Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Australian Embassy in Vietnamheld a seminar seeking ways to develop agriculture in the northwestern regionon November 23 in Hanoi.

MARD Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh saidthat the northwestern region owns rich natural resources and land and diverse climatewhich are favouable conditions to develop agriculture, forestry and tourism.

However, the region has yet to bring intofull play its advantages due to poor infrastructure and craggy terrain.

He emphasised the need for suitableinter-regional policies and mechanisms to develop the region’s economysustainably, including issues related to food security, water resources, soil,and climate change.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam CraigChittick stated that Vietnam is among the leading countries in povertyreduction. However, the poverty rate remains high in the northwestern region.Therefore, the Australian Government has been making efforts to support theVietnamese Government in this work.

Australia is designing a gender equalitysupport programme worth 34 million AUD (25.9 million USD) to be carried out inLao Cai and Son La provinces. The four-year programme will help strengthenwomen’s capacity of improving their livelihoods in agriculture and tourism.

Doanh stressed the necessity to givepriority to studying measures to increase product quality and develop foresteconomy, including forest tourism and wood products to serve processing andexport.-VNA