The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Co-operative Department signed a memorandum of understanding with the Japan International Co-operation Agency last week for speeding up the second phase of a project to develop co-operatives.
It will provide training for officials and staff at co-operatives, introduce a classifying system, and help them draw on experiences from successful co-operative models around the world.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Minh Quang said the Government pays close attention to the agricultural sector which also has an enabling legal environment.
The first phase of the project began in Thai Binh and Hoa Binh Provinces in March 2006 and will come to an end in September this year.
It has proved successful, with some co-operatives providing technical services to farmers./.