Seminar looks to support economic empowerment for women

Lao Cai (VNA) – Lao Cai province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) organised a seminar in the northern mountainous locality on April 26, seeking measures to promote economic empowerment for rural women.

The event drew the participation of 135 delegates form eight provinces of Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Son La, Quang Ninh, Phu Tho, Hoa Binh, Thai Nguyen and Lao Cai. They exchanged experience in agricultural promotion activities as well as enhancing women’s roles in the community to promote gender equality and sustainable development.

According to Hoang Thi The, deputy director of Quang Ninh province’s agriculture promotion centre, the locality has developed the “One Commune One Product (OCOP)” programme, contributing to restructuring the local economy. After four years of implementation, 128 agricultural cooperatives have been set up, producing nearly 300 products and services.

While in Hoa Binh province, various resources have been mobilised for agricultural promotion activities, helping rice productivity up 2.91 times and seafood aquaculture rising 9.52 times.

In Lao Cai province, nearly 100 agro-forestry production models have been developed in tandem with empowering rural women in agricultural activities.

Vice director of the province’s agriculture promotion centre Le Lan Huong said that the seasoning value chain programme has benefited more than 6,000 farmers in 66 communes, securing 15-20 percent rise in their income. Particularly, the tea value chain helps over 3,000 locals, more than 50 percent of whom are women, improve capacity in producing tea in line with VietGAP standard.

During 2019-2021, Lao Cai will set aside some 129 billion VND (5.56 million USD) for agriculture promotion programme, which is prioritised for rural women and ethnic people in specially difficult areas.-VNA