Hi-tech agriculture, sustainable tourism for rural development in Mekong sub-region
Experts from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and the Republic of Korea (RoK) gathered in Da Lat city in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on July 28 to join a conference on enhancing rural development in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) by developing hi-tech agriculture and sustainable tourism.
The event introduced policies and solutions to foster hi-tech agriculture and sustainable tourism in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia; shared practices; and discussed cooperation prospects between the three nations.
Speaking at the conference, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Science (VASS) Nguyen XuanThang said Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos have great potential to develop agriculture and tourism to help reduce poverty and narrow the equality gap between rural and urban areas.
Hi-tech agriculture and sustainable tourism could be suitable avenues for the three countries to get closer to their targets on sustainable development, he stressed.
Several individuals and businesses pioneered the application of advanced technology in agricultural production in Vietnam back in 2008-2009. A number of localities, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, ThanhHoa, An Giang and Dong Thap, have also kicked off their own hi-tech agriculture projects.
Some 30 hi-tech agricultural park projects have been established in 13 cities and provinces across the country to date, seven of which are operational.
Lam Dong province is renowned for its success in developing hi-tech agriculture with nearly 40,000 hectares of lands for hi-tech agricultural production, or 15 percent of its total agricultural lands, producing 30 percent of the local agricultural revenue.
Each hectare of hi-tech farming areas generates an estimated average of 6,500 USD every year, with some areas reaching as high as 23,000 – 91,660 USD per hectare per year.
Nguyen Quang Dung, Director of the National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection noted that Vietnam is willing to share experience and support Laos and Cambodia in formulating incentive policies for hi-tech agriculture and sustainable tourism and nurturing research and training cooperation.
BoundethSouthavilay from the Laos Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said that international cooperation is a key driver of the country’s agriculture development, particularly overseas investment that helps enhance local capability and infrastructure development.
Speaking at the conference, President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Science (VASS) Nguyen XuanThang said Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos have great potential to develop agriculture and tourism to help reduce poverty and narrow the equality gap between rural and urban areas.
Hi-tech agriculture and sustainable tourism could be suitable avenues for the three countries to get closer to their targets on sustainable development, he stressed.
Several individuals and businesses pioneered the application of advanced technology in agricultural production in Vietnam back in 2008-2009. A number of localities, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, ThanhHoa, An Giang and Dong Thap, have also kicked off their own hi-tech agriculture projects.
Some 30 hi-tech agricultural park projects have been established in 13 cities and provinces across the country to date, seven of which are operational.
Lam Dong province is renowned for its success in developing hi-tech agriculture with nearly 40,000 hectares of lands for hi-tech agricultural production, or 15 percent of its total agricultural lands, producing 30 percent of the local agricultural revenue.
Each hectare of hi-tech farming areas generates an estimated average of 6,500 USD every year, with some areas reaching as high as 23,000 – 91,660 USD per hectare per year.
Nguyen Quang Dung, Director of the National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection noted that Vietnam is willing to share experience and support Laos and Cambodia in formulating incentive policies for hi-tech agriculture and sustainable tourism and nurturing research and training cooperation.
BoundethSouthavilay from the Laos Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said that international cooperation is a key driver of the country’s agriculture development, particularly overseas investment that helps enhance local capability and infrastructure development.