Never seen agricultural insurance as necessary as after Typhoon Yagi

During the discussion session in the hall on the results of the implementation of the socio-economic development plan for 2024 and the proposed plan for 2025 on November 4, the issue of supporting agricultural production losses after storms and floods, lessons from Typhoon Yagi, as well as focusing on exploiting and developing one of the country's endogenous resources (agriculture), were of interest to the deputies.

RESTRUCTURE THE ENTIRE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR TO SUSTAINABLY ADAPT

According to Deputy Nguyen Thi Thu Ha from Quang Ninh, our country has recently suffered severe consequences from natural disasters, including Typhoon No. 3 (Yagi) and Typhoon Tra Mi...

After the storms passed, many problems remained. The government needs to pay more attention and direct more thoroughly to overcome and support people and businesses. Currently, the regulations, mechanisms, and policies to support disaster recovery were issued from the previous period and have not been fully updated to include all affected subjects that need support; the content and level of support are still low compared to the significant damage caused by Typhoon No. 3.

Therefore, the deputy proposed that the government direct ministries, sectors, and localities to proactively propose and issue strong enough mechanisms and policies to support heavily affected sectors and fields, build a post-storm economic reconstruction plan; implement tax, fee, and land rent exemptions, reductions, and extensions for affected businesses, organizations, and people; prioritize allocating resources to quickly overcome incidents and damage to the transportation system, dikes, and irrigation reservoirs...

In particular, the government is requested to direct the review, amendment, and issuance of mechanisms and policies to support agricultural, forestry, and fishery production to restore production, mechanisms for salvaging ships and boats sunk by natural disasters, ensuring waterway traffic safety. Along with that, research technical standards and construction norms for infrastructure projects in anchorage areas, storm shelters, coastal works... to meet current climate change conditions.

Deputy To Ai Vang from Soc Trang emphasized the increasingly profound impact of climate change. Therefore, the deputy proposed that the government research and propose to the National Assembly to consider issuing flood insurance policies.

The deputy also supported the government's additional budget investment for 26 northern provinces and Thanh Hoa province to support production recovery and stabilize people's lives. At the same time, the government is requested to prioritize and improve the early disaster warning and forecasting system, especially through international cooperation...

On the afternoon of November 4, explaining and clarifying some issues raised by National Assembly deputies, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said that Typhoon Yagi left many lessons, including about humanity and the country's internal strength with the participation of hundreds of thousands of people from society. There were very difficult historical moments, with no perfect solution, only choosing the solution with the least damage.

According to the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, climate change is not a distant issue. Even countries with scientific and technological capabilities, disaster response, or large economic potential like the US and Europe have to withstand the disasters and shocks of natural disasters.

The issues identified after Typhoon Yagi to improve disaster prevention and response, adapt to climate change, and the shocks of natural disaster patterns once again show that "we must upgrade all thinking about disasters and natural disasters to a higher level and handle higher-level situations, including infrastructure, standards, regulations, and planning for coastal localities, divided spaces in the northern mountainous and midland regions," the minister said.

Regarding the deputies' concerns about supporting people after storms and floods, the minister said the ministry had submitted to the Prime Minister two draft decrees on supporting agricultural production losses due to natural disasters and supporting production losses due to animal diseases with the approach: "although we cannot fully compensate for all the losses of the people, we will not let the gap be too far from the people's disadvantages and losses."

In addition, it is necessary to design policies to prevent policy abuse, exploitation, and not make it difficult for those who suffer losses, as this is a very big issue.

"While resources are limited, we have redesigned the policies. One is to increase the support level, and two is to allow local governments through the People's Council to support more so that localities can support people promptly," the minister said.

Regarding agricultural insurance, the minister said they are redesigning the draft and submitting it to the Ministry of Finance to amend Decree 58 on agricultural insurance, because "never have we seen agricultural insurance as necessary as after Typhoon Yagi."

Thus, through Typhoon Yagi, it is required to restructure the entire agricultural sector to sustainably adapt. The cages in Van Don, Quang Ninh need to be more secure, and the ports need to withstand higher levels of storms.

In addition, regarding aquaculture, including cultivation and livestock. All of these must be issued with new standards and regulations to adapt, especially as we respond more dynamically and quickly from the central to local systems.

EU INSPECTORS RECOGNIZE VIETNAM'S IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBATING IUU FISHING

Regarding sustainable fisheries development, on November 4, 2024, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 111/CD-TTg on focusing on urgent and key tasks and solutions to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, preparing to welcome and work with the 5th inspection team of the European Commission.

According to the minister, the IUU regulations have also been stipulated in the 2017 Fisheries Law, and the important issue is implementation in practice.

Regarding measures to remove the yellow card for fisheries, the minister said that the EU's recommendations have been greatly improved. This is the effort of the entire political system from the central to local levels, the decisive direction of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and local leaders. This has been recognized by the EU inspection team. And we must join forces in this final period.

Currently, many localities have taken drastic actions to prevent illegal fishing... Many localities have very good marine farming such as Quang Ninh, Ha Tinh, Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan, Phu Yen, with communities co-managing fishery resources, previously exploiting offshore, now farming nearshore and inshore...

Many localities like Binh Dinh have had very drastic policies and actions, supporting people if they no longer fish in areas to regenerate fishery resources, even having the idea of banning fishing and supporting farmers during the fish breeding season. These drastic actions have demonstrated the involvement and determination of localities that need to be recognized.

The minister also suggested that deputies, besides supervising government members or the government, in voter meetings in 675 coastal communes, join with the government, with party committees, and local authorities to spread the spirit of sustainable fisheries development, reduce exploitation, increase farming, and marine conservation...

Previously, speaking on this issue, Deputy Chau Quynh Dao from Kien Giang proposed strictly implementing solutions for sustainable marine economic development, including regenerating fishery resources, coordinating synchronously between law enforcement forces at sea, local functional agencies to strengthen propaganda for fishermen to comply with the law, and strengthening patrol, inspection, and supervision to support fishermen promptly when facing difficulties; strictly handling violations.