MARD receives $3 million to improve rice seeds
MARD receives $3 million to improve rice seeds
The Cuu Long Rice Research Institute (CLRRI) will receive funding of more than US$3 million from the Fostering Innovation through Research, Science and Technology (FIRST) to implement a project.
The project aims to improve the quality of research and development for new rice seeds.
The project, as a part of the agreement, signed on December 29 between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's CLRRI and the Ministry of Science and Technology's FIRST, will help CLRRI master advanced technologies and develop new rice seeds that have better productivity and quality and generate higher economic values for the socio-economic development.
CLRRI will also be able to improve the quality of its employees and equipment to research and create new rice seeds that meet international standards, increase its income from research activities by 30 per cent to 35 per cent, and transform the CLRRI into a leading agricultural science and technology institute in the region once the project is completed.
"The Ministry of Science and Technology expects the CLRRI to implement the project efficiently to create new rice seeds for the country as rice is one of Viet Nam's six key products," Tran Quoc Khanh, deputy minister of science and technology said.
The project reflects the government's concern and determination to develop and improve state-owned science and technology research centres given difficulties with the country's economic development, Khanh said.
The FIRST project was launched by the World Bank in 2007 as the first science and technology project to fund and assist Viet Nam's science and technology organisations to master financial and technological resources in order to improve their performances.
