The Border Guard Command in the central province of Ha Tinh announced that its forces and local agencies on March 8 caught a Lao national red-handed trafficking two kilos of Methamphetamine from Laos to Vietnam.

The Lao drug trafficker, born in 1988, residing in Laos’s Bolikhamsai province, was found on Vietnam’s National Highway 8C in Son Hong commune, Huong Son District, Ha Tinh province.

The drug trafficker admitted to police that he was hired to carry the drug by a Lao national to Vietnam for 1,000 USD.

Authorities are further investigating the case.

Vietnamese women's football team calls up 31 players for Olympic qualifiers

The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) announced on March 9 a 31-member squad for the national women’s football team in preparation for the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 32) and Asian qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Vietnamese women footballers are ready for Olympic qualifiers. Photo courtesy of the Vietnam Football Federation
Head coach Mai Duc Chung has called up several new faces who have been in good form for their clubs, such as goalkeeper Doan Thi Ngoc Phuong, defenders Ha Thi Ngoc Uyen, Ngo Thi Hong Nhung, and midfielder Vu Thi Hoa.

The list also includes key players such as Hoang Thi Loan, Dinh Thi Thuy Dung, and Le Thi Thuy Trang.

However, the team’s biggest star Huynh Nhu hasn’t named in the list due to her busy schedule playing club football in Portugal, although the Tra Vinh native plans to play for Vietnam at SEA Games 32.

The national team players will gather for training in Quang Ninh province from March 11 to March 18 before holding another training course in Hanoi.

During the Asian qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics held in Nepal, Vietnam are in Group C and they will face Afghanistan and the hosts Nepal on August 5 and August 11, respectively.

They are also scheduled to defend their championship title at SEA Games 32 which is due to take place in Cambodia from May 5 to May 17.

Hanoi from 1967 to 1975 seen through lens of German photographer exhibited

Snapshots of life in the capital in the 1967 to 1975 period taken by the world-renowned German photographer Thomas Billhardt will be put on display at an exhibition in Hanoi.    

The exhibition is set to open at the Goethe Institut at 56 to 60 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street in Hanoi on March 12.

As many as 130 black-and-white photos and colourful images taken by Thomas Billhardt during his six trips to the nation between 1967 and 1975 are to be showcased as part of the event.

The event will offer viewers an honest look at life in Hanoi in the old times, with an unfiltered view into the daily activities of local people.

These photos are part of his photo book “Hanoi 1967-1975”, which was published for the first time in Vietnam back in 2020.

Billhardt was born in 1937 and is a German photographer and journalist. Between 1962 and 1975 the photographer travelled to the war-ravaged country a total of six times and has returned to Vietnam several times since.

His photos of the Vietnam War from the late 1960s made him famous all around the world.

Prime Minister urges concerted efforts to enhance economic diplomacy

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 9 chaired a conference on the implementation of the Government’s action programme materialising a directive by the Party Central Committee's Secretariat on economic diplomacy and its key tasks this year.

The action programme was issued for the 2022-2026 period in response to the Secretariat’s Directive No. 15-CT/TW dated August 8, 2022 on economic diplomacy for national development by 2030.

The conference was connected with sites at the People’s Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces, and Vietnamese representative offices abroad.

In his remarks, Chinh emphasised the important role by diplomats, ambassadors, chiefs of the Vietnamese representative offices and trade counsellors in the Party’s foreign policies, including economic diplomacy, amid the rapid, complex and unpredictable developments in the global situation.

He asked the diplomatic sector, ministries, agencies, localities and businesses to maximise the country’s position and potential, and work harder for the country’s peace, security and development.

The leader suggested organising all-level diplomatic programmes, identifying economic affairs as a focus of diplomatic activities, and actively implementing cooperation agreements and contents between Vietnam and its partners.

He stressed that measures should be rolled out concertedly to promote market, product and supply chain diversification in order to boost export, expand markets and bring into full play export potential in the areas of Vietnam’s strengths and the world’s demand.

The PM also emphasised the need to utilise free trade agreements, and consider establishing long-term, stable economic-trade cooperation frameworks with potential partners, stay updated on the market, step up investment promotion, and connect domestic firms with foreign partners.

