Vietnam’s PM emphasized importance of nurturing agriculture

Hanoi, The Gulf Observer: To achieve success, start-ups in the agriculture sector require training to improve capacity, a good environment for growth and the provision of capital and legal support, said Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister made the statement while attending a program on start-ups and innovation and a job fair held at the Vietnam National University of Agriculture in Hanoi.

He stressed that the Party, Government and State pay great attention to the start-up ecosystem and innovation.

In 2021, Vietnam ranked 44 out of 132 countries and economies in terms of global innovation. More than 1,000 organizations are capable of supporting start-ups and 100 per cent of training establishments have plans to support students in forming start-ups.

Vietnam PM Chinh said start-ups in agriculture are considered a breakthrough in agricultural development and building new-style rural areas.

Implementing the Government’s plan on supporting students’ start-ups until 2025, the Vietnam National University of Agriculture has organized an annual competition on agricultural start-ups and innovation since 2014, which has drawn the participation of more than 2,500 projects from hundreds of universities, colleges, high schools and localities.

Agricultural development is one of the important tasks in the socio-economic development strategy of the country. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the agriculture sector has demonstrated its role as the backbone of the country’s economy and food security. Vietnam has become one of the leading exporters of agro-forestry-fishery products in the world with a value of more than US$48 billion in 2021.

The Party and State have also paid great attention to developing high-quality human resources for agriculture. Through this event, PM Chinh called on the Vietnam National University of Agriculture, universities and research establishments to provide training in line with the market demand and continue to improve training and scientific research quality to meet increasing requirements from students and businesses amid international integration.

Training and scientific research must follow real demand, urging them to change training methods, taking learners as the center of the training process and linking training with reality, as well as promote start-ups and innovation among students, the PM said.

The Government leader asked for the innovation ecosystem to be further developed, focusing on promoting the start-up spirit among students.

PM Chinh instructed businesses to closely coordinate and support tertiary education, actively participating in the training process from forecasting labor demand, building the structure of training programs, assessing training quality, supporting scientific research and creating an environment for students to improve their professional skills.

At the meeting, the PM and participants visited booths showcasing scientific and technological models and products in the field of agriculture.

Later the same day, PM Chinh held a working session with experts and scientists from the Vietnam National University of Agriculture.