(VOVworld) – Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has said that a greater effort is needed to accelerate agriculture restructuring towards creating products of higher value. He said it would also help Vietnam achieve sustainable development and build a new rural model.

He told an agricultural conference in Hanoi on Tuesday that farmers should form the core of agriculture restructuring and new rural model building. To do this, he suggested the sector introduce effective policies and step up the application of scientific and technological advances, especially bio-technology and information technology that is designed to improve agricultural management and rural modernization. Prime Minister Dung said: “Agricultural restructuring should go together with new rural development, in which farmers play a central role. This is Vietnam’s primary political task that requires the involvement of the party, army and people.”

Prime Minister Dung advised the sector to develop cooperative links, primarily between farmers and businesses. He said this would go a long way toward harmonizing their interests, creating highly competitive products, and increasing product quality. Prime Minister Dung asked the sector to offer more incentives to rural development and business production, with a focus on developing farm produce processing, generating jobs and increasing farmers’ incomes.