The forum, organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Dong Thap province, aimed to define the challenges and opportunities to promote key commodity chains and the entire agricultural sector in the Mekong Delta region.
Speaking at the forum, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said that Mekong Startup 2022 demonstrates the determination of leaders and the startup community in the Mekong Delta region to pursue innovation. He asked the Mekong Delta provinces and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to build specific documents on the contents of the forum to submit to the Government for a synchronous plan.
He also asked the Mekong Delta provinces to have appropriate investment policies to enhance value of agricultural products and ensure food security for the whole country.
The Deputy PM expressed his hope that organisations and individuals, including farmers, enterprises, and localities will join hands to reduce emissions and to solve the common global environmental problem.
On this occasion, leaders of a number of ministries and provinces in the Mekong Delta announced their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector in the Mekong Delta region. They also performed a commitment ceremony to build Dong Thap province into a “regional centre for solutions to reduce emissions”.
Many speakers said that the impact of climate change, fragmented and small-scale agricultural production, wasteful exploitation of natural resources, outdated farming methods, and environmental pollution are barriers leading to the lack of competitiveness of agricultural commodities from the Mekong Delta region.
To solve the above problems, experts suggested it is necessary to create mechanisms and policies for the private sector and to attract international capital to participate in the implementation of a circular economy. At the same time, it is proposed that the local authorities of the Mekong Delta continue to disseminate information to change the awareness and habits of producers and consumers towards a more responsible and green lifestyle.
