More than 500 delegates from 150 countries and 20 international
organisations gathered in Ha Noi yesterday, calling for more
efforts on development of climate-smart agriculture that will
better ensure food security. Speaking at the opening plenary
session of the 2nd Global Conference on Agriculture, Food
Security and Climate Change (AFC), Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development Cao Duc Phat stressed the increased negative
impacts of climate change on agriculture production, especially
in regions with adverse natural conditions. “We are facing
unprecedented challenges in the context of over-exploitation of
natural resources, increased negative impacts of drought,
flooding, salinity, a rising sea level and other environmental
consequences that are directly caused by humans,” Phat said.
“This requires countries to come up with smart and comprehensive
policies in developing agriculture and integrating them in their
national strategic plan.” Hans Hoogeveen, the Netherlands’ Vice
Minister for Agriculture, sai