At the meeting, Director Tran Dinh Luan discussed different matters of interest and issues on which the two sides could collaborate in the near future. Vietnam, in particular, is currently seeking collaboration with international partners in climate change adaptation, including the Netherlands. This is an area where the Netherlands has a lot of experience as well as modern technologies to solve the problem of climate change, especially in the field of aquaculture.
Climate change is occurring globally in an extremely unpredictable manner and Vietnam is undoubtedly impacted by it. However, salt invasion phenomenon is one of the opportunities for developing aquaculture in Vietnam's Mekong Delta. This is a large area of land for aquaculture that accounts for a significant portion of the production and export value of aquatic products to the European Union market, as well as the global market.
Furthermore, in order to take the fisheries industry to a sustainable development in line with international practices, Vietnam has issued the Strategy for Vietnam's Fisheries Development to 2030 with a vision to 2045. One of the main initiatives is to reduce fishing while increasing aquaculture production. Vietnam anticipates and encourages investment in marine farming industry and closed advanced production chain, which includes seeding, farming technology, processing, feeding, as well as cage technology and supply chain management, Mr. Luan emphasized.
Additionally, the most essential component of the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Union (EVFTA) is the connection, cooperation, and transfer of advanced technology from European countries, in which Vietnam is very interested. These are also important topics on the agendas of the Vietnamese government and the European Union in recent years. As a result, the two sides have a lot of potential for cooperation in the future to promote investment and transfer of science and technology in agriculture as well as in fisheries. Mr. Luan stated that the two countries should be more active in interacting and exchanging information in order to develop a more specific and substantive fisheries cooperation program.
Ms. Ingrid Korving, Agricultural Counselor - Dutch Embassy in Vietnam, spoke at the meeting and expressed her gratitude to the Vietnamese side in general, and the Vietnamese agricultural sector in particular, for facilitating, supporting, and promoting cooperation between the two sides through programs and projects that the two sides have been implementing, including the fisheries sector.
The Dutch side currently has a team of businesses and multinational corporations with varied experience and technological strengths in seed production, farming, and processing, as well as feed technology for farming. More than 35 aquaculture enterprises, corporations, research institutes and training schools are currently interested in co-investing in the aquaculture sector in Vietnam and are ready to collaborate in the near future. There are some companies that have been investing and cooperating effectively in the field of fisheries in Vietnam include: De Heus Group, Skretting, Lenger Seafoods (Netherlands), and The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH). In particular, Signify Company is a global leader in specialized, civil, and lighting systems for Internet of Things technology (Internet connection system) used to boost shrimp growth.
It is hoped that the two sides will soon be able to connect businesses in this field to promote the development of the fishing industry and to assist Vietnamese businesses in their internationalization process; to contribute to the economy by increasing production and quality of Vietnam's exported seafood; and to raise the international competitiveness to a new level in terms of increasing trade, exchange, and technology transfer. Mrs. Ingrid Korving elaborated.
The Dutch side intends to promote a high-level visit between the two countries in 2023 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the Netherlands. At this event, the two sides will strengthen the content of agricultural cooperation, including the fisheries sector, in order to exchange and collaborate more closely in the future. In particular, the Dutch Embassy in Hanoi will help organize a delegation from Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to visit and exchange experiences with Dutch fishery models, as well as to understand Vietnam's aquaculture development experiences, in June 2023.
Author: Van Tho
Translated by Hai Dang