Decision No. 14/2007/QD-TTg on approving the "Program for Developing and Applying Biotechnology in the Processing Industry until 2020"

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the approval of the "Plan for the Development and Application of Biotechnology in the Processing Industry until 2020"

trong lĩnh vực công nghiệp chế biến đến năm 2020

___________________________

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to Directive No. 50/CT-TW dated March 4, 2005 of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam on accelerating the development and application of biotechnology to serve the industrialization and modernization of the country;

Pursuant to Decision No. 188/2005/QĐ-TTg dated July 22, 2005 of the Prime Minister on the issuance of the Government's Action Program to implement Directive No. 50/CT-TW dated March 4, 2005 of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam on accelerating the development and application of biotechnology to serve the industrialization and modernization of the country;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Industry.

DECISION:

Article 1. Approve the "Plan for the Development and Application of Biotechnology in the Processing Industry until 2020" (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) with the main contents as follows:

I. OBJECTIVES:

1. General objectives:

Conduct research to create advanced biotechnologies domestically, combine with importing modern biotechnologies from abroad, widely and effectively apply these technologies in the food processing industry and consumer goods production to improve the quality and competitiveness of processed products, serving domestic consumption needs and export.

2. Specific Objectives:

a) The period up to 2010:

- Conduct research to create advanced biotechnologies domestically, combine with importing and mastering modern biotechnologies in the processing industry from abroad that are suitable for our production conditions; widely and effectively apply these technologies in production to proactively produce high-quality and highly competitive processed industrial products on the market;

- Produce on an industrial scale various enzyme products (including recombinant enzymes), proteins, organic acids, amino acids, microbial preparations (including genetically modified products), biological active substances, additives, biofuels... to meet the development needs of the processing industry, serving other industries, agriculture, fisheries, and healthcare;

- Develop and strengthen biotechnology to serve the processing industry to produce on an industrial scale high-quality and highly competitive processed food and consumer goods, meeting domestic consumption and export demands;

- Strengthen significantly the scientific research capacity, development, and application of biotechnology in the processing industry, including: training high-level human resources, training technicians to deploy and apply biotechnology at production and processing facilities; select, recognize leading units, and establish key laboratories for microbial technology, complete and effectively put into operation key laboratories for enzyme and protein technology; invest deeply to upgrade technical infrastructure, expand and modernize the network of biotechnology laboratories in the processing industry.

b) The period 2011-2015:

- Vigorously apply modern biotechnologies in the processing industry; approach, master, and rapidly develop modern biotechnologies to create new strains of microorganisms with high quality, high fermentation efficiency, and stability in large-scale production; produce recombinant enzymes; bring the biotechnology in the processing industry of our country to a relatively advanced level in the region;

- Strongly and sustainably develop the biotechnology industry to serve the processing industry; create favorable markets to promote production, business, and services of core products and goods of biotechnology in the processing industry, meeting domestic consumption and export demands;

- Significantly enhance the capacity, including training human resources and building technical infrastructure for the development and application of biotechnology in the processing industry;

- Biotechnology in the processing industry contributes 20 to 25 percent to the total contribution of science and technology to the added value of the processing industry.

c) Vision until 2020:

- Bring the biotechnology in the processing industry of our country to the level of advanced countries in the region, some fields reaching the level of developed countries in the world;

- Biotechnology in the processing industry contributes over 40 percent to the total contribution of science and technology to the added value of the processing industry.

II. MAIN TASKS:

1. Basic research, applied research, research and development (R&D), and pilot production of products (P) to support the development of biotechnology in the processing industry.

a) Microbial technology:

- Conduct research to create and perfect small-scale microbial fermentation processes and equipment to produce and process food (beer, wine, condiments, beverages, meat, fish, and other agricultural, forestry, aquatic, and marine products), feed, additives, chemicals, pharmaceutical raw materials, biofuels, consumer goods... ensuring stable quality and high competitiveness in the market;

- Apply biotechnologies to conduct pilot production and industrial-scale production of microbial preparations (microbial biomass, preservatives, additives, food colorants, organic acids, amino acids, single-cell and multi-cell proteins...) to serve the food processing industry, feed, additives, chemicals, pharmaceutical raw materials, biofuels, consumer goods...; control the quality of raw materials and products derived from genetically modified technology in the processing industry;

- Apply modern biotechnology to isolate and create new strains of microorganisms with high quality, stability, and high fermentation efficiency, contributing to the strong development of the processing industry.

