Sustainable development

Farmer weaves lotus silk in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang. — VNA/VNS Photo The International Union for Conservation of Nature Viet Nam (IUCN) in cooperation with An Giang Province in the Mekong Delta has launched a project on developing a sustainable value chain of products from lotus silk, with the financial support of The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF). The organisation has recently held a workshop to introduce the project to relevant stakeholders, focusing on the role of flood-based agriculture, the value chain for flood crops such as lotus and, in particular, the added value that can be developed from lotus silk. The project's goal is to promote flood-based livelihoods using lotus cultivation to support flood retention areas and restore some of the four billion cubic metres of water retention that was lost between 2000 and 2011 in the Mekong Delta. It will develop lotus silk making as a sustainable occupation for local communities, especially women. The project … [Read more...] about An Giang seeks to develop value chain of products from lotus silk

Ninh Thuan to set off firework s to welcome grape – wine festival (Photo: VNA) Ninh Thuan (VNA) – The south central province of Ninh Thuan will hold a 15- minute firework display to welcome the Grape - Wine Festival 2023 and the ceremony to receive a certificate from UNESCO recognising the pottery-making art of the Cham ethnic minority people as Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyen Long Bien said that the festival, running from June 13-18, are an important and meaningful event for Ninh Thuan to attract more tourists, thereby turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector with sustainable development in the coming years. Themed “Ninh Thuan – The land of convergence of different values”, spectators will have a chance to enjoy a low-range firework display in the opening night of the festival which is slated for June 16, 2023 at April 16 Square. According to Nguyen Van Hoa, Director … [Read more...] about Ninh Thuan to set off fireworks to welcome grape – wine festival

Hanoi will apply many solutions to improve the efficiency of enforcing food safety regulations in 2023 and the future. The Hanoi People's Committee has issued a plan to ensure food security for ten million people in the capital by 2030. The plan, signed by Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen, aims to strengthen the responsibilities of local governments and socio-political organizations to ensure food safety and security in Hanoi in all circumstances. The plan also aims to promote the resources of all economic sectors and support from the State to develop agriculture in a sustainable way. A farmer introduces a new rice variety in Hanoi’s outskirts. Photo: Lam Nguyen/The Hanoi Times According to the plan, by 2030, Hanoi will have approximately 55,000 hectares of rice production with an annual output of at least 660,000 tons of rice. In addition, the city has set targets to increase food consumption, reduce the rate of … [Read more...] about Hanoi to ensure food safety for ten million residents

VCCI Vice Chairman Nguyen Quang Vinh speaks at the forum. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - A Child Rights and Business Forum was organised in Hanoi on May 30 by UNICEF Vietnam and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( VCCI ), emphasising the need for responsible business practices that respect child rights and prevent adverse human rights impacts. “Children are both the present and the future, and business practices cannot be sustainable if they do not account for their impact on children”, said Rana Flowers, Representative of UNICEF in Vietnam. “It requires children to be a key consideration in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) assessments – where impacts and risks are assessed objectively, and key practices identified that can minimise those risks and create a positive impact for children. It will improve competitiveness and sustainability, it will win the support of stakeholders, especially investors, who are socially conscious and looking at ESG risks … [Read more...] about Responsible businesses for Vietnam’s thriving next generation: forum

Border guards of Ca Mau province examine a fishing vessel. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – In efforts to persuade the European Commission to lift the “yellow card” warning, localities in the Mekong Delta have been taking strong and concerted measures to eradicate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and help the fisheries sector develop sustainably. In Soc Trang province, the Sub-department of Fisheries said it has coordinated with the provincial Department of Information and Communications to step up checking vessel monitoring systems (VMS) installed on fishing boats and asked VMS suppliers to make timely repair if there are any breakdowns. So far, all fishing vessels over 15m long in Soc Trang have been equipped with smoothly operating VMS. The province’s Border Guard Command has also ordered local border guard posts to intensify the dissemination of the 2017 Law on Fisheries and others to fishermen. As a result, 368 vessels operating in deep-sea … [Read more...] about Localities in Mekong Delta augment efforts against IUU fishing