DECISION

APPROVING THE DETAILED MASTER PLAN ON RADIATION DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE THROUGH 2020

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government At the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,

DECIDES:

To approve the detailed master plan on radiation development and application in agriculture through 2020 (below referred to as the master plan) with the following principal contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS

1. Radiation development and application in agriculture must be associated with the process of agricultural industrialization and modernization and bring into play the preeminent properties of radiation techniques for rapidly creating products with high productivity, quality and competitiveness.

2. Radiation development and application in agriculture must be based on selective and comprehensive investment in increasing physical foundations and human resources for research and application institutions, and mobilize the participation and coordination of branches and association of different economic sectors, especially science and technology enterprises and organizations.

3. To closely combine radiation techniques with modern biotechnologies for shortening the research process to create products in the domain of radiation application for agricultural development.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives

To step up radiation application to contribute to sustainable agricultural development along the line of producing commodities with high productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness and assuring food security in the immediate future and long term as well.

2. Specific objectives

- To annually create and put into production 3-4 mutated varieties for each type of agricultural plants; 1-2 mutated varieties for fruits, industrial perennials and forestry plants; and 3-4 new strains for each type of microorganisms, so that mutated varieties or strains will account for at least 40% of total new plant varieties and microorganisms;

- To build and develop a process of insect multiplication on an industrial scale and sterile insect techniques (SITs) for major harmful insects so that by 2020 this process will help manage 50% of major harmful insects on plants with SITs;

- To build and apply a process of post-harvest radiation for major vegetables and fruits, some kinds of livestock and poultry meat and fresh and live or frozen aquatic products so that by 2015 and 2020 this process will help treat at least 35% and 70%, respectively, of exported agricultural products with radiation techniques.

III. PRINCIPAL CONTENTS

1. Radiation development and application in agriculture

To apply radioactive mutation methods in combination with traditional methods and biotechnologies for selecting and creating new plant varieties (paddy, maize, bean, tuber plants, vegetables, flowers, fruits, industrial plants and forestry plants) which are of high productivity and quality and resistant to major harmful insects and severe conditions and suitable to different eco-zones: to select and create new varieties of microorganisms for producing fertilizers and environmental treatment preparations and protecting plants, livestock and fisheries.

To apply radiation and radioactive isotopes for sterilizing male insects, determining the movement of insects and studying residues of plant protection drugs in products.

To use radiation and radioactive isotopes for assessing residues of heavy metals in aquaculture and treating environmental pollution in consolidated aquaculture zones.

To study, develop and apply radiation for treating and preserving a number of major vegetable and fruit products, livestock and poultry meat and products thereof, fresh and live or frozen, and fresh and live aquatic products for domestic consumption and export.

2. Laboratories and radiation institutions for research and application activities

to upgrade 2 existing laboratories into centers for researching and applying nuclear techniques to selecting and creating plant varieties and microorganisms, based at the Agriculture Heredity Institute and Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, with modern and complete physical foundations and equipment and capable of applying radiation techniques and radioactive isotopes to the settlement of agriculture-related matters.

- To build 2 laboratories for researching SITs with radiation at the Plant Protection Institute and Mekong River Delta Rice Institute;

- To build 2 laboratories for analyzing radioactive isotopes in fertilizers and soils at the Soils and Fertilizers Institute and Southern Agricultural Science and Technique Institute;

- To build 2 laboratories for analyzing radioactive isotopes in husbandry and animal health at the Animal Health Institute and Southern Agricultural Science and Technique Institute:

- To build 2 laboratories for analyzing radioactive isotopes in fisheries at Aquaculture Research Institute I and Aquaculture Research Institute III:

- To build 2 laboratories for inspecting radiated agricultural products and food at the Agricultural Electro-Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology Institute and the Agricultural Electro-Engineering and Post-Harvest Technology Sub-Institute:

-From 2010 to 2015.

- By 2020. to build 2-3 factories to produce harmful sterile insects of economic significance in the Mekong River delta, the Red River delta and/or central region for mass production of sterile insects to be released into the natural environment, control 2-3 species of harmful insects of economic significance, and keep under control the most dangerous pesticides to serve the program on integrated pest management and agricultural safety;

- By 2015. to support the construction of 2-3 radiation institutions for preserving agricultural products and food on an industrial scale in each of northern, central and southern regions. Radiation institutions' capacity must suit each type of agricultural products and volume of agricultural products subject to radiation in the region.

IV. SOLUTIONS

1. Increasing investment in physical foundations and equipment

The State prioritizes allocation of budgets to increase physical foundations and equipment for radiation research, development and application in agriculture under investment projects according to the contents specified in Section III.

2. Performing scientific and technological tasks

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for.

3. Training human resources

4. International cooperation

To expand international cooperation in research, development and human resource training on radiation application to agriculture, especially with other countries, territories, foreign organizations and individuals with an advanced scientific and technological level under international cooperation protocols and projects.

5. Capital sources

To diversify capital sources for radiation development and application in agriculture, including:

6. Mechanisms and policies

- Organizations and individuals that research and apply radiation in agriculture may receive the State's highest incentives and supports for scientific research, technological development, technology experimentation and transfer under law;

- Public science and technology organizations and other organizations may receive the highest state budget supports for investment in building infrastructure facilities and furnishing equipment for laboratories and production establishments that apply radiation to agriculture under approved investment projects.

To implement policies to prioritize and support the training and employment of human resources in radiation research and application in agriculture under law.

V. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and branches and provincial-level People's Committees in. organizing the implementation of this master plan, and annually report implementation results to the Prime Minister; and directly organize the performance of the tasks on radiation research and application in agriculture in the domains under its management.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Science and Technology and concerned agencies in. allocating state budget capital for implementation of this master plan under the State Budget Law.

3. The Ministry of Science and Technology and concerned ministries and branches shall, within the ambit of their functions and tasks, direct and organize the implementation of this master plan's relevant contents.

4. Provincial-level People's Committees shall, based on this master plan, implement its contents in their localities.

5. Organizations and individuals that wish to participate in implementing the contents, tasks and projects under this master plan shall register their participation with concerned ministries and branches and provincial-level People's Committees in charge of relevant tasks for consideration and permission.

This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, chairpersons of provincial-level People's Committees, and concerned agencies shall implement this Decision.-