Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at an online conference on science and technology with provinces and central level cities. (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Scientific research must follow reality’s demands, Prime Minister NguyenXuan Phuc said at an online conference on science and technology with provincesand central level cities on January 4.
Investment inscience and technology should be made in line with real needs with prioritygiven to projects of practical contribution to national development, the PMsaid.
He emphasizedsix factors ensuring the successful development of science and technology, whichare institutions, mechanisms; human resources; financial resource;infrastructure; integration capacity; and the State management capacity.
“The generalspirit is to release all innovative resources to take the country forwards andthe Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) must submit solutions to removebarriers hindering the development of science and technology,” said the PM.
Leaders ofministries, agencies and local governments shared the view that science andtechnology are the driving force for socio-economic development.
In 2016,Vietnam’s budget for science and technology approved by the National Assemblywas over 17.7 trillion VND (796 million USD), equal to 1.4 percent of the Statebudget.
According to theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development, scientific and technologicaladvances have contributed around 30 to 40 percent to the sector’s growth, helpingraise the rice yield per hectare from 5.54 tonnes per hectare in 2011 to 5.77tonnes per hectare in 2015, one of the highest yields in the region.
In the past, thecountry had to import 70 percent of domestic needs for plant and animalvarieties, but the figure now has reduced to under 30 percent.
In theindustrial sector, domestic research institutes and enterprises have been ableto produce sophisticated products or implemented big projects like the Tam Dao05 Drill Platform.
Scientific andtechnological research activities have also helped promote innovative startups.Vietnam currently have around 1,800 startups and more than 20 foreign ventureinvesting in startups in the country.
The science andtechnology sector has played an important role in dealing with naturaldisasters and environmental incidents and coping with climate changes.
Vietnam wasranked 59th in the Global Innovation Index 2016. - VNA
