The International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) will help Vietnam develop a sustainable and environmental-friendly organic farming, said President Andre Leu. The IFOAM’s president made this commitment at a reception in Hanoi on Sept 24 given by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. The international movement will develop schemes to foster closer links between the Vietnam Association of Organic Agriculture and their counterparts in the region and beyond, Mr. Leu pledged. The move is to enable Vietnam to have wider access to organic farm produce, he noted. In turn, Deputy PM Phuc expressed Vietnam’s hope to receive technical assistance, training, certification, market expansion and trademark advertising from the IFOAM to boost its production and trade of organic farm produce. Vietnam, an agricultural country, has an undeveloped organic farming. Local farmers still have relied on chemicals, and they often overuse these toxic substances in farming. A large volume of their products contain high residues of pesticides, antibiotics and growth regulators. (Nong Thon Ngay Nay – Countryside Today Sept 25 p2)
