WB funds VN’s animal husbandry

VGP - The World Bank (WB) will provide Việt Nam with a credit of nearly US $65.3 million, part of a US $79-million project to foster the country’s livestock competitiveness and food safety, according to deals signed by the bank and the State Bank of Việt Nam on December 10.

December 10, 2009 8:11 PM GMT+7

The signing ceremony of a financial agreement on livestock competitiveness and food safety between the World Bank and the State Bank of Việt Nam, Hà Nội, December 10, 2009

The project, to be first implemented in Hà Nội, Thái Bình, Hồ Chí Minh City and Đồng Nai, and then expanded to Hưng Yên, Hải Dương, Hải Phòng, Cao Bằng, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Long An and Lâm Đồng, is aimed at improving competitiveness of animal raising households through bettering productivity, quality, food safety and minimizing environmental pollution. It will last till mid-2015.

According to the WB, Việt Nam’s agriculture contributes 22% of the country’s gross domestic product and accounts for over 60% of its total labor force. Animal husbandry is expected to account for some 42% of the agriculture sector’s GDP in 2020, up from the current 27%.