By guaranteeing food security, stabilizing society, and providing livelihoods for more than 60 per cent of the rural population, Vietnam’s agriculture sector reinforced its position as the country’s economic backbone in 2024
More than 400 programs promoting sustainable forestry, fisheries, and agriculture have benefited Vietnam, offering crucial training to stabilize lives and propel socioeconomic growth after the conflict.
At a high-level meeting with its team in Ha Noi on Thursday, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan thanked the UN Food and Agricultural Organization on behalf of all Vietnamese farmers for more than 45 years of assistance.
The agricultural sector in Vietnam reinforced its position as the foundation of the economy in 2024, guaranteeing food security, fostering social stability, and providing a living for more than 60 per cent of the country’s rural population.
The sector, which employs close to 30 per cent of the workforce and contributes 11.86 per cent of the national GDP, continues to gain from international collaborations, such as FAO, in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG1 (No poverty) and SDG2 (Zero hunger).
Vietnam’s significant involvement in regional and international FAO-led projects was praised by FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu. He emphasized that in order to make progress in the nation’s agriculture sector, a transformative attitude is required.
“The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s strengths include innovation and a global outlook. To improve Vietnam’s position on the world agricultural map, the next phase should concentrate on coordinated sectoral growth and progressively creating a green agricultural economy, Qu stated.
He pointed out that creating local goods, like those under the Vietnam One Commune One Product (OCOP) initiative, is frequently the foundation of prosperous farming systems. This strategy improves social welfare by strengthening value chains and establishing the framework for the development of “green cities” in rural areas.
The Food Systems Transformation Partnership Agreement, which was signed in 2024 by 45 domestic and foreign partners, reaffirmed their dedication to sustainable agriculture. The “Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice Linked to Green Growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030” initiative is a major effort to create a high-quality rice production area that lowers greenhouse gas emissions and increases farmer incomes.
Vietnam has been actively involved in South-South Cooperation (SSC) for more than 20 years, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) believes that this is a good time for the nation to join China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and India in influencing global food security.
In 2024, the number of African ministers and ambassadors to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reached a record high.
Minister Hoan stated his hope that these partnerships would be further strengthened by FAO’s resources.
