The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has urged therestructuring of agriculture to increase farmers' incomes, producehigher-quality produce and improve export competitiveness.

Speaking at a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on May 14, Minister ofAgriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat said it was important tolink the agricultural sector to the national programme on new ruralareas.

Restructuring the agricultural sector wouldhelp reduce poverty, he said. Though Vietnam is one of the world's toprice exporters, many of its farmers remain poor, if not very poor.

In recent years, the country has provided training to farmers to helpthem increase yields, but the processing sector and the volume of rawmaterial input has not been adequate.

Underrestructuring, production chains would be established which would helpenterprises, farmers and scientists work more efficiently.

Phat said agricultural restructuring would enhance economic growth and create higher incomes for farmers.

"Building new rural areas and restructuring agriculture depends onfarmers," he said. "Even adapting to climate change and rising sealevels, farmers must be part of the process."

Restructuring should focus on the each region's strengths. For example,the strengths of the Mekong Delta are rice, fruit, and seafood.

Although farmers have been encouraged to grow other crops of higheconomic value on their paddy fields, rice paddies would remain thestronghold of Vietnamese agriculture, he said.

He said cultivation of other crops would be beneficial, but the choice of crops should depend on the market.

"It is essential now not to focus on increasing output, but instead onimproving the quality and competitiveness of farm produce for export,"Phat said.

Phat said that farmers needed moreinstruction in advanced techniques, including the use of new and betterquality rice strains.

He said the agriculturalindustry should also seek more investment from the private sector, andfocus on training high-quality human resources.-VNA