The biggest challenges for local farmers are a lack of technical knowledge and a limited access to disease-resistant breeding stock. — VNA Photo

CAN THO (Biz Hub) — A roundtable on aquaculture held in Can Tho city yesterday, provided a chance to brainstorm ways to sustainably develop the Mekong Delta region's sector.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region and the German Agency for International Co-operation (GIZ) jointly organised the event as part of the Mekong Delta Economic Cooperation Forum also held this week in Soc Trang Province.

MARD Deputy Minister, Tran Thanh Nam said the Mekong Delta region has huge aquaculture potential, but its growth faces a number of challenges. A low investment rate, lack of coordination between the involved parties, and an increase in the frequency of natural disasters threaten to handicap the sector's growth.

To address these difficulties, Nam said all relevant stakeholders need to actively participate in the implementation of comprehensive measures.

For example, Nguyen Van Trong, deputy head of the Research Institute for Aquaculture, suggested that authorities run public awareness campaigns on the impact of climate change in order to boost the sector's long-term resilience.

Hua Tran Hoang, an aquaculture farmer in An Bien District in Kien Giang Province, said the biggest challenges for local farmers are a lack of technical knowledge and a limited access to disease-resistant breeding stock.

He suggested farmers be trained in new farming techniques and increase their access to disease-resistant breeds to increase productivity. — VNS