Vietnam

Vietnam's forests remain dependent on public resources, including international development assistance, for the delivery of public and private services that include... Show More + timber production, state forest management, forest protection and biodiversity conservation, and extension and research. Public subsidies are also provided to smallholder forest owners to stimulate investments into the sector. For the Government it is important to efficiently manage public resources as well as secure adequate resource flows from private actors to achieve the sector's development objectives. This study provides an overview of the more recent developments in the forestry sector as well as basic analytical support to the Government, in particular policy makers in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Planning and Investment, with regard to structure, trends, and main functions of public and other expenditure in the forestry sector. The study assesses resource adequacy and whether public spending is appropriately prioritized and aligned with sector objectives. Given the constraints of limited availability and quality of data, the overall picture of sector expenditure remains incomplete, but it nevertheless provides a useful basis for further analytical work and discussion. Show Less -

Vietnam's agricultural sector is undergoing major structural changes. Production and trade of high-value commodities such as fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, and seafood... Show More + products have grown over the last decade at a rate of approximately 4 to 6 percent per year, while those of the traditional bulk products, for example, rice, rubber, and sugar cane, stabilized. Growth in fruit, vegetables, and meat was almost entirely driven by domestic demand, however, as international market access is hampered by Vietnam's lack of competitiveness, including its difficulty in complying with the quality and sanitary and phytosanitary standards of the international markets. Provided these standards are met, high-value fruits such as litchi, mangosteen, and dragon fruit, vegetables, and meat products will be possible new products with export potential. The need to take action is urgent. While significant progress has been made in some sectors, particularly in the fisheries export sector, additional action is required to strengthen Vietnam's capacity to manage food safety and agricultural health. Show Less -