The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) plans to raise the amount of official development assistance (ODA) for Vietnam’s agriculture sector, said Tsuno Motonori, head of the agency’s office in the Southeast Asian nation. JICA’s assistance aims to enhance farmers’ cultivation techniques, state management of agriculture irrigation and production of textbook for the new rural development as well as to upgrade infrastructure in rural areas, Mr. Motonori noted. So far, JICA has supported Vietnam’s agriculture and rural development with $150 million in 30 projects. It has also supplied loans of $500 million for some major irrigation projects as well as contributed to improve Vietnamese rural infrastructure. (Nong Thon Ngay Nay – Countryside Today May 13 p10)
