A visit to Kerala by a six-member delegation from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is expected to open up several collaborations in the State’s agriculture and industries sector. Vietnam is very similar to Kerala in the fields of agriculture and fisheries but they are far ahead at an international level. It is in the interest of the State to transfer this experience and technology to Kerala. At the same time, Vietnam can take advantage of our advancement in higher education and information technology. During the Kerala visit, the delegation led by HE Pham Sanh Chau, Ambassador of Vietnam to India, held extensive discussions and exchanged views on the future possibilities in these areas.

The discussions were initiated as part of the Kerala-Vietnam Cooperation Workshop held on November 9 at Thiruvananthapuram. Extensive discussions were held in the presence of the ministers, experts and top officials of the respective departments dealing with sectors like agriculture, fisheries, higher education, IT and industry, where the two regions can co-operate.

In his valedictory address, Chief Minister, Shri Pinarayi Vijayan said that this cooperation would open up immense possibilities in all these areas. He pointed out that Vietnam has developed excellent practices and productivity in the cultivation of paddy, pepper, coffee, rubber and cashew crops. The county also excels in the processing and the value addition of seafood. Exchange of information on how this achievement has been achieved will be of great benefit to Kerala for the future development of these sectors. At the same time, Kerala can provide excellent support to Vietnam in areas such as higher education, professional training and information technology. Assistance can be provided in the field of digital education and online learning.

 

The Chief Minister also invited people from Vietnam to visit Kerala, one of the best tourist destinations in the world. He put forth the idea of establishing twinning relations with Vietnamese cities which would prove very useful. This relationship can be strengthened through expert visits and webinars. He added that the formation of joint working groups in the areas of agriculture and fisheries would pave the way for further cooperation between the two regions.

The provinces of Kiên Giang and the Cần Thơ City of Vietnam are very similar to Kerala in the field of agriculture. They have successfully implemented the best practices and techniques in the cultivation of paddy, pepper, coffee, rubber and cashew. During the discussions, the Agriculture Minister, Shri P Prasad said that cooperation with Vietnam will give an impetus to the State’s agricultural sector. Vietnam is also facing the problems faced by Kerala in agriculture. He added that appropriate research in this regard would be useful for problem-solving and the development of this sector.

Participating in the discussions, the Fisheries Minister, Shri Saji Cheriyan, said this meeting would pave the way for Kerala to benefit from the exchange of experience and technology from Vietnam’s advancement in inland fisheries, marine production and distribution sectors.

“As a consumer state and a good investment-friendly state, Vietnam can have possibly good trade relations with Kerala”, Finance Minister, Shri P Rajeev said. He added that the retail sector in Kerala is in favour of Vietnamese establishments. Joint ventures are also possible in the plastics and rubber products sectors. He said the state has the best human resource capacity, infrastructure, logistics, speedy clearance system and responsible investment policy to offer.

 

Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau, who participated in the workshop, said that extensive cooperation with Kerala is possible in the areas of trade and industry. Vietnam will take immediate action based on the discussions held during the visit. He pointed out that Kerala’s heritage and progress can be utilized in the fields of education and culture.

Apart from the Ministers, Planning Board Vice Chairman, Prof. V K Ramachandran; Chief Secretary, Dr V P Joy; Officer on Special Duty (Foreign Affairs), Venu Rajamony; Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, K M Abraham; members of the Vietnamese delegation – Political Councilor, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung;  Councillor Nguyen Thi Than Xuan; Trade Councilor, Bui Trung Thuong, Press Attache, Son Hoang My Dung; Kerala University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. V P Madhavan Pillai; Kerala Digital University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Saji Gopinath; Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Dr. V Venu; Principal Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Tinku Biswal; Principal Secretary, Department of Industries, Dr K Elangovan; Principal Secretary, IT Department, Bishwanath Sinha; Agriculture Department Secretary, C A Latha; Director, Industries Department, S Harikishore; Director of Agriculture, T V Subhash; and Director of Fisheries, R Girija were among those who attended the various sessions.