Vietnam is willing to share experience and cooperate with countries in agricultural and rural development, especially through the South-South cooperation programme funded and coordinated by FAO.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made this affirmation while attending the 31st conference of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for the Asia-Pacific, which opened in Hanoi on Mar. 15.

Addressing the ceremony, PM Dung said that during past decades, thanks to the efforts of countries and support of international organisations, especially FAO, food security has improved significantly and many countries have become self-sufficient in food.

However, the tasks of ensuring food security and reducing poverty still face many challenges, especially in Asia-Pacific developing countries, he said, adding that nearly 1 billion people in the world suffer from hunger, of whom 60 percent live in the Asia-Pacific region.

In that context, the PM highly valued this year’s event for taking the theme of food security and poverty reduction in rural areas and discussing practical issues to provide a better life for people in the region and contribute to poverty reduction worldwide.

According to the Government leader, agriculture plays an important role in Vietnam ’s economy. Rural labourers, who account for 70 percent of the total population and nearly 50 percent of labour force, are a decisive factor for ensuring national food security and actively contribute to reducing poverty, and ensuring social welfare to create conditions for national industrialisation and modernisation.

After more than 25 years of implementing the renewal process, Vietnam shifted from a country suffering food shortages to the world’s second-largest rice exporter, he added.
PM Dung expressed a wish to receive continued cooperation and support from FAO, international organisations and other countries for Vietnam’s socio-economic development as well as the country’s agricultural and rural development, food security and poverty reduction.-VNA