The letter was signed by Lê Quốc Doanh, MARD deputy minister, and Peter Horne, ACIAR’s general manager for country programmes, on the sidelines of the APEC Food Security Week now underway in Cần Thơ.
The 10-year strategy provides a roadmap for Australia and Việt Nam to work in equal partnership with mutual contributions and benefits for economic growth, security and innovation, according to Horne.
The strategy will guide future programmes in collaborative research, including research themes, geographic foci and funding priorities from 2017 to 2027.
In the next decade, ACIAR will cooperate with MARD and other partners to continue assisting Việt Nam in addressing obstacles to agricultural development under six research areas: food safety, climate change, soil fertility improvement and crop efficiency, better market engagement, and improvement of value from forests and aquaculture.
ACIAR will implement research all across Việt Nam, focusing on the Mekong Delta, Central Highlands and northwest Highlands.Collaborative projects will focus on highly applicable practices, creating opportunities for women to participate in and benefit from research, agri-business systems and on-farm activities.Việt Nam and Australia enjoy a strong and mutually beneficial relationship, with two-way trade worth over A$10 billion (US$7.9 billion) annually.