- Extensively and effectively apply biotechnology that has been researched, developed domestically or imported to improve product quality, diversify products, enhance market competitiveness, meet consumption and export demands, and contribute to promoting the development of the food processing industry.

b) Enzyme and protein technology:

- Research and perfect technological processes and equipment for applying enzyme technology on medium and small scales to produce and process food (various types of sugar, starch, beer, wine, fish sauce, soft drinks, and other agricultural, forestry, aquatic, and marine products); animal feed, additives, chemicals, pharmaceutical raw materials, biofuels, consumer goods, ensuring stable quality and high market competitiveness;

- Research and apply biotechnologies to trial-produce and industrially produce enzyme and protein products serving the food processing industry, animal feed production, additives, chemicals, pharmaceutical raw materials, biofuels, and consumer goods;

- Research and apply modern biotechnology to trial-produce certain recombinant enzymes for the food processing industry;

- Research and produce integrated equipment lines for applying enzymes and proteins in the food processing industry on medium and small scales;

- Extensively and effectively apply enzyme and protein technologies that have been researched, developed domestically or imported to improve product quality, diversify products, enhance market competitiveness, meet consumption and export demands, and contribute to promoting the development of the food processing industry.

2. Form and develop the biotechnology industry to promote production, business, and service of key products and goods in the food processing sector.

- Establish and encourage businesses of all economic sectors to strengthen investment in activities to receive and transfer biotechnology to sustainably develop the processing technology industry; widely and effectively apply technical advancements and new technologies to produce, trade, and provide services of key products and goods created by biotechnology in the food processing sector, meeting good consumption and export demands;

- Form and strongly develop the biotechnology industry serving the food processing industry, creating a favorable and transparent market to promote businesses' investment in production, trading, and service projects of processed products;

3. Build capacity to serve the development and application of biotechnology in the food processing sector.

a) Training human resources:

 - Short-term training for six to twelve months in countries with advanced biotechnology to enhance the professional level of science and technology staff who already hold doctoral or master's degrees;

- Send research students to countries with advanced biotechnology for new doctoral and master's degree training according to the research content of the Project;

- Train engineers in Vietnam; train doctoral and master's degree holders in biotechnology in the food processing sector according to the contents of the Project;

- Train highly skilled technicians in biotechnology in the food processing sector to implement the Project's contents at enterprises and localities;

- Enhance knowledge and improve capabilities for state management officials at ministries, sectors, localities, and enterprises regarding the development and application of biotechnology in the food processing sector;

 - By 2015, the training of human resources in biotechnology in the food processing sector needs to achieve: short-term training to enhance professional levels for 20-30 staff members; new training for 30-40 doctoral candidates, 50-60 master's degree holders, 200-250 practical engineers, and 400-500 technicians;

b) Building material and technical infrastructure and modernizing machinery and equipment:

- Invest deeply to upgrade and modernize research facilities and training institutions in biotechnology in the food processing sector; supplement and modernize material and technical infrastructure, machinery, and equipment for laboratories within the system to enhance research capabilities and effectively apply research results to practical production;

 - Supplement and invest in new key laboratories for microbial technology located at the Food Industry Institute under the Ministry of Industry and key laboratories for enzyme and protein technology for southern provinces (from Da Nang southward);

 - Build websites, connect networks, and put into operation a national database and information system on biotechnology in the food processing sector to timely and fully provide and share basic and latest information on biotechnology in the food processing sector for relevant units and individuals;

4. International cooperation to develop biotechnology in the food processing sector.

- Proactively receive, master, and transfer new and modern biotechnologies from around the world to effectively apply them in production in the food processing industry in Vietnam;

- Implement approximately 30 international cooperation research topics and projects with foreign organizations and individual scientists to effectively develop and apply biotechnology in the food processing sector in our country.

III. SOME KEY SOLUTIONS:

1. Strengthen the application of research results in production, encourage technology transfer activities, create a favorable investment environment, and strongly develop the biotechnology industry in the food processing sector.

- Vigorously implement basic research topics, applied research, scientific research, and technology development (R&D) to create new technologies, implement trial-production projects (P projects), international cooperation projects, and industrial-scale production projects of key products and goods in the food processing sector.

- Encourage the application of scientific research results and technological development in production; intensify domestic technology transfer activities and import new, advanced, and modern biotechnology from abroad in the processing industry sector to promote production, business, and service activities for key products and goods in the processing industry sector;

- Create favorable markets for biotechnology development, encourage the establishment of enterprises of all economic components, and incentivize them to invest strongly in applying biotechnology in the processing industry sector. The State will have preferential policies regarding credit capital, tax, land use rights, etc., for enterprises investing in developing and applying biotechnology in the processing industry sector.

2. Strengthen investment and diversify sources of capital to implement the contents of the Project effectively.

a) The total budget for implementing the Project will be determined based on the budget of each specific topic, project, and task approved by the competent authority. Annually, the State will allocate an increasing level of investment capital from the state budget to implement the contents of the Project; strengthen and diversify other sources of investment capital from domestic and foreign enterprises, organizations, individuals, foreign economic cooperation funds (ODA, FDI, etc.), and related international cooperation funds to develop and effectively apply biotechnology in the processing industry sector;

b) The total state budget capital for implementing the contents of the Project until 2015 is expected to be approximately 500 billion VND (on average about 50 billion VND per year). The state budget capital will be allocated for basic research tasks; applied research; scientific research and technological development (R&D); research to improve and innovate technology to enhance productivity, quality, and competitiveness of products; support for product trial production projects (Project P: eligible for a recovery rate of 60% of the total project cost); support for technology transfer to produce key products at industrial scale (technical-economic projects); deep investment to build technical infrastructure, laboratory systems, and modernize machinery and equipment; training human resources; international cooperation, and other relevant contents of the Project.

