Vietnam and France: Comprehensive cooperation in agriculture and environment

Over the years, cooperation between Vietnam and France in the fields of agriculture and environment has achieved many practical and notable results, especially in the context of the two countries officially upgrading their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

In agriculture and the environment, the two countries have implemented many effective cooperation programs, such as sustainable agriculture, climate change adaptation circularity, and macroeconomic and social impact studies on climate change and energy transition.

Additionally, the Vietnam - France Agricultural Working Group has actively implemented the commitments made during the First Meeting, with many specific and practical activities.

During the meeting, Ambassador Olivier Brochet emphasized that France and Vietnam share many similarities in vision, action, and development strategies, particularly in areas such as climate change response, energy transition, and high-tech agriculture development.

"I hope that corporations, businesses, and specialized agencies from both sides will continue to deepen their cooperation in these areas. At the same time, the two countries need to strengthen coordination at international forums to share experiences, contribute initiatives, and affirm their joint commitment to global issues," said Mr. Olivier Brochet.

According to Minister Do Duc Duy, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Vietnam and the French Development Agency (AFD) are currently in discussions and are moving towards signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in agriculture and the environment for the 2025-2030 period. The two countries are also continuing to closely collaborate to implement the Action Plan and realize the signed cooperation agreements.

To enhance the effectiveness of agricultural cooperation, Vietnam hopes that France will provide support in mobilizing funding for various programs related to sustainable agricultural development. This includes promoting smart agricultural practices that adapt to climate change, as well as implementing solutions to protect riverbanks and coastlines, while ensuring water security in the region.

"In particular, the agricultural sectors of Vietnam and France have a long and fruitful history of cooperation. In the past, France made significant investments in the development of agriculture in Vietnam. Building on this foundation, I propose that the two countries collaborate on developing research programs and projects aimed at preserving and promoting the Vietnam-France agricultural heritage. These initiatives would focus on safeguarding and enhancing the historical values embedded in our bilateral cooperation," said Mr. Do Duc Duy.

Regarding climate change, Vietnam has requested the French Government and the French Development Agency (AFD) to continue their valuable support for the effective implementation of the project "Macroeconomic and social impacts of climate change and energy transition in Vietnam" (GEMMES Vietnam).

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment hopes that Ambassador Olivier Brochet will connect with France's specialized agencies in the field of climate change to expand bilateral cooperation, particularly in areas such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing climate change adaptation capacity.

"In the field of education and training, particularly in training agricultural engineers and engineers at the college level, I hope that the Agricultural Attaché of France will act as a bridge to help universities and specialized training institutions in Vietnam access and apply advanced agricultural training programs from France. This cooperation will contribute to improving the quality of agricultural human resources, meeting the requirements for development in the new context," shared Minister Duy.