(vasep.com.vn) On the 4th November 2014, in Can Tho City, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with Southwest Steering Committee and GIZ organized a dialogue on aquaculture in Mekong Delta.
This dialogue, being organized annually in the coming years, aims at creating an opportunity for stakeholders to share information, views, experience and commitments to improve productivity, quality and value of products, sustainability of aquaculture Mekong Delta.
According to Mr. Tran Thanh Nam, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, aquaculture is potential in Mekong Delta. What is needed is active involvement of stakeholders including management agencies, businesses, farmers, international organizations, supporters, financial institutions, social organizations, non-governmental organizations, research institutes and universities. There should be mechanisms for information exchange.
“To archieve sustainability in fisheries development, stakeholders should acquire knowledge regarding impacts of climate change. Farmers must be equipped with knowledge and skills to adjust with impacts of climate change, linking communities to share experiences and skills to cope with the negative impacts. Environmental monitoring systems, aquaculture disease surveillance, new aquaculture models, breeds diversification are all required.”, said Mr. Nguyen Van Trong, Deputy Director Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2.
According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Dzung, Deputy Chairman of VASEP, the lack of linkages and cooperation between industry stakeholders, with regional level and enterprise level is a problem that impedes fisheries development in Mekong Delta. Therefore, to develop a sustainable industry, to promote cooperation and links between enterprises and farmers as well as localities is a must. Specifically, there are 7 links to consider, namely: cooperations of farmers, between enterprises, farmers and enterprises, production and markets, planning and managaging; science and technology; banks with businesses and farmers; society and environment.
According to Mr. Hua Tran Hoang, farmer in An Bien District, Kien Giang Province, farmers find it hard to acquire technical knowledge and disease-free seeds. Authorities need to support and train farmers.