VTC16, a channel specialising in providing information relating to agriculture, farmers and rural development, run by the Vietnam Multimedia Corporation (VTC), will make its debut in April.

According to Director of the National Agricultural Promotion Centre Tong Khiem, the establishment of such a TV channel is very necessary, especially in Vietnam where up to 70 percent of its population live in rural areas.

A survey conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Canadian Embassy in Vietnam shows that few farm households have sufficient access to various sources of information, and that the useful information that they do receive is limited.

Another survey by the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development points out that the demand for information on agricultural production techniques and the materials market tops the list of information farmers say they need most.

However, the amount of time for programmes on rural areas on Vietnam Television (VTV) is too little--about 50 minutes per day. This ‘drought’ of information is considered as one of the main factors curtailing the efficiency of farm production across the entire sector.

Khiem said that VTC16 will help narrow the information gap between rural and urban areas as well as equalise opportunities for financial advancement.

It will also help reduce poverty and improve living conditions for rural residents, he added./.