Farmers spray chemicals on a rice paddy in Ayutthaya.(Photo: bangkokpost.com) Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s Deputy Agriculture Minister Mananya Thaiseth on August 9 ordered the Department of Agriculture to put the brakes on licence extensions for hazardous farm chemicals, and vowed to ban three substances by the end of this year. She affirmed the determination to ban the three chemicals, namely paraquat, glyphosate and chloropyrifos, within the year, as well as find alternatives to replace the trio. “Toxic farm chemicals are in the food we eat, and enter into the water, soil and environment”, she told the media. She said she will inspect stockpiles of hazardous chemicals and lead a meeting on August 20, which is expected to pave the way for the ban on these three chemicals. Thai consumers and the Ministry of Public Health have campaigned for the prohibition of these chemicals, citing their harmful health effects. In 2017, the Ministry of Public Health … [Read more...] about Thailand ceases licensing agricultural chemicals
Narendra deva university of agriculture technology
Coffee industry needs private-public partnerships
A representative of a coffee company talks about a sustainable model for a coffee plantation at a meeting held yesterday in HCM City. VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp Viet Nam News HCM CITY — Public-private partnerships, better use of technology, and improved value-chain linkages are needed to ensure the sustainable development of the coffee industry, experts said at a meeting yesterday (Dec 4) in HCM City. Đỗ Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, deputy director of the Việt Nam Coffee Coordination Board (VCCB), said the coffee industry should raise product value to increase the income of all stakeholders involved in the value chain. To maintain stable outputs for exports, Việt Nam should replace at least 120,000ha of old coffee trees that have poor yields. “This is a challenging task for the agricultural sector, which needs to have public-private partnerships (PPP) between the state, enterprises and farmers,” he said. Despite existing … [Read more...] about Coffee industry needs private-public partnerships
Prime Minister holds second dialogue with farmers
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the event (Photo: VNA) Can Tho (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasised the significance of processing to agriculture during his dialogue with more than 300 farmers representing tens of millions of farming households nationwide, in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on December 10. The leader said enhancing infrastructure, increasing resources for natural disaster combat and planning the husbandry sector should be also prioritised. On this occasion, he asked the Ministries of Industry and Trade and Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Vietnam Farmers’ Union to provide more information about the market and possibilities, especially information regarding incentives, capital, varieties and materials for agriculture, via their websites. Other issues needed to be clarified include those relating to food safety, diseases in rural areas, necessary standards for exports and annual rice cultivation plan, the PM said. … [Read more...] about Prime Minister holds second dialogue with farmers
Legal framework for water supply essential in Vietnam
A PSI project model implemented in Phu Thanh commune, Nghe An province is displayed at a conference in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Tighter regulations are needed to ensure good quality water is sourced for years to come, according to Nguyen Thi Hong Khanh, from the Ministry of Construction’s Technological Infrastructure Department. She believes a solid legal framework is necessary to make sure there is plenty of water for future generations. “We need a scheme for the Water Supply Law, and submit it to the Government and the National Assembly,” Khanh said. There are more than 200 water supply enterprises in Vietnam, mainly operating as joint stock companies. The national programme to ensure water supply and prevent water loss in the 2018-25 period has been implemented to promote investment and improve modern and energy-saving water treatment technology. It also establishes criteria for evaluating a safe water supply work. At a recent conference hosted … [Read more...] about Legal framework for water supply essential in Vietnam
Germany automation firm Festo to expand investment in Việt Nam
The cyber-physical learning factory of Festo (Photo courtesy of the company) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Festo, a German supplier of automation technology and technical education, plans to expand investment in Việt Nam to take advantage of the increasing foreign investment and production in the country. Ansgar Kriwet, member of the management board of Festo, said Việt Nam has the fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia with a growth rate of 6.5 per cent. Manufacturing is its strongest sector and accounts for more than 50 per cent of FDI, he said. As Asia’s new manufacturing hub, Việt Nam requires strong support from motion automation, he said. Putting industry 4.0 into action means both intensively investigating new technologies and preparing employees for the challenges of future production, he added. Festo’s cyber-physical systems encompass the new developments of networked production in industry 4.0 and offer a modular smart factory system for teaching … [Read more...] about Germany automation firm Festo to expand investment in Việt Nam