A delegation led by Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development CaoDuc Phat attended the Asian Development Forum that opened on April 19 inJakarta, Indonesia.

The event is part of theframework for the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia, which istaking place from April 19-21 in Indonesia.

Addressing the event, the minister highlighted the achievements Vietnamhas attained from the “new vision in agriculture” initiative that wasinitiated at the Ho Chi Minh City-based WEF in 2010.

They include the successful implementation of sustainable and skillfulagricultural production through cooperation between some 10,000 farmersand international groups, including Unilever, Nestle, Metro Cash andCarry, and Pepsico.

The approach has proveneffective, with a great number of Vietnamese agricultural productshaving penetrated international markets, Phat said.

Vietnam’s agricultural sector accounts for 20 percent of nation’s grossdomestic product (GDP), with the annual export value exceeding 31billion USD. It also creates jobs for half of the nation’s labour force,according to Phat.

In another meeting the same day,the minister told participants about Vietnam’s experience in applyingthe private-public partnership model when developing agriculture.

He said that through creative and long-term thinking, the sector aimsto increase productivity and profit, while minimising water use andgreenhouse gas emissions.-VNA