Vietnam and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on May 7inked a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technological cooperationto develop Vietnam ’s rice sector.

The MoU was signed by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat and IRRI Director Robert S. Zeigler.

Addressing the signing ceremony, Phat said the event marks a new development in the cooperation between the two sides.

He said the rice sector is now a key focus for Vietnam, addingthat the country is also facing great challenges in developing thesector, including the improvement of productivity, quality and addedvalues, thus creating higher incomes for farmers in the context ofdiminishing farmland.

Besides, Vietnam has torespond to climate change, which is forecast to seriously hit Vietnam’s main rice hubs, especially the Mekong Delta region, he said.

Zeigler expressed his pleasure at the IRRI’s contributions to the success of Vietnam’s rice sector.

He described Vietnam’s experience in the field as a good example forother countries to study, adding that in the future, his institute willcontinue to work closely with Vietnam in seeking ways to respond toclimate change in Southeast Asia.

As one of theleading agricultural research institutes in the world, IRRI has givenVietnam remarkable support in rice research and production since 1975.Experts said IRRI rice varieties are cultivated in 60-70 percent ofVietnam’s total rice cultivation area.

Annually,the institute helps train thousands of Vietnamese apprentices andscientists and creates conditions for Vietnam’s institutes to accessthe world’s new achievements in the field.-VNA