Denmark Helps Develop Agriculture in Dak Lak

The Danish Government has offered the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak as much as VND57.2 billion in 2012 for a program of agriculture and rural development sector support (ARD SPS), according to Chairman of the provincial People Committee Dinh Van Khiet. The amount, including VND15 million left from capital from the program in 2011, is the biggest sum that Dak Lak has received since 2008 when ARD SPS was launched for the first time. The program aims at six basic targets for boosting growth in the economic sector, stepping up rural development, improving people’s living conditions, developing infrastructure for agriculture and irrigation, increasing the competitiveness and improving the access to the market of households and ethnic minority groups. Since early 2012, Dak Lak province has disbursed over VND30.4 trillion. The capital has been invested mainly in production models, building new and upgrading 12 irrigation works, as well as forest preservation, management and plantation projects. The province has also focused on supplying clean water for more than 554 households of poor ethnic minority groups, and holding refresher courses on intensive cultivation for people from remote areas. During her recent visit to Dak Lak, Lis Rasmussen Rosenholm, Danish Deputy Ambassador, praised the province for the successful implementation of the ARD SPS program, particularly the timely disbursement of capital in the first months of this year. (vietnamplus.vn Aug 25)