New FAO Representative in Vietnam: 'For Vietnam, with Vietnam, and from Vietnam

Recently, Minister Do Duc Duy held a courtesy meeting with Mr. Vinod Ahuja, who was officially appointed as the Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Vietnam on June 3.

At the meeting, Minister Do Duc Duy highly appreciated FAO’s support over the past years under Dr. Rémi Nono Womdim (2021 - 2025). He also reaffirmed Vietnam’s willingness to continue fostering a strong and fruitful partnership in the new phase for the sustainable development of the agriculture and environment sectors.

FAO: A trusted partner of Vietnam

According to the Minister, Vietnam always attaches great importance to its cooperation with FAO in agricultural and rural development, natural resource management, and ensuring food security.

"We aim to maintain export levels and stabilize traditional markets, while shifting towards expanding and tapping into potential new markets, with the goal of reaching over USD 65 billion in agricultural exports this year," the Minister affirmed.

In recent years, FAO has served as a key partner, providing both technical and financial support for Vietnam’s implementation of the National Action Plan for the Transformation of Transparent, Responsible and Sustainable Food Systems by 2030. The Partnership Working Group includes 47 participating bodies from government agencies, embassies, international organizations, and civil society.

FAO is also assisting the Ministry in developing a system for Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) to support the Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares of High Quality and Low-Emission Rice Associated with Green Growth in the Mekong River Delta By 2030 Project. 

In addition, both sides are working toward a sustainable relationship between humans, animals, plants, and the environment through the multisectoral national One Health initiative.

“These are essential components to encourage the participation of smallholder farmers in agricultural value chains, enhance food and nutrition safety, and protect the environment,” the Minister emphasized.

In response, Mr. Vinod Ahuja expressed his great honor to assume the role of FAO Representative in Vietnam and outlined three key objectives: "To work for Vietnam, with Vietnam, and from Vietnam." He emphasized his commitment to working closely with colleagues to contribute to Vietnam's development, while also learning from and sharing the country's achievements with others.

On July 15 - 16, FAO Vietnam, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, will organize a key event: a High-Level Interregional Knowledge Exchange on One Country, One Priority Product (OCOP) Models. According to Mr. Ahuja, this event presents an opportunity to showcase Vietnam’s success stories and effective policies, examples that are already inspiring many other countries and that he is ready to promote further.

Turning vision into action for the next 5 years

During the meeting, Minister Do Duc Duy proposed that FAO continue working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to effectively implement ongoing projects, while also jointly developing new, concrete programs and initiatives for the 2026 - 2030 period.

Mr. Ahuja shared that, "FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu highly values the strategic vision and orientation of Vietnam’s agriculture sector and has entrusted me with the important responsibility of leading the FAO office in Vietnam."

He shared: "The time I take over the office coincides with a transformative period for Vietnam, as the country is undertaking bold and comprehensive reforms. For FAO, the key task is to make meaningful contributions and provide effective support to Vietnam in this new era. Together, we will review strategic priorities and develop a bilateral cooperation framework for the next five years."

The Minister reaffirmed that the Ministry will work closely with FAO to develop a cooperation program framework during Mr. Vinod Ahuja’s tenure. “You have come here for Vietnam, with Vietnam, and from Vietnam. We are fully committed to working alongside you to help achieve those three invaluable goals during your mission.”