Hanoi: Agriculture has an important role to play in the cooperative ties between Vietnam and Canada, according to Canadian insiders.

Managing Director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Insitute Tyler McCann said that the two countries hold huge potential to enhance agricultural cooperation, which should be given a top priority as it is related not only to the trade ties but also the exchange of expertise and academic experience.

Working with Vietnam will help Canada better access the Indo-Pacific market, he said, elaborating Vietnam is the regional centre for several sectors of agriculture.

Meanwhile, Director of the Food and Agriculture Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley Lenore Newman highlighted Canada’s progress in several fields such as genetic technology that helps create an abundant and climate-resilient fauna and flora system, and application of advanced technologies into food production and processing.

Fraser Valley is looking for partners in Vietnam to transfer its technologies, she
said, adding the exchange aims at developing a Pacific Rim ecosystem of agricultural technology for all countries in the region.

Over the past years, Vietnam and Canada have paid due regard to agricultural cooperation so as to contribute to the global security and ensuring food supply chain.

The Canadian Government has sponsored the projects ‘Food Safety for Development’ and ‘Smart Coastal Community Adapting to Climate Change’ in Vietnam, helping the nation develop safe and sustainable agriculture.

Thanks to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) which came into force in late 2018, trade of agricultural products between the two countries has risen from 623 million USD in 2017 to more than 1 billion USD at present./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency