Vietnam aims to become a transparent, responsible and sustainable global supplier of food and foodstuff, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said in a signing ceremony for a cooperation deal between his ministry and the WWF in Hanoi on February 14.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on "Strengthening cooperation in agricultural development and 2022 - 2026 One Health Partnership on Prevention of Zoonotic Diseases".

Addressing the event, Minister Hoan reiterated Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s COP26 commitment on turning Vietnam into a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. To this end, the country aims to promote the efficient use of land and natural resources and agricultural inputs.

Agriculture has contributed greatly to the economy after more than three decades of “Doi moi” (Renewal), the minister said. Vietnam acknowledges that growth can cause loss of many ecosystems so the country consistently pursues a strategy of developing agriculture without paying costs, whether tangible or intangible, like biodiversity and environmental costs, he explained.

Vietnam will not only make use of its nature but also protect the environment, landscapes and biodiversity towards green growth and consumption, he said, adding that the country plans to accelerate sustainable agricultural and rural development based on three main pillars, namely eco-agriculture, modern rural development and smart farmers.

He spoke highly of WWF’s leading role in conserving biodiversity, building a sustainable future for people, sustainably managing natural resources, and providing consultancy and support for the Government of Vietnam to address challenges hampering national and sectoral development.

The ministry wants to foster comprehensive partnership with WWF in multiple areas, including forestry and wildlife protection, ocean (fishery and ocean plastic waste management), irrigation, natural disaster risk management, rural development, food security, agricultural trade, environment protection, climate change and biodiversity, he said.

WWF will be among the government’s strategic partners in conservation in the next decade, the minister emphasized.

WWF Global Director Prasanna De Silva, for his part, said WWF acknowledges the Vietnamese government’s commitment on reversing biodiversity losses domestically and globally./.