The French Development Agency (AFD) has provided a loan of EUR 40 million and a grant of EUR 1 million to support the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s integrated rural development project in central provinces.
French Ambassador to Vietnam Hervé Bolot, Director General of the External Finance Department (Ministry of Finance) Nguyen Thanh Do and AFD Director to Hanoi Alain Henry signed the two financing agreements in Hanoi on December 17.
The project is co-financed by the Vietnamese Government, the Asian Development Bank and the AFD with a total cost of US $172.2 millions (EUR 132,4 millions).
It aims to reduce poverty and to improve livelihood in 13 provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Kon Tum, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan, through the improving of factors of production and the commercialisation of agricultural produce for the rural populations, as well as their access to basic services.
In particular, the project will provide funds for developing irrigation infrastructure facilities though the rehabilitation of existing primary and secondary irrigation canals, the upgrading of rural roads and markets facilities, improving access to basics such as clean water and sanitation, and coastal defences such as sand dune stabilisation, and anti-salination control.
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