Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trinh Viet Hung answered lawmakers' questions on October 31 about biotechnology development, climate change adaptation and investment in agricultural infrastructure.
Biotechnology development
Responding to a question from Hanoi deputy Nguyen Thi Lan about synthetic biotechnology, Hung said his ministry had proposed regulatory frameworks in line with Politburo Resolutions No. 57-NQ/TW and No. 36-NQ/TW and Prime Minister's Directive No. 13/CT-TTg.
He cited Prime Minister's Decision No. 1639/QD-TTg approving a bio-industry development scheme for environmental protection through 2030 and Decision No. 1466/QD-TTg for the agricultural sector.
Hung said the institutional framework, facilities, personnel and technology were basically sufficient. The main challenge now was rigorous implementation.
Over the past six months, the ministry commissioned the Vietnam National University of Agriculture to carry out two scientific and technological tasks with biotechnology components. At the same time, scientists, institutes, universities and research centres nationwide received research assignments, including biotechnology projects.
The ministry will continue coordinating with agencies, sectors, localities, institutes and universities to develop the field, Hung added.
Disaster prevention funding shortfall
Answering questions about disaster prevention, climate change adaptation and investment in agricultural infrastructure, the minister said central authorities had allocated about 40 trillion VND, or 1.5 billion USD, to the Mekong Delta for 2021–2025.
For 2026–2031, total funding had reached 23.5 trillion VND, including 15 trillion VND allocated by the Prime Minister and 8.5 trillion VND in official development assistance. The money is intended to address erosion, land subsidence, flooding, drought and saltwater intrusion through 2035 under Politburo Conclusion No. 26-KL/TW.
Hung said funding for disaster prevention works still fell short of demand. Nationwide needs for such measures, including work on erosion, subsidence, drought and saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta and heavy rain and flash floods in the north, are estimated at about 210 trillion VND. The central budget can currently cover about half of that amount, or 105 trillion VND.
Addressing concerns raised by Thai Nguyen deputy Ha Sy Huan after Storms Bualoi and Matmo severely affected the north, including Thai Nguyen, last year, the minister clarified the status of the Cau River flood control project.
The project was initially approved as three urgent projects, but construction began only several months later, in early 2026. As a result, funds designated for urgent projects can no longer be used for the works during 2026–2031. Funding must instead go through the standard medium-term public investment planning process.
He also said that under the Law on Public Investment, when a project's investment policy is approved at provincial level, the Ministry of Finance, rather than the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, is responsible for allocating the funds.
Key structures, including the Cau River dyke, Cha dyke and Thac Huong dam, have already secured medium-term funding in accordance with the law, Hung added.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