The Ministry of Industry will prepare long-term and annual state budget plans to implement the contents of the Project, send them to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance for these ministries to consolidate and submit to the Government for approval.

c) Development investment capital for the processing industry sector based on applying biotechnology to produce high-quality key products with strong market competitiveness, meeting consumption and export demands will be undertaken by enterprises.

3. Enhance the potential for biotechnology in the processing industry sector in terms of technical infrastructure and human resource training.

- Intensify the construction of technical infrastructure, modernization of equipment and machinery for laboratory systems and research and application institutions of biotechnology in the processing industry sector;

- Plan facilities within the processing industry sector towards sustainable development, forming a closed loop from the research stage of seeds, cultivation techniques, concentrated raw material areas, production organization, processing to business, service, and product trade;

- Intensify the training of qualified human resources at various levels: doctoral, master's, bachelor's, engineering technologists, and technicians to meet the demand for human resources to manage and effectively implement the contents of the Project, while serving the sustainable development of the processing industry sector in Vietnam.

4. Strengthen the construction and improvement of institutional mechanisms, policies, and regulatory legal documents on the development and application of biotechnology in the processing industry sector.

- Intensify the construction, issuance, and improvement of institutional mechanisms, policies, and regulatory legal documents on the development and application of biotechnology in the processing industry sector. Research institutes, universities, enterprises, scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs, and other organizations and individuals involved in the development and application of biotechnology in the processing industry sector will enjoy preferential policies with the highest ceilings on loan capital, credit, tax rates paid into the state budget, land use rights, stimulus policies, and other related policies according to current laws;

- Fully and strictly enforce intellectual property regulations to protect copyright and industrial property rights over microbial strains, technological processes, machinery, equipment, inventions, patents, etc., concerning biotechnology in the processing industry sector.

5. Expand and strengthen international cooperation to learn experiences in the development and application of biotechnology in the processing industry sector.

Strengthen bilateral cooperation, expand multilateral cooperation with countries having advanced biotechnology, and with foreign organizations and individuals with strong potential to learn experiences in the development and application of biotechnology in the processing industry sector. Proactively build and implement international cooperation programs, topics, and projects, especially with countries having advanced biotechnology, to take advantage of assistance in experience, intellectual capacity, financial resources, and attract investment to effectively develop and apply biotechnology in the processing industry sector in the country.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION:

1. The Ministry of Industry will lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology, relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to effectively implement the contents of the Project and report the results regularly annually to the Prime Minister.

The Minister of Industry shall establish the Steering Committee for the "Project on Developing and Applying Biotechnology in the Processing Industry" (hereinafter referred to as the Project Steering Committee), headed by the Minister of Industry, with the Deputy Minister of Industry overseeing the relevant field serving as Vice Chairman, and the representative of the Science and Technology Department serving as secretary member. Other members of the Steering Committee include representatives from functional agencies of the Ministry of Industry and department-level (department) representatives from some ministries, sectors, and localities related to the Project (Office of the Government; Ministries of Science and Technology, Agriculture and Rural Development, Planning and Investment, Finance, Education and Training, Fisheries, Health; People's Committees of Hanoi City and Ho Chi Minh City). The Project Steering Committee operates according to the operational regulations issued by the Minister of Industry concurrently serving as the Chairman of the Project Steering Committee.

The Minister of Industry shall approve or decide to support investment for topics, projects, and tasks of the Project based on the proposal of the Project Steering Committee and the evaluation and review opinions of the Scientific and Technological Advisory Council. The selection, organization, implementation, assessment, and acceptance of results of topics, projects, and tasks must comply strictly with current laws governing scientific and technological activities.

2. The Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance shall allocate sufficient funds in long-term plans and annually for the Ministry of Industry to organize the implementation of the contents of the Project in accordance with schedule and effectively.

3. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall cooperate with the Ministry of Industry in building and enhancing material, technical, machinery, and equipment capabilities for the system of research, development, and application institutions of biotechnology in the processing industry; establishing mechanisms and policies to encourage technology transfer, development, and application of biotechnology in the processing industry.

4. The Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Fisheries, and Health shall closely cooperate with the Ministry of Industry in developing plans and organizing the implementation of topics, projects, and tasks within their respective management scope regarding the development and application of biotechnology in the processing industry.

5. The Ministry of Education and Training shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Finance to allocate funds and train human resources in biotechnology for the processing industry for the Project.

6. Ministries, sectors, localities, and enterprises that wish to participate in implementing the contents of the Project related to their functions and responsibilities shall register with the Ministry of Industry and the Project Steering Committee for consideration.

Article 2. This Decision shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 3. The Minister of Industry, the Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairmen of provincial and centrally-administered city People's Committees, and organizations and individuals concerned are responsible for enforcing this Decision./.