Leader of Binh Dinh People’s Committee meeting with the delegation of New Zealand Aid Program

View of the meeting.

At the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of Binh Dinh People’s Committee Tran Thi Thu Ha highly appreciates the results that the Sustainable Rural Livelihoods Project in Binh Dinh Province, funded by the New Zealand Government. The component of Safe Vegetable has contributed to the clean agricultural production program and the food hygiene program in the province. The production and processing of coconut products have recorded positive results. The consumption is expanding; the efficiency of breeding cattle is increasing, attracting and creating job opportunities for nearly 1,500 poor farmers. As noted, the economic efficiency and income of households involved in Safe Vegetable, cattle raising and coconut fiber making has increased by 20%, 30% and 100% compared to households outside the project.

Besides these achievements, Vice Chairwoman Tran Thi Thu Ha also highlighted the shortcomings during the project implementation, especially in the component of Safe Vegetable. In general, the farmers’ production has yet met the requirements. The production chain is not systematic. The product of Safe Vegetable does not own its brand, and the product market is still limited, etc.

Based on Binh Dinh actual needs, the province proposed the delegation to assist the phase 2 of the project: change from VietGAP Safe Vegetable into a simpler process; the expanding of  production model; the organizing of production by region or cooperatives so as to create linkages in production; the expanding of markets, the improvement in sustainable safe vegetable product; training for technicians and farmers on the production process, storage procedures and quality checking process at the farming.

Vice Chairwoman Tran Thi Thu Ha expressed her thanks for the interest and support from the New Zealand Government during the project execution in the province; at the same time, hoped that New Zealand Government to continue supporting Binh Dinh in the process of bringing Binh Dinh safe vegetable brand to nationwide markets.

Also in that morning, Ms. Tiffany Babington visited the Neonatal Department of Binh Dinh General Hospital. Talking with Ms. Tiffany, Mr. Le Quang Hung, Deputy Director of Department of Health, said that the projects from the New Zealand Government on health sector have contributed significantly to reduction of the newborn rate of mortality from 15% to 5% or 6%. As a result, he hoped the New Zealand to take a consideration and support the health sector of Binh Dinh Province, especially in the field of neonatal health care.