Viet Nam, Zambia propose signing MoU to boost agricultural cooperation

On the morning of March 13, Mr. Hoang Trung, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment, worked with Zambian Minister of Agriculture Reuben Mtolo Phiri and Minister of Finance and National Planning Situmbeko Musokotwane.

During their working visit to Viet Nam, the Zambian delegation met with farmers, those directly engaged in production, worked with cooperatives and listened to their perspectives. The delegation also held discussions with private processing enterprises that purchase and provide off-take for farmers’ agricultural products. In addition, the delegation visited research institutes, met with young scientists, and toured research gardens in the Central Highlands.

Proposal to establish a Vietnamese expert delegation to work in Zambia

Mr, Reuben Mtolo Phiri, the Zambian Minister of Agriculture, said these activities helped the delegation gain a clearer understanding of Viet Nam’s agricultural reform process while also verifying the information they had previously gathered. Through this, the delegation better understood why Viet Nam has achieved notable successes in agricultural development.

“Both countries have different development foundations. In Zambia, the system of thinking and working culture has been influenced by the British model. However, Viet Nam’s experiences offer important references for Zambia’s policy-making process in the coming period,” he noted.

The Zambian side expressed its wish for Viet Nam to establish a working group led by Dr. Cao Duc Phat to visit Zambia and hold direct discussions with the Government. In addition, the Zambian Minister of Agriculture proposed developing a MoU as foundation for bilateral cooperation. The document would cover key areas such as the exchange of experts, sharing of experience and expertise, cooperation in policy reform, promotion of collaboration with the private sector, as well as the study and design of specific cooperation models.

“Zambia hopes to move from theoretical exchanges to practical implementation, starting with working visits by Vietnamese experts. This cooperation program has been discussed and has received approval from the President.

In addition, we propose promoting study visits and exchanges between farmers of the two countries. With advantages in land resources and production space, Vietnamese agro-processing enterprises could invest and establish production facilities in Zambia. In the next phase, the two countries could consider implementing expert and student exchange programs to strengthen cooperation and develop human resources in the agricultural sector,” he said.

The Zambian leadership also proposed expanding cooperation to other areas, including fisheries.

Mobilizing Vietnamese enterprises to invest in Zambia

According to Dr. Cao Duc Phat, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the current management scope of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has expanded into various other sectors. He suggested reporting to the governments of both countries to consider the possibility of expanding the scale of cooperation, based on the spirit of friendship between the two nations and peoples. "We will strive to promote connectivity activities while listening to feedback from the Zambian side to ensure the highest efficiency in implementation," Dr. Cao Duc Phat affirmed.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung affirmed high consensus with the cooperation proposals from the Zambian side and outlined directions to concretize the relationship between the two parties. Regarding the signing of the MoU, the Vietnamese side suggested the possibility of establishing a tripartite cooperation mechanism involving the World Bank (WB) to optimize financial and technical resources.

Regarding the implementation method, the Deputy Minister suggested applying flexible signing formats, such as virtual meetings or online signing, while simultaneously creating the most favorable conditions for Vietnamese delegations to conduct field surveys in Zambia.

In particular, the Vietnamese side affirmed its readiness to mobilize agricultural enterprises to explore investment opportunities in Zambia, focusing on maximizing sectors where the two countries possess complementary strengths.

Mr. Nathan Belete, the World Bank Country Director for Zambia, stated that the organization is ready to support the country with financial resources to realize its development goals. At the same time, the WB encourages the promotion of trade cooperation toward mutual benefits for both sides.

The organization expressed its desire to establish facilitation mechanisms that align with the orientations of both governments, while also acting as a bridge to foster exchange among relevant stakeholders.

Highly valuing the potential of the Zambian market, the WB representative committed to providing active support for Vietnamese investors seeking opportunities there. The WB expects that a stable policy framework will serve as a solid foundation for all parties to coordinate closely and operate effectively as a unified entity.