Vietnam has special strength in rice production and aquaculture, Director General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Jose Graziano da Silva has said.

The official made the statement while receiving Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long, Vietnam’s permanent representative to FAO, in Rome on Sept. 21.

The UN agency’s leader spoke highly of Vietnam’s contributions to FAO activities, especially in the fields of the country’s strength and experience, such as rice production and aquaculture.

Vietnam should share its experience with other countries, especially those in Africa, he said, adding that he wants Vietnam to continue to positively take part in the South-South cooperation.

Ambassador Long affirmed Vietnam’s policy of attaching importance to poverty reduction and hunger alleviation as well as agricultural and rural development.

He highly valued FAO’s assistance to Vietnam and the role played by the organisation’s Director General in the cause of poverty reduction in the world.

FAO was established in 1945. It started to operate in Vietnam in 1978.

The organisation has so far conducted more than 400 projects in the Southeast Asian nation with focus on supporting sustainable agriculture, food security, nutrition, forestry and aquaculture.

Vietnam considers FAO to be its important strategic partner in agriculture and rural development.-VNA