Economic diplomacy should be enhanced to attract high-quality investments from multi-national groups, and improve the country’s position in the global supply chain, he said, adding that foreign economic sectors, particularly international tourism and labour export, need to be further promoted.

All opportunities should be optimised to lure external resources for green transition and sustainable development, he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son said economic diplomacy in 2022 was carried out in line with the Government’s governance focuses and opportunely shifted its focus from serving the pandemic combat to serving socio-economic recovery and development.

He outlined several focuses of economic diplomacy for 2023, namely pressing on with implementing the Government’s action plan; making economic cooperation the focus of senior leaders’ activities; boosting support for export, investment, tourism, labour, and science - technology in the spirit of putting people, localities and enterprises at the centre; continuing to actively integrate into and connect with the international community; and stepping up research, consultation work, reforms, creativity, and effectiveness enhancement to make substantive improvements to economic diplomacy.

Can Tho, USAID foster collaboration to mitigate climate change effects

Leaders of the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on March 9 had a working session with a delegation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) led by its Administrator Samantha Power, during which the two sides discussed collaboration in climate change response and how to support people affected by the natural phenomenon.

According to Tran Viet Truong, chairman of municipal People’s Committee, a range of hydroelectric dams in many countries that are upstream of the Mekong Delta have changed the flow and greatly affected the lives of people in the downstream areas. The rise in sea level is the most obvious evidence.

Scientists have predicted that the Mekong Delta may be deeply flooded in the next few decades.

Can Tho and the Mekong Delta provinces are looking for ways to restructure crops and livestock as a response to saline water intrusion, therefore the city hopes that USAID will pay attention to research and support so localities in the Mekong Delta can adapt to climate change, he said.

 Tran Viet Truong, chairman of Can Tho city People’s Committee, speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA)
The official said Can Tho still faces difficulties in terms of transport infrastructure. It is the only locality in the Mekong Delta that has an international airport, but the facility mainly serves the travel needs of people, leading to limitations in transporting agricultural products in the Delta, 

The city wishes to receive support from USAID to facilitate farmers and businesses engaging in agricultural production, Truong said, adding it will help promote the sale of farm produce of the whole region.

For her part, Samantha Power said that the organisation pays attention to enhance support for people to adapt to changing climate change to secure their livelihoods.

The official also expressed her interest in cooperating with Can Tho city in other activities to strengthen action against plastic pollution, assist those affected by climate change as well as take care of their health.

Gold laminating Ao Dai collections impress international friends at Ao Dai Festival

A range of gold-plated Ao Dai collections have impressed international friends during the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival due to their wonderful design ideas and new materials used for international integration.

Through the support of nearly 300 artisans, each gold-embroidered design of the "Source Spring" collection by designer Do Trinh Hoai Nam requires nearly 15,000 hours of work. 

The collections being put on show comes after designer Do Trinh Hoai Nam recently launched the "Source Spring" collection in San Diego in California of the United States with the participation of two international supermodels Wynter Alana and Nya Deng.

During this year's festival, Nam has also taken on the role of being an ambassador to elevate the beauty of Vietnamese Ao Dai whilst promoting Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism to the world.

Nam emphasized that the new role has helped him to promote domestic and international tourism to foreign customers whilst spreading the love of the Ao Dai among the community.

Nam’s Ao Dai designs make use of high-quality materials, are treated with modern technology in the style of Mosaic art and combined with aspects of traditional Vietnamese culture such as embroidery, inlaid gold, and inlay with metal and gems.

He underscored the importance of international integration as part of the Ao Dai collection by using foreign patterns, textures, cultures, and foreign images, which are anticipated to become trendy fashion products and receive acclaim from international friends.

Vietnam, Indian state seek cooperation opportunities

The Trade Office of the Vietnamese Embassy in India in coordination with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and authorities of India’s Kerala state organised a trade exchange programme on March 9.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the FICCI Kerala State Council M. I. Sahadulla reviewed the trade ties between Vietnam and India since 1972 when they established diplomatic ties.

