong.

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said the ceremony was an occasion to express respect and admiration for the genius and clear-sighted king, whose ideological values will continue to be upheld in the new era and remain an inspiration for patriotism.

The same day, a similar event took place at Viet Nam Quoc Tu Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate the 710th anniversary of Tran Nhan Tong’s Nirvana attainment.

To pay tribute to the King-Monk, the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Central Committee also organised a number of activities in many localities nationwide. 

Vietnamese bamboo dance is brought to the event 

Vietnamese students from 15 universities in Moscow, Russia, gathered at the Moscow Civil Engineering Institute (MISI) on December 6 to introduce and promote Vietnamese culture to international friends.

The idea of organising the event was initiated by Minister of Education and Training Phung Xuan Nha in September 2018 during his visit to the university.

Rector of the university Andrey Volkov welcomed the festival and said the MISI has trained thousands of Vietnamese students, who make up the largest proportion of international students at the university.

A photograph exhibition on Vietnamese landscapes and people was held as part of the event.

Foreign friends also had an opportunity to taste Vietnamese foods and participate in traditional games.

Chairman of Yaroslav district Sergey Kerzhakov shared that he has never been to Vietnam, but that through these activities he has developed a taste for Vietnamese foods and hopes to visit the Southeast Asian country in the near future.

Indonesia returns more Vietnamese fishermen

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Pham Quang Vinh talks with the fishermen 

The Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia and the host country’s competent agencies on December 7 completed paperwork for the repatriation of 22 Vietnamese fishermen at Soekarno Hatta International Airport. 

This is the third handover of Vietnamese fishermen from Indonesia during December 2018, with a total of 53 fishermen, who were detained in the Indonesian city of Pontianak. 

Nguyen Van Son, one of the freed fishermen from the central province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, thanked the Indonesian Government and the Vietnamese Embassy for bringing him and the other fishermen home, and promised not to repeat violations while fishing. 

According to the embassy, issues regarding detained Vietnamese fishermen and fishing boats were discussed during the visit to Vietnam by Indonesian President Joko Widodo in September and the visit to Indonesia by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in October this year. 

The Indonesian President has committed to soon releasing a total of 155 Vietnamese fishermen.

The two sides also affirmed their resolve to address these issue in a humanitarian spirit and on the basis of the friendly neighbourliness between the two countries as well as international law. 

Since the beginning of this year, the embassy has closely coordinated with Indonesian agencies, especially the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, and competent Vietnamese agencies to return a total of 420 fishermen. 

The embassy is expected to repatriate all Vietnamese fishermen seized by Indonesian authorities ahead of the Lunar New Year, which falls in February 2019.

HCM City’s poor students receive bikes under “Life Journey” programme

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh presents the Labour Order, third class, to the AIA Vietnam in recognition of its outstanding social and charitable activities.

The National Fund for Vietnamese Children (NFVC) and AIA Vietnam Life Insurance Company Limited on December 7 handed over 100 bikes, gifts and 20 free life insurance contracts to 120 underprivileged students in Ho Chi Minh City as part of the “Life Journey” programme.   

Addressing the ceremony, Vice State President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, who is also Chairwoman of the NFVC, applauded community activities of the AIA which has presented scholarships, bikes and insurance contracts worth 35 billion VND (1.5 million USD) to Vietnamese needy students since 2012. 

In 2018 alone, the company has provided over 10 billion VND (429,315 USD) for the fund, she said. 

AIA Vietnam General Director Wayne Besant said the “Life Journey” programme, which has been jointly launched by the fund and the company since 2014, has given more than 8,000 bikes to poor Vietnamese children. 

On this occasion, Thinh presented the Labour Order, third class, to the AIA Vietnam in recognition of its outstanding social and charitable activities.

7th Congress of Vietnam Farmers’ Union to be held in Hanoi

Nearly 1,000 representatives, speaking for the more than 10 million farmers across the nation, will attend the seventh Congress of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VFU) which will take place in Hanoi from December 11-13.

Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union Nguyen Hong Ly said at the press conference on December 5 that the congress will discuss and give comments on several important documents, including the political report of the sixth VFU central committee, draft projects on the personnel of the VFU’s executive committee and standing committee, and the VFU’s draft regulations (amended).

