Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong addresses the meeting on November 29 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development NguyenXuan Cuong has called on all ministries, sectors, international organisations,domestic and foreign businesses, experts, and volunteers to join hands inworking towards a Vietnam free of hunger by 2025.
Cuong made the call while attending the International Support Group (ISG)Plenary Meeting 2018, during which the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) launched theAction Plan on “Zero Hunger” in Vietnam by 2025.
TheZero Hunger Challenge was launched by the UN Secretary-General in 2012, with thefive components of “All Food Systems are Sustainable: From Production toConsumption”, “An End to Rural Poverty: Double Small-scale Producer Incomes& Productivity”, “Adapt All Food Systems to Eliminate Food Loss or Waste”,“Access to Adequate Food and Healthy Diets for all People, all Year Round”, and“An End to Malnutrition in all its forms”.
Vietnam has attained significant achievements in alleviating poverty and hungerso far, however, it has still failed to reduce the malnutrition rate amongchildren in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s standards. In particular,the ratio of children with stunted growth problems remains high in the northernmountainous region, the north central region, and the Central Highlands.
Through the action plan, Vietnam will work to enhance food security and improvenutritional standards.
Cuong said that this is a consistent priority and ultimate goal of Vietnam, whohas a good enough production capacity to ensure food security.
“However, as a nation hard hit by climate change, Vietnam should pay dueattention to food security and the fight against poverty”, he stressed.
According to FAO Representative in Vietnam Albert T. Lieberg, in a bid torealise the sustainable development goal on poverty reduction and foodsecurity, Vietnam needs to develop effective agriculture models. Theagricultural sector should have a rational approach to assure food security,nutrition, as well as a resilient production system which is able to adapt toclimate change.
Sound coordination among competent authorities will also help to raise publicawareness of the “zero hunger” target, and promote the action plan to erasehunger in the country, he added.–VNA
VNA