He highlighted similarities between Vietnam and Kerala in pepper, cashew nut and fishery production, and suggested the two sides cooperate in IT, education and health care.

Ambassador Nguyen Thanh Hai affirmed that commerce is one of the five pillars in the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, with two-way trade exceeding 15 billion USD for the first time last year, meeting the target set by their leaders, making India one of the eight leading trade partners of Vietnam.

However, the figure has yet to match potential and expectations of both sides, the diplomat said, adding that India makes up only around 2% of Vietnam’s total trade value, while Vietnam accounts for some 1.5% of India’s.

Vietnamese localities and the Indian state share a lot of similarities and are reciprocal in many sectors, especially agriculture, fishery and IT, he noted.

Do Quoc Hung, deputy head of the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)'s Department of Asia-Africa Markets, said Vietnam and Kerala have various cooperation opportunities in navigation and other spheres thanks to their similar climate conditions.

The MoIT and the Trade Office stand ready to help businesses seek cooperation opportunities and address their concern, contributing to promoting trade between Vietnam and India and Kerala in particular, he affirmed.

Hanoi workshop talks Int’l Law Commission’s role in int’l law development

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnam Society of International Law held a workshop in Hanoi on March 9 to discuss the role of the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC) in codification and progressive development of international law.

In his opening remarks, Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu emphasised the role of international law in relations among countries, along with the ILC’s role in codification and progressive development of international law.

Since 2017, Ambassador Nguyen Hong Thao, a legal expert of Vietnam, has been a member of the ILC. This reflects the country’s policy of promoting and elevating multilateral diplomacy and actively contributing to the formation of transparent, equitable, and democratic multilateral institutions, Vu noted.

Ambassador Thao delivered a speech on the ILC’s role in codification and progressive development of international law during 2017 - 2022, along with Vietnam’s contributions to the ILC.

Participants in the event presented their studies on topics of international law that are attracting attention.

Nguyen Thi Hoang Anh, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Society of International Law, said the workshop was an occasion for Vietnamese and international legal experts to look into topics of international law, especially those under discussion at the ILC; boost the connectivity between domestic and international experts; and promote studies on international law in Vietnam, thus helping increase the country’s contributions to the ILC in the coming time.

Korean Culture Day in Lào Cai-Sa Pa celebrates close ties

Various activities featuring local and Korean culture will take place on March 10-11 in Sa Pa, Lào Cai Province, as part of the 'Korean Culture Day in Lào Cai-Sa Pa 2023' programme.

The Korean Cultural Center is implementing the programme in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Sports of Lào Cai province and the People's Committee of Sa Pa town.

The Korea Tourism Organisation Office in Việt Nam, The Korea Creative Content Agency, the Korea Copyright Protection Agency, and relevant departments in Lào Cai also support the programme.

Sa Pa is a well-known tourist destination in Việt Nam that many Koreans visit because of the breathtaking scenery, friendly people and rich cuisine.

The event will begin at 4pm on March 10 and include cultural experiences such as trying traditional costumes, eating traditional food and participating in folk games. 

The art performance night, which will take place at 7.30pm on March 11, will be the programme's highlight.

Famous Vietnamese singers, as well as music and dance groups such as Văn Mai Hương, Pha Lê, K-pop cover dance group The A-code, and Minh Tốc & Lam music group, will perform.

Pha Lê group perform with ethnic musical instruments. Photo courtesy of Korean Culture Day in Lào Cai-Sa Pa 2023's organisers
The Korean Cultural Center hopes this programme will be an opportunity for Vietnamese people to understand Korean culture better. This is also the chance to strengthen further cultural exchanges between the people of Vietnam and South Korea after the two countries upgrade diplomatic relations to the level of 'comprehensive strategic partnership'.

Information about the programme can be found on the Korean Cultural Center's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/vietnamkcc.

Top legislator: draft revised Land Law receives extensive public feedback

The collection of public opinions on the draft revised Land Law has received warm response from the public, with many looking into specific articles and contents of the draft law, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue noted while chairing a working session on the work in Hanoi on March 9.

