Khanh Hoa (VNA) – A workshop to reviewthe implementation of agriculture development support projects  in the2019-2015 period funded by theInternational Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has been held in thecentral coastal province of Khanh Hoa.

As the UN’s agricultural agency, IFAD has been accompanying Vietnam’sefforts over the past 26 years to eradicate poverty, promote green andsustainable development, enhance Vietnamese agricultural products’ value chain,help women to access financial sources and promote innovation in agriculture development.

During the event on November 30 and December 1 participantsdiscussed and proposed necessary activities to strengthen the partnership inpolicy-making at regional and national levels, as well as improve the effectivenessof the IFAD programme at local level, Vietnam’s national target programmes topromote poverty reduction and build new-style rural areas, as well as projectsfunded by other international organisations.

According to Duong Hung Cuong, deputy head of the Ministry of Planning andInvestment’s Foreign Economic Relations Department, agriculturehas showed an important role in helping Vietnam recover after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vietnam’s agriculture is expected to grow by 2.9 percent from the last year, hesaid.

The Vietnamese Government hopes to continue cooperating with internationalorganisations such as IFAD in building communities that are more resilient toimpacts, thus contributing to the country’s socio-economic development in2020-2025, he added.

Meanwhile, Thomas Rath, IFDA Country Director in Vietnam, said the fund promotesthe active participation of government agencies and partner organisations inimproving the effectiveness and sustainability of programmes, connectingresources, and enhancing experience sharing in order to promote post-pandemicrecovery.

In the 2019 – 2025 period, IFAD-funded projects for Vietnam have focused onbuilding sustainable value chains for the poor and attracting more investmentsfrom the private sector, expanding inclusive finance for the development ofclimate change resilient livelihoods, promoting climate resilience ofsmallholders’ economic activities.

IFAD's estimated budget for the 2019-2021 scheme is about 43 million USD, and maybe up to 84 million USD for the 2022-2025 period.

IFAD has carried out its programmes in 11 localities, namely Cao Bang, Bac Kan,Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Dak Nong, GiaLai and Ninh Thuan./.