On the afternoon of December 12, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the International Rice Research Institute to coordinate scientific, technical, and institutional efforts within the framework of South-South Cooperation (SSC) to support the transformation of food systems.

The program took place during the Vietnam-Africa Policy Dialogue: South-South Cooperation for Food System Transformation, as part of the Vietnam Rice International Expo in Hau Giang 2023. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and IRRI aims to enhance and further promote research, development, capacity building, and advocacy for the dissemination of innovative rice cultivation practices and sustainable natural resource management.

The overarching goal is to strengthen collaboration between rice scientists from both sides to advance South-South cooperation, share knowledge and expertise, and build capacity for partners in developing countries. The scale of cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and IRRI on South-South cooperation will be determined through a joint assessment of the needs and benefits of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the developing countries receiving support, the capacity of IRRI, and the effectiveness of the collaboration, taking into account the available financial resources to implement the joint program.

Specific projects under the Memorandum of Understanding will be identified following joint consultations between the two parties. Detailed agreements will outline the development plan for South-South cooperation, including scope, objectives, outputs, impacts, results, activities, operational rights, and intellectual property rights necessary to complete the projects. Additionally, budgets and contributions of resources by each participating party and/or any supporting funding sources will be determined.

Within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and IRRI have agreed on areas of South-South cooperation that both parties share mutual interests in, such as innovative technologies and sustainable rice production and smart agriculture in response to climate change. Support will be provided for capacity building and knowledge exchange among parties and partners in developing countries on innovative technologies in rice-based agriculture, food and nutrition security, digital agriculture, climate-resilient agriculture, and smart agriculture.

Enhancing partner relations and establishing additional institutional connections to improve South-South cooperation, such as building networks, corporate linkages, and other forms of collaborative groups that support knowledge sharing and innovation, are part of the collaboration. Policy analysis aims to strengthen institutions to make evidence-based decisions in the field of agriculture.

Previously, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and IRRI, an autonomous non-profit international organization based in the Philippines, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on May 7, 2013, for scientific and technical cooperation to develop Vietnam's rice industry. Both parties share a common interest in promoting South-South Cooperation to share knowledge and expertise, enhance technical capabilities of relevant parties in agriculture, and strengthen the capacity development of South Hemisphere partners in agricultural research and development.

South-South Cooperation (SSC) is essential in promoting sustainable development in Asia. This is the foundation for open exchange, expanding development solutions, knowledge, experience, policies, technology, and know-how between countries and organizations in the Global South. For the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, SSC is a complement to the North-South cooperation mechanism (between developed and developing countries).

The International Festival of Vietnam Rice Industry - Hau Giang 2023 opened in the Mekong Delta’s Hau Giang province on December 12, 2023.

The four-day festival features various activities, including exhibition booths introducing rice products, One commune, One product (OCOP) items, and machinery and equipment for rice production.

There is also an exhibition entitled “Vietnam’s Rice Road”, showcasing the journey of Vietnam’s rice cultivation.

Other activities include demonstrations of agricultural machinery and equipment, mechanized seeding technology, a circular agriculture model using straw, and a smart rice cultivation model.