Scaling-up Program Regional Conference for Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP)

1. Scaling-up Program Regional Conferencefor Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) Human Capacity and the Development of Vietnam Agriculture and Rural Sector Dr. Cao Duc Phat Minister of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

2. Vietnam's agriculture and rural development play an important role in the country's overall Socio-economic development • 55% labor resources • 18% contribution to GDP • 17% export income • Labor force in agriculture: 23 millions

3. Ministry’s research institutes and universities have 7.276 scientists by 2005 • 506 Ph.D. (accounts for 6.9%) • 818 Masters (account for 11.19%). • Distribution varies among sectors • Planting: 31.62% Ph.D.s and 29.95% Masters • Livestock:13.24% Ph.D.s, 12.10% Masters • Forestry: 12.45% Ph.D.s, 14.45% Masters • Water resources: 27.78% Ph.D.s, 29.71% Masters • Agriculture mechanic and post-harvest processing: 4.71% Ph.D.s, 3.55% Masters; • the remaining is divided among other sectors

4. Low percentage of trained labor force • 24.79% (for the whole country); • 13.2% (for rural areas). • The shortage of the top scientists in some important areas such as: • Bio-Technology • Post-harvest technology, • Management of water resources • Agriculture economics and rural development • Uneven Distribution and low usage of existing capacity. • Young scientists of MARD lack foreign languages skills, particularly English, which pose great difficulties for them in enriching their knowledge

5. Post-graduate training at: • Hanoi Water Resources University • University of Forest • 9 research institutes. • Have trained a large number of young scientists in last 27 years. • 643 Ph.D.s • 1.433 Masters • Study abroad under the Scholarship Program 322 of the Government and granted scholarships • 190 Ph.D. students • 349 Masters students • 26 post-doctorate students

6. Many well-trained people are holding key positions at research institutes, universities and government departments. • Contributions to training, studying, state governing and production managing are positive and important human resources for rural industrialization and modernization.

7. Vietnam agriculture is confront challenges : • Maintaining high development index in order to create further jobs, increase farmer income, targeted on hunger eradication and poverty reduction. • Enhancing agriculture competitiveness capability, participating effectively in international integration after WTO accession. • Overcoming challenges and achieve objects we propose: • Continue policy reform • Increase R&D • Human Capability Development • Invest for Infrastructure. • Administration reform.

8. Priority areas for training: • Bio-technology • Agronomy • Livestock and animal heaths • Forestry • Water resources Managementand hydraulics construction • Post harvest technology • Agriculture Economics and Rural Development. • The animal requirement of trained staffs for agencies are at least 100 Ph.D. and 400 Masters; greater number for the whole sector.

9. We welcome any support for our human capacity building. We do hope to receive further and effective support from the World Bank and Government of Japan for human capability building.

10. Thank you for your attention!