PM: Scientific research must follow reality’s demand
Hanoi (VNA) – Scientific research must follow reality’s demands, Prime Minister Nguyen
Xuan Phuc said at an online conference on science and technology with provinces
and central level cities on January 4.
Investment in
science and technology should be made in line with real needs with priority
given to projects of practical contribution to national development, the PM
said.
He emphasized
six factors ensuring the successful development of science and technology, which
are institutions, mechanisms; human resources; financial resource;
infrastructure; integration capacity; and the State management capacity.
“The general
spirit is to release all innovative resources to take the country forwards and
the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) must submit solutions to remove
barriers hindering the development of science and technology,” said the PM.
Leaders of
ministries, agencies and local governments shared the view that science and
technology are the driving force for socio-economic development.
In 2016,
Vietnam’s budget for science and technology approved by the National Assembly
was over 17.7 trillion VND (796 million USD), equal to 1.4 percent of the State
budget.
According to the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, scientific and technological
advances have contributed around 30 to 40 percent to the sector’s growth, helping
raise the rice yield per hectare from 5.54 tonnes per hectare in 2011 to 5.77
tonnes per hectare in 2015, one of the highest yields in the region.
In the past, the
country had to import 70 percent of domestic needs for plant and animal
varieties, but the figure now has reduced to under 30 percent.
In the
industrial sector, domestic research institutes and enterprises have been able
to produce sophisticated products or implemented big projects like the Tam Dao
05 Drill Platform.
Scientific and
technological research activities have also helped promote innovative startups.
Vietnam currently have around 1,800 startups and more than 20 foreign venture
investing in startups in the country.
The science and
technology sector has played an important role in dealing with natural
disasters and environmental incidents and coping with climate changes.
Vietnam was
ranked 59th in the Global Innovation Index 2016. - VNA