[03/22/2009] ADB Backs Vietnam's Move To Improve Food Safety
HANOI - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday approved a US$95 million loan for Vietnam to help further improve the safety, quality and quantity of its commercial food crops and develop biogas as an alternative energy supply to households.
Vietnam News Agency (VNA), citing an ADB's Monday press release, reported that the loan would be used for the Quality and Safety Enhancement of Agricultural Products and Biogas Development Project, which are estimated to cost US$110.4 million.
The project is designed to better food regulations and quality control systems to meet both domestic and export standards alongside assisting the development of new infrastructure and facilities to support safe food products and the building of biogas plants to reduce hazards from livestock waste.
The project will provide financial support, including a credit line, to around 40,000 households to develop biogas digesters, which both reduce pollution and provide alternative energy source.
ADB said it expects the project will directly benefit around 6.5 million farmers in 16 provinces and generate about 1.4 million jobs in post-harvest work, thus contributing to reducing poverty incidence in the target localities from 19 percent to 10 percent over the period of 2016 to 2020.
Mahfuzuddin Ahmed, Senior Agricultural Economist ADB's Southeast Asia Department said it is critical for Vietnam to make improvements in product quality and food safety if the country aims to maintain and increase its international market in the field.
