Global agriculture alliance crucial to Vietnam: Deputy Minister

The establishment of the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture (GACSA) is a crucial initiative to assist developing countries like Vietnam in undertaking their green growth strategy, ensuring food and nutrition security, protecting the environment and adapting to climate change.
The establishment of the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture (GACSA) is a crucial initiative to assist developing countries like Vietnam in undertaking their green growth strategy, ensuring food and nutrition security, protecting the environment and adapting to climate change.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ha Cong Tuan delivered a speech at a ceremony to launch the alliance in New York on September 24. Following is the full text of the speech.

“Excellencies,
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to be with you today and represent the Government of Vietnam at this Inaugural Meeting of the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture.

As the host country of the Consultative Meeting on Global Alliance Climate Smart Agriculture in Hanoi last June, we are very glad that the Global Alliance has been launched today.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The findings of the recent 5th IPPC report shows climate change is already affecting all four aspects of food security. Extreme events, drought and food shortages are impacting the most vulnerable populations.

We understand that with a long coastline and two lowland river deltas, Vietnam is one of the countries most affected by climate change. The agriculture production in Vietnam , specifically dependent to natural conditions, is the main living source of 70 percent of the country population and will be worst affected by the climate change.

Being aware of the serious impacts of climate change and the vital importance of climate change response, Vietnam is actively joining hand with international communities to apply the CSA practices. Series of CSA oriented projects are being implemented in Vietnam such as low carbon agriculture, system of rice intensification, low carbon rice farming, crop diversification from ineffective rice land.

Despite many recent efforts in Climate Change Adaptation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Mitigation for agriculture, we are facing with many difficulties and challenges as scientific foundations are still limited; public awareness of climate change impacts and proactive response to climate change is not sufficient; climate change response capacities are still weak, especially infrastructure for agriculture and rural development.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Based on our own practice, we believe that the establishment of Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture is a very crucial initiative to assist developing countries like Vietnam to undertake their green growth strategy, ensuring food and nutrition security, environmental protection and climate change adaptation.

Thus, Vietnam fully supports the Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture.

Thank you very much for your kind attention.-VNA

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