An onverview of the 8th National Farmers' Forum. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) –The collective economy and cooperatives have made important contributions to the country's economic growth, and social security and equality, and created many jobs for domestic labourers, especially the disadvantaged in society, Deputy PrimeMinister Le Minh Khai said on October 12.
Khai made the remarks at the 8th National Farmers’ Forum with thetheme “Vietnam Farmer's Union participates in the development of the collectiveeconomy in agriculture”, which drew the attendance of 100 outstanding Vietnamese farmers and representatives of 63 exemplarycooperatives, as well as numerous experts and scientists.
In recent years, the collectiveeconomic sector has developed in both quantity and quality while farmers' unions and members play a leading role in the development of the collective economy,Khai said.
He pointed out numerous difficulties that cooperatives are facing, includingchallenges in terms of capital, land, agricultural product consumption,management capacity and policies, among others.
Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai addresses the forum. (Photo: VNA)The Deputy PM suggested the Vietnam Farmers' Union (VFU) honour and multiply effective collective economic organisations, promote the resultsachieved in recent times as well as guide the establishment of morecooperatives and cooperative groups on the basis of professional associations.
It is essential for cooperatives to be proactive and creative, and innovate theirways of thinking and working, he said, adding that their products must have brand names and meet the requirements of the domestic and world markets, especiallyassociated with the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Programme
Digital transformation should be applied to production and business activitiesalong with the adoption of new scientific and technical advances to moderniseproduction and improve product competitiveness, Khai went on.
Addressing the forum, Chairman of the VFU Central Committee Luong Quoc Doanhighlighted the role of the collective economy and cooperatives in nationaleconomic growth, creating jobs and new-style rural communities.
Through the activities of its chapters, the union has attracted nearly 570,000farmer households, contributing to the establishment of over 23,000 collectiveeconomic models that operate effectively, he said. They include over 3,800cooperatives and over 19,000 cooperative groups with average revenue of eachcooperative reaching 4.7 billion VND (193,300) and a profit of 350 million VNDa year.
The forum focused mainly on a number of major issues, including the currentdevelopment situation of the collective economy in Vietnam. Participants alsoproposed recommendations on mechanisms and policies to promote the developmentof the collective economy in the agricultural sector./.