The seventh congress will set forth 14 criteria on farmers’ emulation movement during 2018-2023. The popularisation of the Party and State’s policies and regulations, as well as the VFU’s resolution for all farmers, is the important target. The VFU also hopes to have at least 60 percent of its members with Internet access, 100 percent of the union’s officers receiving training in agricultural cultivation techniques, and all of the VFU’s chapters organising consulting activities and vocational training for local farmers.

During 2013-2018, the union admitted nearly 2.2 million members, raising the total membership to 10.2 million people. Some 130,000 training courses and conferences were organised, and over 14,000 production models which applied advanced technologies were successfully transferred to the farming community.

Association aims to raise 1 trillion VND for AO victims in five years

The Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) aims to raise 1 trillion VND (43 million USD) in funds to support AO victims over the next five years.

The target was set during the association’s fourth national congress in Hanoi on December 4-5 with the participation of 350 delegates from the 63 localities nationwide.

The fund will be used to construct 1,000 houses for victims; grant 3,000 scholarships; and assist 1,000 households with capital for production. The association hopes to give wheelchairs to 80 percent of needy AO victims and New Year gifts to all poor victims.

Over the 2018-2023 tenure, the association aims to receive an additional 50,000 members.

Addressing the event, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man lauded the achievements that the association has made so far, with its prestige and position rising in society.

Members of the association, mostly the elderly, have worked hard to overcome difficulties to support AO victims, he said.

In the tenure, the association should focus on implementing Directive No.43 of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on the national action programme aiming to overcome the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam, while strengthening communications on the dioxin disaster in the country, he said.

Man also called on the State and the whole community to join hands in easing the pain caused by the disaster.

A report delivered at the congress shows that during the 2013-2018 tenure, the association expanded its coverage to all the 63 localities, 610 districts, and 6,551 communes and wards, with 393,000 members.

It raised over 1.13 trillion VND (48.59 million USD) for AO victims, 1.6 times higher than that in the previous tenure and equivalent to 58.86 percent of the total amount raised in 15 years.

Meanwhile, struggles for justice launched by the association gave the domestic and international communities a better understanding of the consequences of dioxin and led to the US’ initial moves towards accepting their responsibilities in the field.

At the congress, the delegates elected a 97-member Central Committee of the VAVA, headed by Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Rinh. Former Vice State President Nguyen Thi Binh continued to be the Honorary President of the association.

Cà Mau looks to VietGAP standards

Cà Mau Province plans to develop more rice-shrimp farming areas under VietGAP standards. – Photo baocamau.com.vn

The southernmost province of Cà Mau has encouraged farmers to raise shrimp and grow more rice and other crops under Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP) to increase profits.

The province produces high-quality products and uses advanced farming methods, including the rotation of rice and shrimp on rice fields, and cultivation of vegetables and watermelon under VietGAP standards.

Under the rice-shrimp model, farmers grow rice in the rainy season and breed shrimp in the dry season in rice fields in coastal areas.

They can harvest about five tonnes of rice per hectare and earn VNÐ45 million (US$1,930) from breeding shrimp.

The province, the country’s largest shrimp producer, has applied the rice-shrimp farming model since 2000 and has 51,570ha of rice - shrimp farming fields, accounting for nearly 18 per cent of its total brackish-water shrimp farming area.

As part of the model, the shrimp eat natural food in the rice fields where few chemicals are used.

Rice varieties planted under the model include specialty rice like tài nguyên, tép hành, m?t b?i and ba bông m?n.

These varieties, which are resistant to salty water and disease, are in high demand for their delicious taste.

The province uses VietGAP standards for its rice-shrimp farming model.

Ph?m Van M?ch, director of the province’s Agriculture Seed Centre, said coastal areas that grow specialty rice varieties in the delta and in Cà Mau in particular have good conditions for rice grown under VietGAP standards.

“The standards form the basis for building brand names for the specialty rice varieties, and they also increase rice value and income for farmers,” he said.  

