Successful visit of Minister of Agriculture of Viet Nam to the Netherlands

From 9-11 December 2019, Minister of Agriculture of Viet Nam, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Cuong led a delegation of government officials, research institute, university and 15 businessmen in livestock production, horticulture and agro food processing visiting the Netherlands. Parallel is a fytosanitary mission also from Viet Nam.

Beeld: ©EKN
Ministers signing SPA Action plan and LOI on Post harvest

Viet Nam and the Netherlands have been in cooperation for sustainable agriculture development for years. The two countries have been engaging in a bilateral Strategic Partnership Arrangement (SPA) in sustainable agriculture and food security since 2014, next to a similar SPA in water management and climate change since 2010, both serving as a framework for long-term bilateral cooperation.

SPA meeting
Beeld: ©EKN
High level meeting on Mekong Delta Agriculture Transition Program

During the 3-working-day visit, beside governmental bilateral meeting to review the implementation and to discuss orientation and priorities in coming years, a number of high level, business meetings, information sessions and matchmaking event have been organized to draw to the minister and his delegation a picture of the Dutch agribusiness and its potential and promising offer to contribute to the agriculture development in Viet Nam.

Visit to WHC
Beeld: ©EKN
Visiting World Horti Center

Viet Nam ranks among the top global exporters in products as diverse as rice, fish, shrimp and fruits. The performance in terms of agricultural yields, output and exports, however has been more impressive than its gains in efficiency, farmer welfare and product quality. Lacking alignment and inconsistencies between parallel agricultural policies combined with emerging climate change trends polarizing the seasonal conditions of the delta have caused early crisis situations in the past few years (2011 flood, 2014 drought and 2016 drought in Mekong delta). It is the broad consensus that the agricultural sector has now arrived at a critical tipping point.

A number of governmental arrangements and business deals have been reached detailing the implementation of previous agreements, getting new commitments and market open for certain products from the Netherlands to Viet Nam.

Photo from Minister Cuong's visit
Beeld: ©EKN
Fytosanitary technical team

Both sides emphasized their shared commitments to inclusive and sustainable development as reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals agenda, including circular principles. Bilateral cooperation and trade is foreseen to be boosted further in coming years on the basis of each priorities and strengths in areas such as agro & food, horticulture, agro-technology, food safety management, land consolidation, value chain improvement, smart agricultural areas development with emphasis on knowledge, innovation and technology transfer from Dutch partners to stimulate mutual business opportunities.

Agricultural Transition in Mekong delta, Establishing a system of National Reference Labs, Improving Food Safety Management, Knowledge Transfer in Innovation Center on Horticulture, Policy Development in Post-Harvest Losses are foreseen to be priorities in coming time.

Contacts for further information:

Mr. Willem Schoustra – Agricultural Counselor

Ms. Nguyen Huong Lan – Agricultural Advisor

Email: han-lnv@minbuza.nl