October 10, 2024

 

Vietnam faces challenges in advancing biotechnology for sustainable agriculture

Despite numerous global achievements in biotechnology, Vietnam's development of this technology continues to encounter significant obstacles, Saigon News reported.

 

This was highlighted by associate professor Nguyen Huu Ninh, Deputy Director of Vietnam's Department of Science, Technology and Environment, during a forum held in Hanoi, Vietnam.

 

The event, titled "Achievements and Directions for the Application of Biotechnology in Support of Sustainable Agricultural Development Amidst International Integration," was organised by the Department of Science, Technology and Environment under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper.

 

Participants at the forum discussed the globalisation of biotechnology, which has yielded significant progress in agriculture across the world. Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and current Chairman of the Board of Directors at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Cao Duc Phat, noted that biotechnology has been instrumental in advancing agriculture over the past three decades.

 

According to data from the International Service for the Application of Biotechnology in Agriculture (ISAAA), 73 countries have adopted genetically modified (GM) crops. In Vietnam, biotechnology has also seen progress, with more than 220,000 hectares of GM corn being cultivated in 2022, making up 26.5% of the country's total corn area.

 

However, despite these successes, Vietnam's biotechnology sector still lags more developed nations. Associate Professor Ninh pointed out that the country's biotechnology efforts are hampered by limited business interest in research partnerships, driven by restrictive mechanisms and policies such as Decree 70.

 

Another major challenge, according to Ninh, is the lack of investment in research and development (R&D). While international corporations like Bayer and Syngenta allocate billions of dollars to R&D, employing thousands of researchers, Vietnam lacks the resources to advance in key areas such as cell technology and nanotechnology.

 

Ninh also emphasised the absence of domestic investment in genetic technologies, such as gene editing and asexual reproduction, despite the potential for these fields to see strong growth in the next five years.

 

In response to these challenges, the Department of Science, Technology, and Environment has proposed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development prioritise the creation and effective utilisation of key laboratories. The department also called for greater emphasis on cellular, nano, and gene editing technologies to develop high-value biotechnological products.

 

Former Minister Cao Duc Phat further stressed the importance of applying biotechnology across not only agriculture, but also animal husbandry, aquaculture, and other sectors to ensure Vietnam remains competitive.

 

The Croplife Organisation in Vietnam reported that since 2010, significant milestones have been achieved in the introduction of GM corn varieties to the country. In March 2010, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development granted the first license for genetically modified crop testing. This was followed by the issuance of four certificates in August 2014, declaring GM organisms safe for use as food and animal feed.

 

In early 2015, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment granted biosafety certificates for these organisms, enabling their widespread cultivation. By March 2015, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development officially recognised the first GM corn variety for cultivation, and by April that year, GM corn was distributed to Vietnamese farmers for commercial planting.

 

As of September 30, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development had recognised 31 GM corn varieties, with six varieties assessed for biosafety. Between 2015 and September 2024, Vietnam imported 13,256 tonnes of GM corn seeds, accounting for 22.5% of all imported seeds, and corresponding to a cultivation area of approximately 662,000 hectares.

 

-      Saigon News