World Bank (WB) continues to support Vietnam's agricultural sector for the Green Growth Strategy.

HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach - 2 August 2023 - A World Bank delegation led by Anna Wellenstein, East Asia and Pacific Regional Director for Sustainable Development, held a working session with Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) where leaders of the two sides exchanged information and discussed six key cooperation fields and continued to open up cooperation opportunities in the future.

As the project with the greatest impact on sustainable development, Mekong Delta Climate Resilience and Integrated Transformation Project (MERIT) aims to build water infrastructure for the Mekong Delta. MARD will continue to work closely with the World Bank and local authorities in the future to ensure the inter-regional leadership role for sustainable development.

In the field of forestry, World Bank is currently cooperating and supporting Vietnam in the implementation of the "Forest Sector Modernisation and Coastal Resilience Enhancement Project" to improve coastal forest management and the "Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA) for the North Central Region of Vietnam" that provides payment for forest protection and restoration initiatives. The East Asia and Pacific Regional Director for Sustainable Development further highly valued MARD's achievements in emissions monitoring and reduction as well as the Vietnamese people's forest protection responsibility. She announced that Vietnam would receive a total of $41.2 million, marking the largest amount disbursed by the EAP Carbon Fund when the official Emission Reduction Verification Report is released.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development stated that Vietnam will ensure adequate mechanisms and budget sources for the fair and transparent implementation of the ER Program's Benefit Sharing Plan.

For MARD's new project for the development of one million hectares of low-emission high-quality rice on the basis of VnSAT's success, which won the World Bank's East Asia Awards 2023, Minister Le Minh Hoan acknowledged World Bank's support and showed his willingness to promote dialogue between MARD and the WB to call for the attention of ministries, sectors, businesses and farmers.

About the Dam Safety Improvement and Repair Project and the next strategic partnership in the Water Sector Cooperation (VWE) program, Anna Wellenstein affirms MARD's central role in the project, helping to implement the National Action Plan.

For its part, MARD highly appreciated the World Bank's support for Vietnam and the cooperation had produced significant results. MARD is ready to work closely with the World Bank, ministries, branches and localities to build an inter-sectoral coordination mechanism for the effective implementation of the Vietnam Politburo's Conclusion No. 36-KL/TW on water security and safety of dams and reservoirs. Especially, in the context of climate change, the Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam is developing a plan to respond to El Nino, prevent natural disasters, and ensure water security to submit to the Government.

The World Bank is willing to support the Program and the development of public-private data-sharing policies and practices in addition to upgrading local infrastructure to help farmers transform their livelihoods and create efficient value chains.

Regarding the Sustainable Fisheries Development Project, the World Bank expects that the effective establishment of three regional fisheries centers/dynamic ports will boost the coastal economy and strengthen regional linkages.

This project is considered a priority of the Government and the fisheries sector to get the EC 'yellow card' lifted, thereby ensuring stability and livelihoods for nearly 800,000 fishermen and more than 4 million workers in the fishing industry.

Regarding the Project on Capacity Building for Disaster Response in Coastal Areas of Vietnam (WB10), WB delegates reiterate their commitment to support the program, hoping that MARD will have a plan to soon implement phase one of the project. Meanwhile, MARD is preparing for this project and will promptly exchange the WB.

Minister Le Minh Hoan acknowledges challenges in coordination with central and local ministries and sectors in Vietnam besides initial successes. MARD is committed to reporting and updating sufficient information to the WB in the next programs for effective access and successful cooperation.

After the National Green Growth Strategy for the period of 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050 and the National Action Plan on Green Growth for the period of 2021-2030 period was released by the Prime Minister of Vietnam on October 1, 2021 and July 22nd, 2022 respectively, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam worked out an action plan to implement the National Strategy on Green Growth for the period of 2021-2030 on September 12, 2022 and make efforts to accelerate the implementation of action programs and projects with a high determination to achieve the set green growth goals.

Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director General of International Cooperation Department, MARD said Vietnam is a responsible member of the international community. The implementation of foreign investment projects in Vietnam's agricultural sector is transparent, responsible and efficient. Vietnam's agricultural sector wishes that governments, international organizations, and foreign investors continue to join hands, cooperate with and invest in Vietnam for a green and sustainable agriculture, contributing to the supply chain of agricultural products and ensuring world food security.

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