[hepr-vn] World Bank agrees $60m loan for VN

[Vern Weitzel]

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=03ECO200908

World Bank agrees $60m loan for VN

(20-09-2008)

WASHINGTON—The World Bank Board of Directors yesterday approved a credit of 
US$59.8 million in support of Viet Nam’s efforts to improve its agriculture 
competitiveness.

The funds, which come from the WB’s International Development Association, are 
earmarked for the Agriculture Competitiveness Project (ACP).

At the macro level, ACP supports the government’s strategy of market-oriented 
agricultural development, a key component in the campaign to eradicate poverty.

At the micro level, the project aims to strengthen the competitiveness of 
smallholder farms, especially in eight provinces in central Viet Nam, in 
collaboration with the agribusiness sector.

ACP is expected to improve farmers’ access to markets by providing technology 
services and critical public infrastructure for agriculture and facilitating 
farming organisations.

Also on the docket is the establishment of links between farmers and 
agribusinesses via four groups of stakeholders: smallholder farmers; 
agribusiness companies at local, national and international levels; provincial 
and central governments; and knowledge providers and the research community at 
large.—VNS