PM asks Mekong Delta to develop smart, sustainable agriculture

The Mekong Delta, the largest granary of Vietnam, must work for smart and sustainable agriculture with high added values, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at the end of the Conference on Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Development of the Mekong Delta held in Can Tho on September 27.

He envisioned the Mekong Delta as an innovation valley of a multifunctional agriculture with strong application of modern science and technology which is highly adaptable to an environment of salinity and lack of fresh water and alluvium.

Illustrative Image (Pho to: Thai Thien).

The PM outlined three main viewpoints on the development of the Mekong Delta, one of which is to facilitate the region’s sustainable development and prosperity via the proactively adapting to and turning challenges into opportunities, thus ensuring stable lives for local people and preserving traditional cultural values.

Secondly, it is necessary to shift the way of thinking in agricultural development from mainly rice cultivation to an agricultural economy, from quantity to quality and from chemical-based agricultural production to organic and hi-tech practice, he said, adding that attention should also be paid to processing and support industries.

Thirdly, the PM said it is important to respect natural rules, thus selecting development models adaptive to natural conditions with minimum interference into nature.

He said the Mekong Delta must strive to raise the ratio of ecological and hi-tech agriculture in the regional economy to over 80% and per capita GDP to US$10,000 by 2050.

PM Phuc suggested the region develop tourism based on its specific natural and biological conditions and local culture, such as garden, waterway tourism, and eco-tourism.

He said the construction of coal-fired thermal power plants in the region should be limited to the best and encouraged the development of renewable energy which has large potential to tap in the Mekong Delta.

The Government leader suggested building a development fund for the delta from various sources, adding that from now to 2020, the region must disburse at least US$ 1 billion and build cooperation mechanisms with countries and international organisations, especially the world’s big deltas, to obtain their experience and technical support for climate change adaptation.

He said the conference on the Mekong Delta will be held at least once every two years to discuss specific measures to develop the region.

The PM concluded that ensuring livelihood for people is the core task of the Mekong Delta in the context of climate change.

At the conference, German Ambassador to Vietnam Christian Berger affirmed that his Government will closely work with Vietnam to address challenges in the Mekong Delta.

(Source: NDO)