Illustrative image (Source: VNA)This is part of the ministry’s official developmentassistance (ODA) endeavours, the ministry said on February 21.
As a model of interdepartmental collaboration thatcombines the Korea Forest Service’s ongoing mangrove reforestation efforts,covering 30 hectares for 2020-2024 with a budget of 4.5 billion KRW (3.78million USD) and the MOF’s aquaculture expertise, the project is expected torestore habitats rich in organic matter through mangrove rehabilitation andcreate synergy with shellfish farming.
More specifically, through the project, the MOF willmodernise aging seed production facilities and idle aquaculture sites innorthern Vietnam as well as dispatch Korean aquaculture experts to the regionfor technology transfer and capacity-building education.
These measures are expected to revitalise aqua farmingin the region and raise income levels in local communities.
The coastal region in northern Vietnam, the targetarea of the project, is home to mangrove forests and tidal wetlands. After 1995,the region experienced a “Golden Era” with a booming shellfish farmingindustry.
However, the overfishing of marine resources andcoastal environmental degradation in recent years have had grave implicationson the natural production of seed clams, causing disruptions in the supply ofclam seeds and, in turn, a sharp drop in shellfish harvests.
To address this, the Vietnamese government requested the RoK side share its leading aquaculture farming techniques.
After a two-year pilot project, the full-scale projectwill be implemented from 2022 to 2026 with a total budget of 3 billion KRW (2.52 million USD).
“This is our first ODA project that integrates our advancedaquaculture and reforestation techniques,” said Kim Hyun-Tae, Director Generalfor International Cooperation Policies at the MOF.
“We expect that this will not only resuscitateVietnam's sluggish aquaculture production, but also provide an inroad forKorean aquaculture feed and facility businesses to enter overseas markets.”/.
VNA