The province’s rice-shrimp farming model can be found in Cà Mau City, U Minh, Tr?n Van Th?i, Cái Nu?c and Th?i Bình districts.

In Th?i Bình, local farmers grow specialty rice and raise shrimp on 1,500ha.

This year, the price of specialty rice planted under the model sold for VNÐ500 – VNÐ700 a kilo more than rice grown by traditional farming methods.

The district is also growing rice under GobalGAP standards on an area of 30ha in Trí L?c Commune, according to the province’s Plant Cultivation and Protection.

Cà Mau is also developing large fields that use the “3 reductions and 3 increases” method to grow rice under VietGAP standards.

The 3-3 method refers to the reduced use of seeds, fertilisers and plant protection chemicals to achieve better productivity, quality and efficiency.

Rice is one of five key products in the province’s agricultural restructuring plan to 2020. The five key products are shrimp, mud crab, high-quality rice, bananas and wood.

Besides rice and shrimp, many farmers have planted vegetables and watermelon under VietGAP standards, earning high profits.

In Cà Mau City’s Lý Van Lâm Commune, 34 households have planted watermelon under VietGAP standards, earning an average profit of VNÐ200 million ($8,590) per hectare a year, up 40 per cent against traditional farming method.

However, some farmers have not had a higher profit or stable outlets for their VietGAP products as their selling prices at times were not higher than those received for crops grown under traditional farming methods.

The province will call on more companies to guarantee outlets for VietGAP products, according to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Nguy?n Van Tranh, deputy director of the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the department in co-operation with scientists and companies would guide farmers in implementing new agricultural production models such as a clean-rice model.

“When companies work with farmers, the issue of outlets will be solved,” he said.

The province has about 168ha of farmland that grows rice and other crops under VietGAP standards, according to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

Agri-tourism should go hand in hand with new rural development

Students enjoy a community-based tourism model in Hà Nội’s Ba Vì District. — Photo danviet.vn

Agriculture-based tourism is a new trend in Việt Nam and is playing an important role in building new-style rural areas, helping to improve income for citizens, according to a senior official.

Vương Đình Huệ, Deputy Prime Minister, made the statement at a workshop on associating new-style rural area building to agri-tourism development held in Lai Châu on Thursday.

With 38 per cent of Vietnamese labourers engaged in agriculture 60 per cent of the population living in rural areas, agriculture-based tourism helps farmers fight poverty and diversify their income, he said, adding that agriculture-based tourism and services accounted for 40 per cent of the total income of people in rural areas.

The Deputy PM asked localities to assess their strengths in tourism while investing in infrastructure and promoting regional connectivity to utilise such advantages.

While agreeing localities should make use of their natural and human resources to attract visitors, he said it was necessary to pay attention to community benefits and cultural and environmental protection.

He emphasised the need to combine new-style rural building with agri-tourism development via a concrete framework.

Addressing the workshop, Giàng Páo Mỳ, Secretary of Lai Châu Province’s Party Committee, said the combination of agri-tourism development with new-style rural building would create new development momentum for localities.

“People in rural areas could promote their active role and renovation in agricultural production and provide services to raise their income as well as improve their livelihood,” she said.

Nguyễn Thị Lan Hương, from HCM City Social Sciences and Humanities said due to dialectical relations between new rural development and agri-tourism development, it was necessary to build value chains for agri-tourism and connect all stakeholders.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is initiating plans to build culture tourism villages in several provinces, namely Hà Giang, Lai Châu, Thanh Hóa and Bến Tre.

A number of organisations and individuals have made use of agricultural factors to create popular tourism products.

Some outstanding tourism products include tours of Mộc Châu farms, tours of Trà Quế vegetable village, Thanh Hà Pottery village and Cù Lao Chàm fishing village in Hội An.

According to a report from Central Coordination office for New-style Rural Development, the programme on building new-style rural areas has given a face-lift to many localities in Việt Nam.

In return, agri-tourism has served as motivation for the building of new-style rural areas, contributing to economic reform, market expansion and conservation of cultural values and specialities in rural areas.

Improving healthcare treatment quality at lower-level hospitals helps reduce hospital congestion

Patients with dengue fever share beds at Hà Nội’s Bạch Mai Hospital. 

The health sector is trying to strengthen the grassroots healthcare system to improve the quality of primary healthcare and reduce hospital overloading, according to a health official.

Dr Lương Ngọc Khuê, head of the Medical Examination and Treatment Department of the Ministry of Health, said building and upgrading new health facilities and improving the capacity of doctors, especially at the grassroots level, has helped reduce patient overloading at hospitals.

Overloading was being solved step by step, Khuê said, adding that patient satisfaction had been improved.

The results from a recent survey of more than 1 million patients showed the satisfaction rate for inpatient treatment was 75.6 per cent and outpatient treatment was 66.3 per cent.

The Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) also shows people are more satisfied with public health services than in the past.

Patients’ waiting time has also fallen to an average of 48.5 minutes, saving 27.2 million labour days a year.

Overloads at inpatient treatment facilities have reduced dramatically.

In 2016, the rate of patients who had to share bed at the central level hospitals was 16.7 per cent while it was 58 per cent in 2012.

The rate of patient bed sharing at provincial hospitals fell to 11.4 per cent in 2016 compared to 47 per cent in 2012.

“The goal of the health sector is to end hospital overloads by 2020,” Dr Khuê told Tin Tức online newspaper.

Many programmes send doctors of central- and city-level hospitals to improve the capacity of doctors at lower-level hospitals, according to Khuê.

This has helped reduce patient overload at central- and city-level hospitals.

To reduce overloads and improve the quality of medical examination and treatment services, the health sector is also trying to develop the satellite hospital network, apply information technology and transfer technology to lower-level hospitals.

The Ministry of Health also told hospitals under the ministry’s management to pledge that patients would no longer share beds after 24 or 48 hours of being hospitalised.

Most central-level hospitals in Hà Nội and HCM City so far have made the commitment.

Only two central-level hospitals, namely Chợ Rẫy Hospital in HCM City and Bạch Mai Hospital in Hà Nội, have not signed this commitment because overloading still occurs in some departments.

“The long-term solution is to further improve the professional skills for doctors at lower-level hospitals and create trust with patients so the hospital overload will be resolved thoroughly," Khuê stressed. 

Consumers should learn about food safety to protect themselves: seminar     

 With unsafe foods becoming an increasing risk, it is important for people to know about safe and clean food to protect themselves, Nguyen Thi Hong Minh, president of the Association of Food Transparency, told a seminar in HCM City on December 7.

The seminar, titled “Identify safe food”, sought to raise consumers’ awareness of food safety issues and apprise them about food traceability and production standards and how to read food packaging and labeling information correctly.

Minh said producers of clean and safe food are like saplings which have just started to grow but are being blown away by storms of unsafe food.

She quoted the old dictum “only the seller knows [what they sell] while buyers do not know anything”, saying consumers should acquire basic knowledge to at least understand what food is safe so that they can choose.

Do Lan Nhi, an academic and expert on food safety issues, said consumers should be aware of the words uses on the food packages they buy, especially fresh foods like vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish, since some of them can be misleading.

She said for instance when a producer states on the packaging their production follows Global GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) processes, it does not mean they are certified by Global GAP.

Some producers claim their production conforms to Global GAP standards, she said, asking, “Does it mean they are a Global GAP-certified producer?”

In the case of Global GAP-certified producers, consumers can easily check all information about their products by entering the GGN codes or their names on the Global GAP database, which is free to access, she said.

However, with Global GAP certification being time-bound, consumers should also look at the date of expiry of the certification to avoid being tricked by outdated certificates, she said.

The seminar was held on the sidelines of the Agricultural Gifts Market, a platform for small organic food producers to present their products to consumers.

Minh said the size of the event is relatively small because most of the participating producers are small and have just started their organic food business.

“They have not found a way to sell their products through supermarkets or food store chains and only sell online or to their friends and acquaintances. Because of this way of doing business, they cannot enhance their size.”

She said with event like this they could hopefully reach more consumers and establish trust to eventually become bigger businesses.

The market, being held at the Saigon Innovation Hub in District 3, concludes at 5pm on December 8.