The MoU was signed on June 18 by Irish Minister of State Martin Heydon T.D. and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Do Thanh Trung during the latter’s working trip to Ireland from June 17-22.

The Irish visit forms part of the Ireland Vietnam Agrifood Partnership (IVAP) programme, which is managed and implemented by the Sustainable Food Systems Ireland and funded by the Embassy of Ireland. 

The IVAP aims to support Vietnam to transform its agri-food system in the areas of sustainable primary production systems, food safety, innovation and quality.

“We continue to pioneer improvements in agriculture in Ireland. There are lessons we have learned from transforming our own agri-food systems that can be adapted to the environmental and economic challenges faced by agriculture in countries such as Vietnam,” said Heydon at the signing ceremony.

“As an EU Member State, Ireland is keen to work with Vietnam to ensure that both of our countries can continue to benefit mutually from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement. Agri-food trade between Ireland and Vietnam continues to grow and it is a priority market for Irish beef access,” he added.

The Irish Minister of State also revealed that a Government of Ireland Trade Mission to Vietnam has planned a trip to Vietnam in October 2024 to sound out local cooperation opportunities. The delegation with involvement from Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland, the Sustainable Food Systems Ireland (SFSI) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) will tour major localities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

During their stay in Ireland, the Vietnamese delegation also visited Bord Bia, NovaUCD, Irish Cooperative Organisation Society, Tirlán and Teagasc Moorepark.

VOV