HANOI, VIETNAM - Media OutReach Newswire - 12 December 2023 - From December 11 to 14, 2023, the International Festival of Vietnam Rice Industry - Hau Giang 2023 takes place in Vi Thanh city, Hau Giang, featuring a series of events and conferences dedicated to the rice industry, all under the overarching theme 'Green Rice for Life.' Cleaner rice for life The festivities kick off with the opening ceremony of the "Vietnam Rice Road" Exhibition on the morning of December 11. The rice road, stretching along Xang Xa No Canal and Tran Hung Dao Street, serves as an exhibition space showcasing the thousand-year journey of Vietnamese rice, from its early stages to a period of prosperity and continuous development. The subsequent program features a demonstration of mechanized sowing and a circular agriculture model from straw. This event takes place at Hamlet 12, Vi Trung commune, Vi Thuy district, Hau Giang province on the morning of December 12, 2023. In this same location, the festival organizers will launch the implementation of the Project "Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares Specializing in High-Quality Rice Cultivation and Low Emissions, Associated with Green Growth in the Mekong Delta until 2030." Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Le Minh Hoan emphasized that the program "Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares Specializing in High-Quality Rice Cultivation and Low Emissions Associated with Green Growth in the Mekong Delta by the year 2030," will be implemented. The program aims to establish one million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation areas by reorganizing the production system along the value chain and implementing innovative processes. The goal of sustainable farming is to enhance value, promote the sustainable development of the rice industry, boost production and business efficiency, increase the income and quality of life for rice growers, safeguard the environment, adapt to climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative aligns with Vietnam's international commitments. On December 12, Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Tran Luu Quang hosted a courtesy call for Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Ambassadors of countries, and Chief Representatives of international organizations attending the International Festival of Vietnam's rice industry. Distinguished guests included the Ministers of Agriculture from Nepal and Venezuela and Deputy Ministers from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Sierra Leone. Additionally, Ambassadors from Australia, Canada, Denmark, and Singapore were present. Tran Luu Quang said that rice is a significant part of Vietnam's traditional and vital production industry, providing livelihoods for tens of millions of farmers nationwide. Vietnam has achieved remarkable success in rice production in recent years, making a substantial contribution to ensuring national food security and maintaining its position as one of the world's leading rice exporters, with constant growth in export turnover. The International Rice Festival provides an opportunity for exchanging information, sharing experiences, and coordinating policies to promote trade and investment in the rice industry, fostering global food security, prosperity, and sustainable development. World Bank (WB), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), World Economic Forum (WEF), Grow Asia, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), International Potato Center (CIP), OneCGIAR, Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD); SNV, Oxfam, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will participate in the festival. Vietnam is committed to sustainable development, climate change response, and fulfilling international responsibilities, and needs assistance from international organizations in implementing the Program to develop 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice. The opening program of the International Rice Industry Festival of Vietnam - Hau Giang 2023 commenced at 8:00 p.m. Vietnam time. During the opening ceremony, the Vietnam Prime Minister underscored Vietnam's rich history as a country with a longstanding wet rice civilization. Rice plants and grains are deeply intertwined with generations of culture, consistently nurtured, cherished, and developed by the Vietnamese. The Prime Minister reflected, "From a country that struggled to feed its population and had to import...