Community supported agriculture

The Hanoitimes - On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the US-Vietnam diplomatic relations, US companies shared with Hanoitimes their expectations about opportunities for their investment expansions in Vietnam. Dr. Mason Cobb, chairman of Victoria Healthcare International Clinics After Vietnam achieved the middle income status and ODA decreased, the Vietnamese government became more accommodating for investment and that continues to this day. Dr. Mason Cobb, chairman of Victoria Healthcare International Clinics However, it is still not a truly level playing field with local companies. The attitude and perception, and spirit of cooperation has become much warmer and more understanding than during that difficult middle period. More importantly, the company’s mission in healthcare as primarily helping Vietnam build a world-class healthcare system. To that end, the company brings Vietnamese to the US and bring educational and other assets to Vietnam to help increase understanding and skills. AmCham Healthcare Committee Mission has stated: “We are a key strategic partner for promoting health and wellness and shaping the healthcare industry in Vietnam.” Regarding the healthcare sector, I think there are still regulatory hurdles that could dampen investment atmosphere. For example, the Ministry of Health has proposed that all foreign doctors must speak fluent Vietnamese. In effect, there would be an exodus of international healthcare and its standards. This will inhibit achieving a truly international standard for healthcare here by essentially expelling international influences. Vietnam is quite unique in its “healthcare consumer”: several attempts from highly developed countries have floundered for not understanding the Vietnamese patient’s unique perceptions. In the best of conditions this must be carefully considered by foreign healthcare investors. Vietnam has shown itself to be best in the world at handling the Covid-19 …

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HCM City eyes 10 percent growth in export in 2021 Shrimps processed for export Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Industry and Trade has set the target to export 48.19 billion USD worth of products in 2021, a year-on-year surge of 10 percent. Under its development plan for 2021 recently submitted to the municipal People’s Committee, the sector said import revenue is estimated at 56.47 billion USD for the whole year, up 11 percent against the previous year. Besides, it eyed to reel in more than 835.68 trillion VND (36.29 billion USD) from retail sales and services revenues in the year, up 10 percent year-on-year. The department said it will carry out necessary measures in a comprehensive fashion to branch out industry and trade, contributing to promoting economic recovery of the southern hub. Earlier, HCM City set a goal of boosting the export of its key products this year and beyond via trade promotion activities and assistance to enterprises. Head of the statistics office Huynh Van Hung said COVID-19 has been largely brought under control around Vietnam, resulting in the production sector exhibiting signs of recovery. Local enterprises, however, continue to face difficulties as many major trading nations are yet to open their markets. He noted that enterprises are in need of diverse and long-term support relating to information on importers of materials and fuel, new markets and partners, and domestic consumption stimulus measures. According to Nguyen Phuong Dong, Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, despite facing myriad challenges, last year the city still saw five goods post export turnover in excess of 1 billion USD: computers-electronic products and components, with 17.8 billion USD; garment-textile 4.3 billion USD; footwear 2.2 billion USD; machinery-equipment-spare parts 2.2 billion USD; and other goods 6.9 billion USD. Together their export value accounted for 83.5 percent of the city’s total. Key export …

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Forest rangers inspect regrown forests in Gia Lai Province’s Krông Chro District. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Điệp GIA LAI — The Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) province of Gia Lai has been growing new forests and protecting existing ones in recent years to expand forest cover and improve people’s livelihoods. The province, which has the largest forest cover in the Tây Nguyên region, planted nearly 25,300ha in 2017-20, 6.3 times its target. In Mang Yang District’s Hra Commune, the Hra Protective Forest management board allocated more than 6,300ha of forests last year to individuals, households and communities to exploit while also protecting them. Nguyễn Văn Chín, head of the board, said besides planting and protecting forests, the board focuses on advocacy activities to enhance awareness of households and communities living near forests of the need to protect them. Together with local authorities it organises advocacy activities to annually reach around 1,500 people in the commune’s 12 villages. With these and support for illegal loggers to overcome their family’s financial difficulties, it has managed to stop the logging and make loggers forest guardians. Dương Xuân Kiếm used to be an illegal logger but is now the head of a forest protection group in the commune. He and others used to cut down forests to sell wood to feed their families, but after receiving help from the board to stabilise their lives, they have become forest protectors, he said. His group protects 400ha of natural forests. Last year the province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development gave him an award as an exemplary forest protector. Seeing the good examples set by the former illegal loggers, other residents in the commune have also stopped cutting trees and are instead keen to be allotted tracts of forest for protection. The money authorities pay them for this task helps them have a stable life. Krông Chro District is one of the localities to …

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