According to a report presented at the meeting, the collection of feedback on the draft law has been rolled out in all the 63 cities and provinces, with a large number of opinions and ideas flowing in. The opinions focus on such issues as land acquisition, and compensation, support and resettlement policies; land tax; the management and use of land types; land allocation, land lease and the change of land use purposes; land fund development; and land registration, certification and administrative procedures; among others.

NA Chairman Hue stressed that all opinions must be studied and assessed so as to select major issues, especially contentious and unclear ones, for further research and discussion.  

As the collection of opinions will end on March 15, reports on the feedback collection should be sent to the NA Standing Committee on March 25, he instructed.

The bill has been made public since January 3 for all Vietnamese people inside and outside the country, State agencies from central to local levels, the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Committees at all levels, socio-political and trade organisations, businesses, cooperatives, business households and other economic organisations, research institutes, experts and scientists.

Ideas for the draft law can be sent to the legislature through the online portals of the National Assembly, the Government, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), as well as mass media and through other forms.

Deputy PM hosts US Under Secretary of Commerce

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang asked visiting US Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Marisa Lago to help connect Vietnam and US investors, especially in high-tech, semiconductor manufacturing and aviation technology, during their meeting in Hanoi on March 9.

Quang expressed his belief that Lago’s visit, which is made on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership, will contribute to opening up more cooperation opportunities for the two countries in the future.

Vietnam wishes to foster the bilateral relations in a more substantive and comprehensive fashion, with more outcomes, on the basis of respect for independence, self-reliance, territorial integrity and political institutions of each other, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large, he stressed.

The official noted that Vietnam regards foreign investment as a crucial part of the national economy, and that the country is striving to build an equal, transparent business environment in line with market principles, and always listens to and accompanies investors and handles their obstacles.

Vietnam and the US should exchange experience, information and policies relating to digital transformation, and cooperate to improve digital capacity and skills for labourers in both public and private sectors, Quang suggested.

Vietnam will proactively cooperate with the US to address their shared concern and maintain the stability of the bilateral trade, making it harmonious, sustainable and mutually beneficial, he continued.

For her part, Lago said her visit is aimed at discussing with relevant sides about the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) and other issues of shared concern like digital economy, digital transformation, supply chain, green economy and renewable energy.

Quang said he hopes that the IPEF discussions will contribute to promoting free and balanced trade between countries, as well as sustainable development in the region and the world, thus benefiting people of participating nations.

Vietnam Red Cross sends first donations to quake victims in Turkey, Syria

The Vietnam Red Cross Society (VRC) Central Committee on March 9 handed over 100,000 USD each to Red Crescent organizations of Turkey and Syria to support their earthquake recovery efforts.

Statistics show that the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck southeastern Turkey and neighbouring Syria on February 6 was one of the strongest in the region over the past century, killing more than 50,000 people and destroying thousands of houses. It has caused economic losses worth some tens of billion of US dollars.

The money was raised during the first phase of a fundraising campaign launched by the VRC Central Committee on February 17 in support of people hit by the devastating earthquake.

As of March 6, it received donations and commitments of more than 12 billion VND (506,436 USD) and goods from agencies, businesses and individuals.

At the donation handover ceremony on March 9, over 4 billion VND, in both cash and kind was also raised by units and enterprises. 

In her remarks, VRC President Bui Thi Hoa called for more donations and pledged that all the donations will be allocated in line with legal regulations.

The donations should be sent to the VRC’s headquarters at 82 Nguyen Du, Hanoi.

Its representative office in the southern region is also available for the donations, at 201 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

Apart from bank accounts, the association has opened an app named “Thien Nguyen” to serve the campaign, which will last until May 30.

Vietnam welcomes Russia’s consideration of visa procedure simplification

Vietnam welcomes Russia’s consideration of simplifying visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens, deputy spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said at the ministry’s regular press conference on March 9.

Answering a query regarding Vietnam’s views on Russia’s drafting inter-governmental agreements on easing visa procedures for certain countries, including Vietnam, Hang stressed that Vietnam supports measures facilitating the travel and trade exchange of citizens from Vietnam and other countries, thus contributing to enhancing their friendship.

According to the deputy spokeswoman, over the past time, her ministry and the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia have held working sessions with the Russian side over the simplification of entry procedures for Vietnamese citizens.

