Vietnam - India agricultural development: A new start

Agricultural cooperation plays an important role in Vietnam - India relations. The two countries have many similarities such as a crowded population in a limited land. Households mainly farm on a small scale. The majority of the population lives in the countryside, meanwhile both countries are powerhouses in the production and export of agricultural, forestry and fishery (AFF) products, particularly having strength in commodities such as rice, seafood, pepper, spices, and cashew.

However, the agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and India in the past 10 years feels lacking in terms of dynamics, unable to demonstrate the full extent of the two countries’ friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership.

In 2022, the bilateral AFF trade reached a modest USD 1.9 billion. Vietnam's agricultural exports to India only reached USD 465 million, accounting for less than 1.5% of India's total AFF imports. Vietnam's agricultural exports to India reached only USD 465 million, accounting for less than 1.5% of India's total AFF import turnover. Vietnam imports from India reached USD 1.42 billion, and the trade deficit of AFF products from India is up to 953 million USD).

To create a brighter new beginning in the agricultural cooperation relationship between Vietnam and India, the delegation of The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development led by Minister Le Minh Hoan recently visited and worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and leading agricultural research institutes in India on the occasion of the G20 Ministerial Meeting from June 15-17, 2023.

During a working session with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of India, Minister Narendra Singh Tomar emphasized the importance to the agricultural cooperation relationship with Vietnam.

The fact that Vietnam received a special invitation to attend the 2023 G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting hosted by India shows its respect for the agricultural powerhouse friend. India wishes to deepen agricultural cooperation with Vietnam, especially in science and technology, human resource training and agro-forestry trade.

Minister Le Minh Hoan proposed the Ministry of Agriculture of the two countries work together to create a bright new beginning for agricultural cooperation between the two countries. The two sides agreed to review and develop a new agricultural cooperation framework, covering the fields of trade, investment, science and technology, and training in agriculture in the spirit of mutual benefits. The new cooperation framework will best utilize the advantages of each side specifically India's agricultural science and technology background as well as Vietnam's ability to connect to the global market. Both countries’ ultimate goal is to develop agriculture in a green and sustainable direction in response to climate change, contributing to global food security and nutrition security.

Apart from having a high level working session with the Indian Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in order to concretize the cooperation in science and technology, Vietnam’s mission worked with India's leading research agency, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), and Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR).

Minister Le Minh Hoan recommended promoting specific cooperation in human resource training and technology transfer with the goal of supporting the transformation of Vietnam's agricultural industry towards a multi-value integrated growth model in the direction of high technology, diversity, sustainability, low emission, rational use of natural resources, protection of the ecological environment, maintenance and conservation of biodiversity.

In which, priority is given to cooperation in seed technology specifically drought-resistant varieties; sustainable, low-emission farming models that adapt to climate change; application of digital and green technologies for agricultural development; research, breeding and development of cassava silkworm varieties, cassava silkworm rearing technology and cassava silkworm nursery.

The Indian research institutes all highly appreciated the scientific and technological cooperation with Vietnam in the past and look forward to raising the level of cooperation, especially in the application of new technologies for small scale farmers and training agricultural human resources. The delegates of Vietnam and India agreed to prepare and sign a Memorandum of Understanding to concretize areas of cooperation in the near future.