Vietnam-Africa workshop supports food system transformation
A Vietnam-Africa policy dialogue workshop on South-South cooperation to support food system transformation took place in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang on December 12, as part of the ongoing Vietnam-Hau Giang International Rice Festival 2023.
Co-hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the provincial People's Committee of Hau Giang, the event aimed to facilitate dialogue on the scale, methods, and effectiveness of technical cooperation between Vietnam and several African countries. The aim is to share experience in South-South cooperation in developing the rice trade and connecting value chains of agricultural products.
At the event, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said with its previous experience and the support of international donors, Vietnam is ready and committed to extending South-South cooperation to assist African nations in ensuring food security and nutrition, toward the goals of green growth, sustainable development and prosperity.
Delegates at the event discussed promoting sci-tech cooperation suitable for conditions in Africa, recommendations from FAO on improving the interconnectivity of agricultural and food value chains in the South-South region, fostering South-South cooperation in rice trade and global food security, and technical collaboration between Vietnam and African countries in the transformation of food and agriculture systems.
They also shared experience in sustainable rice development in South-South cooperation from the "Green Innovation Centres - GIC" project.
On the occasion, the MARD and IRRI signed a letter of intent on coordinating sci-tech and institutional efforts in South-South cooperation to support the transformation of food and agriculture systems.
