Science and technology activities in 2017 reviewed

Photo: VGP

In his remark, the Government leader urged participants to discuss the role of the MST and provincial Departments of Science and Technology in State management work, thus creating favorable conditions for the development of science and technology.

He highly appreciated the effective application of science and technology products in various spheres, including aquaculture, banking and finance, medicine, environment and construction equipment.

The application of science and technology in high-tech agricultural production helped agricultural exports to exceed crude oil exports in 2017, the PM highlighted.

Photo: VGP

According to the MST, the science and technology sector contributed over 30% of the added value in agricultural production and 38% of the added value on the production of seeds and animal breeds. Some plants and animals produced high yields compared to other countries in the region and around the world, with rice production leading the ASEAN region, the outputs of tra fish and pepper leading the world, and the coffee and rubber outputs ranking second globally.

The high-tech agricultural production models continued to develop in value chains with the participation of an increasingly number of groups and businesses. The results of science and technology activities led Viet Nam’s Global Innovation Index (GII) to jump 12 places to 47th among 127 countries and economies, its highest position thus far.

Photo: VGP

In the efforts to reform administrative procedures and improve the business and investment climate, the MST took the lead in implementing the reforms of management and specialized inspection over import and export goods. As many as 91% of commodity groups under the MST’s management, equivalent to 96% of batches of products and goods at the customs clearance step, have been shifted into the post-clearance audit mechanism, which has helped to reduce the inspection time at border gates by one day from 13 days.

The startup ecosystem has developed widely with more than 40 venture capital funds and 30 incubators, contributing to increasing the number of startup businesses to over 3,000, almost doubling the 2015 figure.

                                                                                                                                         By Vien Nhu