(VOV/VNA) - The 24th meeting of the Asia-Pacific Commission on Agricultural Statistics (APCAS 24) opened in Da Lat city of the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on Monday, with 85 delegates from 25 countries and international organizations taking part. Jointly organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Vietnam ’s General Statistics Office, the five-day event will look at ways of ensuring the accuracy and quality of agricultural statistics, as they determine the nature of agricultural and rural development policies in the region. In his opening address, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Dao Quang Thu underlined the significance of the meeting: “During the meeting, the delegates will listen to the experiences and suggestions of experts from FAO and other countries. The event will help regional countries to ensure the integrity of their agricultural statistics and draw up plans to implement the global strategy on agricultural statistics in each country and in the Asia-Pacific region.”

 Deputy Minister Thu said the agricultural development is essential and a goal set by the Vietnamese Party and State to eradicate poverty, ensure food security, and improve living standards of rural people. It also helps protect the environment and will enable the country to achieve the Millennium Development Goals committed to by Vietnam and 188 other countries. 

This is the first time that APCAS has been held in Vietnam since it was formed in 1966. It is convened every two years.