Vietnam is determined to support Laos’ agriculture

On December 28, Minister Le Minh Hoan paid a courtesy visit to Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh in the capital Vientiane.

Strengthen comprehensive cooperation

On December 28, within the framework of an official working visit to Laos from December 27-29, Le Minh Hoan, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, paid a courtesy visit to Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh in the capital Vientiane. Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh highly appreciated Minister Le Minh Hoan's visit and considered it a very important mark in events to celebrate 60 years of friendly cooperation between Vietnam and Laos

The Prime Minister stated that Vietnam and Laos had a special friendship in the nations’ establishment and development history, and it was time to strengthen the extensive economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Laos especially needs Vietnam's support and cooperation in agricultural development, staff training, capacity building, and agricultural infrastructure development at the moment. The Laotian Prime Minister also wished that more Vietnamese enterprises would come to invest in agricultural production, primary processing and processing, linking Laos with the agricultural value chain of Vietnam and other countries.

In response to the Prime Minister’s warm welcome, Minister Le Minh Hoan clearly specified that the policy of the Party and the State of Vietnam always respected the special traditional relationship between the two countries and would always stand side by side with Laos in economic development.

Minister Le Minh Hoan laid out some information to Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh regarding the results of the meeting with Lao Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Phet Phomphiphak. Accordingly, both sides continued to promote the construction and implementation of projects that Vietnam supports Laos within the framework of the Bilateral Cooperation Committee, further increasing regular exchanges towards establishing the Vietnam - Laos Agricultural Enterprise Association.

In terms of business investment cooperation, the two sides have developed mechanisms and policies to encourage investment in Laos’ agricultural sector. Many Vietnamese corporations and companies have invested in projects to grow and process rubber and sugar cane in Laos.

Minister Le Minh Hoan emphasized the commitment to promoting the strong connection between the two countries’ agricultural enterprises, creating a synchronous investment ecosystem in the agricultural industries. Vietnamese enterprises invest in Laos not only to make full use of new business opportunities, but more importantly, to make positive impacts on the sustainable economic and social development of local communities.

Practical and effective support

Regarding development support projects, from 2015-2020, units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam have implemented six projects with a total capital of VND 250.8 billion. These projects prove to be practical, effective and are highly appreciated by Laos, becoming a prominent symbol of the special friendship and sustainable cooperation between the Party, Government and people of Vietnam and Laos.

Agricultural Production Zoning Project in Houaphanh and Xiangkhuoang: The project supports the design and implementation of specific production models for some sub-regions, transferring production techniques to people in the region, creating the basis for orienting the most appropriate and effective agricultural production development strategy in the direction of sustainable development for each territory in the two provinces.

Irrigation Planning Project in Houaphanh and Xiangkhuoang The project supports the construction of the investment portfolio for priority irrigation works as well as the short, medium and long-term phases; provides solutions to create water sources and supply to agroproduction, combined with serving people's daily life, industry, hydropower, tourism; open up more solutions for water drainage, natural disaster prevention and mitigation. Irrigation planning, when implemented effectively, will serve to supply and water 67,100 ha of agricultural and production land and serve 708,000 people.

Project of Repairing two pumping stations in Dongphosy and Thapha-Nongphong irrigation works, Vientiane: The project focuses on repairing and replacing electromechanical equipment and substations, restoring the capacity of the two pumping stations to ensure the irrigation service requirements according to the original design (Dongphosy Pumping Station serves the irrigation of 1,020 ha of cultivated land, Thapha-Nongphong Pumping Station serves the irrigation 1,100 ha of arable land in Hatsaiphong district, Vientiane). Along with this project, the Vietnamese side also has a project to support agricultural and rural development with the direction of commodity production in villages in the irrigated areas of the Dongphosy and Thapha-Nongphong irrigation systems, with models such as seed production, commercial rice, nethouse vegetable growing, fish farming, and flower growing.