Vietnam attends rural development summit

Deputy Finance Minister Truong Chi Trung is representing Vietnam at the 35th session of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)’s Governing Council that opened in Rome on February 22.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, along with several heads of state plus the representatives of IFAD’s 167 members will take part in the two-day conference themed “Feeding the world, protecting the planet”.

IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze said in his opening address that long-term rural development is the most efficient way to reduce poverty and eradicate hunger. As part of the focus on rural development he also pledged to enable 90 million people to escape from poverty.

He emphasised the important role played by small scale family producers in boosting economic growth and ensuring food security.

He also welcomed the US$1.5 billion provided by IFAD members to fund agricultural and rural development projects across the world.

PM Monti underlined how food security, global security and the future of the planet are all intrinsically linked and urged other nations to make food security their top political priority.

The IFAD is a specialist UN agency based in Rome. It is a unique partnership of 167 members from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and developing countries around the world. Vietnam first became an IFAD member in 1997.

Since 1978, IFAD has provided almost US$13.7 billion in grants and low-interest loans to developing countries through projects that have enabled over 400 million people to break free of poverty.

VNA/VOV

Posted by VBN on Feb 24 2012. Filed under Int'l Cooperation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry