Launching a green future for the Mekong Delta

The 2nd Mekong Delta Startup Forum 2024

Updated on: 11/20/2024 11:37:49 AM

DTO - With the theme "Green economy - New driving force for development", the 2nd Mekong Delta Startup Forum in 2024 basically finds solutions to 2 "difficult problems": new trends, models and solutions to develop a green and sustainable economy in the Mekong Delta; promoting the innovative startup ecosystem (IEC) associated with the orientation of greening the economy.

Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat (second from right) and Secretary of Dong Thap Provincial Party Committee Le Quoc Phong (right cover) visit the exhibition space of typical products and applied technology in agriculture at the Forum.

Marking this important step is the launch of the Mekong Green Transformation Network and groundbreaking initiatives, which pave the way for a green economic future based on science and technology (S&T) in the Mekong Delta.

Driving force for the development of the startup ecosystem

The Mekong Delta is one of the key economic regions with nearly 60,000 operating enterprises, an average of 400-500 start-up projects per year and is the largest agricultural production region in Vietnam, contributing about 1/3 of the country's total agricultural GDP. However, the Mekong Delta is facing many huge challenges from climate change, posing an urgent need to transform the region's economy.

The 2nd Mekong Delta Startup Forum in 2024 was held to concretize the policy of Resolution No. 13 dated April 2, 2022 of the Politburo on the direction of socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security in the Mekong Delta region to 2030, with a vision to 2045; planning for the Mekong Delta region for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 of the Prime Minister.

The highlight of the Second Forum is to initiate the first Mekong Initiative Competition, receiving initiatives from individuals, groups of individuals, and organizations across the country and the Mekong Delta region to select typical, outstanding initiatives that can be replicated and are suitable for the development needs of society - contributing to the green transformation goal of the region, towards sustainable economic development of the Mekong Delta - adapting to climate change.

At the Forum, Dong Thap initiated the initiative to establish the Mekong Green Transformation Network, including working groups on green agriculture, green tourism, and green Mekong youth with the goal of forming forces, promoting public-private cooperation, contributing to realizing solutions for sustainable development and environmental protection, and green transformation.

Mr. Pham Thien Nghia - Chairman of Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee affirmed that, from the perspective of the Organizing Committee, the province realized that a number of major goals set for the Forum have been completed and initially met the expectations of organizations and enterprises participating in the Forum. The Forum has truly become a "red address" to call, gather, promote the spirit and actions of both public and private sectors, especially the force of start-up enterprises with innovative elements; forming the Mekong Green Transformation Network will be maintained and developed to become an effective public-private cooperation and dialogue platform associated with innovation to support, develop enterprises and promote green economic orientation in the area.

Lotus products displayed at the Forum attracted the attention and purchases of customers.

To realize the ideas at the Forum

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said that with an expanded and innovative scale compared to the first Forum, the second Mekong Delta Startup Forum in 2024 will make an important contribution to promoting awareness and innovation goals, finding solutions for specific and sustainable economic orientations of the Mekong Delta region based on the efforts and effective resource cooperation of both the public and private sectors.

Mr. Huynh Thanh Dat - Minister of Science and Technology (MOST) highly appreciated the Forum's creative approach, inheritance and clear objectives, contributing to solving practical problems. This is not only a testament to its success but also a driving force to promote the development of the innovation startup ecosystem in the Mekong Delta in particular and the whole country in general. In particular, the Forum has achieved many positive results, notably the launch of the Mekong Green Transformation Network - a public-private partnership initiative to promote sustainable solutions, environmental protection and regional economic development.

To realize the ideas at the Forum, Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat suggested that localities in the Mekong Delta region focus on a number of key orientations such as: actively researching and proposing specific mechanisms, experiments, and trials, while linking these mechanisms with major programs and projects that have been and are being implemented in the region to integrate innovation capacity into socio-economic tasks of localities, regions and the country; need to identify and remove difficulties, create favorable conditions for businesses and people to participate in start-up and innovation activities in the direction of green economy, circular economy; develop creative start-up ecosystems, science and technology markets, science and technology enterprises; implement innovative solutions to improve the Innovation Index (PII) of each locality.

Tourists visit OCOP products displayed at the Forum

The Minister of Science and Technology also emphasized the need to strengthen regional connectivity, invest in improving science and technology potential through developing facilities, equipment, high-quality human resources and mobilizing non-budgetary resources; mobilizing schools, research institutes, experts, domestic and foreign enterprises to participate in solving difficult problems in the region; improving research capacity, transferring and applying science and technology to serve socio-economic development. The Ministry of Science and Technology is drafting the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation and related decisions, focusing on breakthrough policy mechanisms to promote the innovative business ecosystem. At the same time, the Ministry has issued the National Science and Technology Program for the period up to 2030, localities need to actively participate to take advantage of resources, accelerate the goal of green economic development in the region.

Source: https://baodongthap.vn/kinh-te/khoi-dong-tuong-lai-xanh-cho-vung-dong-bang-song-cuu-long-127208.aspx