On March 5, Russia’s TASS news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Ivanov as saying that Russia is working on easing visa procedures for six countries, including India, Vietnam and Indonesia.

Vietnam hopes to continue close tourism ties with China: deputy spokesperson
Deputy Spokeswoman of the Foreign Ministry Pham Thu Hang on March 9 highlighted Vietnam’s hope for continued close cooperation with China to boost tourism recovery and development in the two countries.

She made the remark at the ministry’s regular press conference in response to the media’s question about China’s inclusion of Vietnam in the list of countries to which group tours will resume on a trial basis.

Hang said tourism cooperation is one of crucial cooperation fields between the two countries and also an important aspect of people-to-people exchange. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, China was the biggest source of tourists to Vietnam, which was in turn also a leading partner of China in this regard.

Vietnam has maintained close contact with China about promoting tourism cooperation, including the resumption of group tours, she noted, citing the latest information that the Chinese Government plans to include Vietnam in the list of countries to which it will reopen group tours on a trial basis from March 15.

Vietnam hopes that the two sides will continue cooperating closely to promote the recovery and healthy development of tourism in both countries, thus meeting their interests and tourism demand, she went on.

“We always support the opening of international air routes to and from localities in the region, thereby helping increase people-to-people exchange and foster mutually beneficial cooperation in economy, trade, tourism and other fields between Vietnam and partners, including China,” the Deputy Spokeswoman emphasised.

Regarding the ongoing sessions of the National People’s Congress of China and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Hang said Vietnam always attaches importance to the enhancement of its friendly neighbourliness and comprehensive cooperation with China. Vietnam hopes that the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China will keep developing in a substantive, effective, and sustainable manner for the sake of the two peoples and for peace and development in the region and the world.

State leader stresses strategic significance of great national solidarity

President Vo Van Thuong emphasised the strategic significance of the great national solidarity to the Party’s revolution while chairing a meeting in Hanoi on March 9.

He was speaking at the second meeting of the Central Steering Committee for reviewing the 20-year implementation of the 9th-tenure Party Central Committee’s Resolution No 23 on “bringing into play the strength of the great national solidarity for the sake of wealthy citizens, a strong country, and an equal, democratic, and civilised society”.

Many members of the steering committee said that after 20 years of implementing Resolution 23 and the Party’s guidelines on the great national solidarity, Vietnam has obtained a number of enormous achievements, with the great national solidarity intensified, and socialist democracy further promoted.

However, they also pointed out that sometimes and in certain places, the great national solidarity hasn’t been fully brought into play, people’s creativity has yet to be tapped into, while some guidelines and policies haven’t been implemented properly.

Therefore, the implementation of Resolution 23 should be reviewed comprehensively to devise all-round and feasible enforcement measures, they said.

Addressing the event, President Vo Van Thuong, who is also head of the Central Steering Committee, affirmed that the great national solidarity is the core and also holds strategic significance to the Party’s revolutionary cause.

He stressed the importance of the great national solidarity in the new context, with the Party and political system building and rectification being the centre.

The State leader also underlined the need for a clean and strong State apparatus, the promotion of socialist democracy and the people’s right to mastery. He also pointed out the facilitation of all people’s transparent and equal access to development conditions, which is a factor for strengthening the great national solidarity and creating the foundation for Vietnam to become a developed and high-income country by the mid-21st century.

Deputy Prime Minister receives UNICEF Representative in Vietnam

The Vietnamese Party and State always prioritise the work of protecting, caring for, and educating children, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha told Representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Vietnam Rana Flowers during a reception in Hanoi on March 9.

Ha said the Resolution on several social policy issues for the 2012-2020, which was adopted by the fifth plenum of the 11th Party Central Committee, is being revised and supplemented.

According to him, Vietnam now has three national target programmes with a comprehensive focus on education, healthcare, and social issues, particularly caring for vulnerable groups, including children and women.

Vietnam attaches special importance to education for children, he said, adding that policies on upgrading schools to standards are underway nationwide, particularly in remote and mountainous areas, with the highest goal of universal education for all people.

