Vietnam, Panama
Cooperate on Food
Vietnam and Panama
signed their first
cooperation agreement on
food production during a
visit by Panama
Agriculture, Science and
Technology Minister
Guillermo Salazar.
With Vietnamese
counterpart Cao Duc Phat,
Minister Salazar signed
a letter of intent
laying the foundations
for bilateral exchange
and cooperation in food,
agriculture and
mariculture.
Salazar said he is
satisfied with this
visit, that focused on
priority sectors for
Panama, where Vietnam
has achieved great
development.
Panama will start
planting rice to boost
productivity and develop
new varieties, and is
interested in low-risk
agriculture based on
Vietnam's water
management experience.
Salazar said that
watering systems will
get special attention
since Panama has the
highest annual rice
yield per capita in the
Americas (near 70kg) and
shifting rainfall due to
climate change has cut
rice, maize and grain
crops.
Panama's aquiculture
industry has focused on
shrimp, tilapia and
trout and here he
learned about grouper
and other ocean species.
Equal attention will
stimulate crops that
develop in poor soil
like some nut trees.
Salazar said the first
Vietnamese experts will
arrive in Panama in
August and mentioned an
invitation to a Hanoi
meeting at a former US
military base, which
today hosts centers for
research and technology
transfer. |
