The Deputy PM said the OCOP programme will help restructure the rural economy,reduce migration of rural labourers to cities, and protect the environment, aswell as maintain social stability in rural areas.
Speaking at the Global OCOP Network Connection Forum held in Ho Chi Minh Cityon April 17, Hue noted that the programme improves the quality of Vietnameseagricultural products and services, and enhances trademarks and the value oflocal products both nationally and globally.
“Thanks to the programme, many quality products with great designs made inrural areas are distributed in prestigious local and foreign stores,supermarkets and supermarket chains,” he said.
“The programme has improved the new rural area development model, especiallythe livelihood criterion that is part of the model,” he noted.
According to the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MARD), that 42of 63 provinces and major cities have approved implementation of OCOP projects.
The programme’s objectives in the 2018-20 period include improving agriculturaland non-agricultural products and services in each locality, creating a valuechain with the involvement of the private and public sectors.
Developing agricultural tourism is also one of the important measures, he said.
Vietnam has 6,010 registered agricultural enterprises, co-operatives andproduction households, with 4,823 “strong” (those with a competitive advantage)agricultural products, he added.
Groups of goods and services defined in the programme include food (fresh andprocessed farm produce); beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinking);medicinal herbs (products made from herbal plants); fabric and textiles(products made from cotton and yarn); souvenirs, furniture, and decorations(products made from wood, fiber, rattan, metal and ceramics); and rural tourismservices and sales (services for sightseeing, tourism, study and research).
The programme is implemented at an estimated cost of 45 trillion VND (1.94billion USD).
Capital comes from many sources such as SMEs, cooperatives, and productionhouseholds, as well as loans from credit institutions, investment funds, SMEsdevelopment funds, and funding from international organisations.
To date, 43 countries have approved the OCOP programme, 20 of which have joinedthe network.
The one-day forum was chaired by MARD in coordination with the Vietnam HandicraftExport Association (Vietcraft), “One Village, One Product” (OVOP) InternationalCooperation Committee (Japan), and the OCOP Global Network Connection.
The forum aims to strengthen cooperation between the countries in implementingOVOP or OCOP programmes, as well as promoting the OVOP or OCOP movement in theworld and Vietnam. - VNA