UNICEF could help Vietnam develop a set of child well-being indicators up to international standards, he suggested.

Regarding the lack of physical education and arts facilities in schools, especially in big cities, the official stated that Vietnam is adding criteria for land and investment resources to achieve the goal of comprehensive development for students.

About trans-boundary water resource management, Ha called for reaching a consensus, staying united in line with international law, and forging an inter-Governmental cooperation in managing trans-boundary rivers.

The host wished that UNICEF will help Vietnam amend and supplement the Law on Water Resources that ensures the harmonious interests among countries, localities and people.

Flowers, for her part, highlighted two priorities in UNICEF's activities in Vietnam, including protecting children, preventing and combating violence against women and children, and child nutrition issues.

She vowed to work closely with Vietnam to care for children and ensure their rights in the near future. She proposed Vietnam should have a mechanism for regular discussions on cross-border water resources.

According to her, UNICEF is partnering with non-governmental organisations to survey the access to necessary social welfare policies for families and children in disadvantaged areas in Vietnam.

Attention must be paid to both negative phenomena prevention, combat: Top legislator

National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on March 9 stressed the need to pay attention to both preventing and fighting negative phenomena in the law-making work.

He made the statement while chairing a meeting of the Party Delegation to the NA discussing the Politburo's draft regulation on power control, and prevention and fight against negative phenomena, and group and local interests in this work.

The top legislator noted that controlling power in law-making is not just about the National Assembly’s supervision over the Government, but agencies and entities must mutually supervise one another in all stages from proposing to drafting and promulgating laws and policies.

He emphasised the importance of having specific and clear sanctions to ensure effective control of power.

The leader asked the delegation to continue directing the review and assessment of the implementation of the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents to further improve the law-making process and strengthen supervision over the organisation of law enforcement to detect loopholes in the legal system for prompt amendment and supplementation.  

The same day, the delegation also commented on the project to improve the effectiveness of communications on the activities of the 15th legislature.

Việt Nam, Cambodia to implement project on circular economy from rice straw

A project titled “Rice straw-based circular economy for improved biodiversity and sustainability” (RiceEco) will be implemented by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), together with partner countries Việt Nam and Cambodia for a period of three years from 2023 to 2026.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the IRRI co-organised the RiceEco project kick-off conference on Thursday.

The conference introduced the rice straw-based circular economy project and solutions for sustainable and low-emission straw management, and consultation on green development based on straw. 

The project which is funded by the Mekong-Republic of Korea Co-operation Fund (MKCF) will build and develop a circular economy model from straw, including farming practices and technologies for sustainable rice, organic rice, and straw-based products such as straw mushrooms, cow fodder, bio-fertilisers, bio-plastics and urban agriculture.

In addition, the project will also develop management of straw collection and transportation with the support of mechanisation and digital agriculture.

This rice straw-based circular economy project will make an important contribution to support the project “Sustainable development of one million hectares specialising in high-quality rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta” of Việt Nam.

At the conference, Dr. Nguyễn Văn Hùng, IRRI senior scientist and project leader, emphasised that this project, with the participation of many public-private sector partners, has many strengths in policy, science, and scaling up application, such as IRRI, development and management partners Việt Nam and Cambodia, and private enterprises, and hopes to accelerate the development of the value chain "circular, only main products, no by-products", increase income from straw, and increase the value of products that meet international standards such as sustainable and low-emission rice production.

According to Nguyễn Như Cường, director of the MARD’s Department Crop Production, Việt Nam’s rice growing area is about 7,220 million hectares, down about 588,000 hectares compared to 2015 while rice yield is over 60 tonnes per ha, increasing by 300kg per ha per year, and rice exports increased by an average of 130,000 tonnes per year.

A circular economy from straw is an important criterion in the target strategy of the project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality rice associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta", Cường said.

Moving rice straw out of fields helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, creates a source of organic fertilizers and reduces use of chemical fertilisers as well as meets the standards of sustainable, green, clean, organic brand products, thereby increasing income for farmers, Cường said. 

Source: VNA/SGT/VNS/VOV/Dtinews/SGGP/VGP/Hanoitimes