Hanoi (VNA) - The domestic agriculture sector is in need of solutions to optimisecapital and science and technology, thus raising productivity, quality, andvalue in service of both domestic and foreign markets, the fifth nationalfarmers’ forum held in Hanoi on October 13 heard.

Thao Xuan Sung,Chairman of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union, said in his opening remarks thatagriculture and rural areas have proven to be the foundation of the nationaleconomy and significantly contributed to the country’s stability, integration,and development.

Some 1,200businesses have invested in the sector, he said, adding that there are 15,800agricultural cooperatives, 40,000 farms, and 8 million farming households.

First held in2016, the forum this year focused on links between farmers, the State,investors, banks, scientists, and distributors in terms of capital andtechnology.

Le Van Viet,Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Xuyen Viet Seafood Trade and ProductionCooperative in northern Hai Duong province’s Gia Loc district, proposed theState develop large-scale concentrated production areas that will providematerials for processing factories, and roll out preferential credit policiesfor cooperatives.

Pham Thi ThanhTung, head of the Department of Credit for Agriculture under the State Bank ofVietnam (SBV), said it regards agriculture and rural areas, including high-techagriculture and connectivity in the sector, as among its priorities.

Meanwhile, theVietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) is making effortsto offer loans for agriculture, especially high-tech agriculture, through a 100trillion VND (4.31 billion USD) credit package, the bank’s Deputy GeneralDirector Pham Toan Vuong said./.