Mechanisms, human resources, and funding remain obstacles.
Resolution No. 36-NQ/TƯ on “Developing and Applying Biotechnology to Serve the Sustainable Development of the Country in the New Situation,” issued by the Politburo on January 30, 2023, identified the goal of focusing on development and striving to make Vietnam a country with a developed biotechnology sector in the world, a center for smart production and services in biotechnology, and among the leading countries in the Asian region. Simultaneously, it aims to build the biotechnology industry into a crucial economic and technical sector, making a positive contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Over the past period, the Ministry of Science and Technology has focused on and accelerated the implementation of national science and technology programs until 2030 with content related to biotechnology, with the main focus being three national programs: “Research, application and development of advanced technologies in healthcare and development of healthcare products; code: KC.10/2021-2030”; “Research, application and development of advanced technologies serving the pharmaceutical and chemical industries; code: KC.11/2021-2030” and “Research, application and development of biotechnology; code: KC.12/2021-2030”.
Assessing Vietnam's biotechnology development, Le Huy Ham, Head of the KC.12/2021-2030 Program, stated that, despite relatively small investments, Vietnam has researched and applied biotechnology in important national sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, healthcare, and environmental protection. Vietnam has laid the foundation for a nationwide biotechnology industry, encompassing breeding, selection and development, cell technology, molecular biology, veterinary vaccine production, and the production of biological products for plant and animal care and protection.
According to Dr. Nguyen Ngo Quang, Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Training, Ministry of Health, Vietnam has mastered several advanced technologies, developing personalized medicine; applying biotechnology in early diagnosis and accurate treatment; cell technology (Cellomics); Omic technology; biobanking; bioinformatic technology; regenerative medicine and tissue engineering; gene decoding technology... applied in detecting and mitigating the risks of emerging and re-emerging diseases, and in diagnosing and treating dangerous infectious diseases and chronic non-communicable diseases.
In the field of agriculture, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated that thanks to research and application of biotechnology, many high-yield crop and livestock varieties have been successfully bred. Biological products developed for use in animal husbandry and crop cultivation have yielded high efficiency.
Biotechnology development should closely align with production needs.
However, despite these achievements, the country's biotechnology sector has not yet kept pace with the nation's development needs, failing to produce successes from high-tech applied research. Only common technologies such as tissue culture, microbial preparations, and molecular markers have been successfully applied.
Collaboration and linkages remain weak, especially in multi-sectoral and multi-field cooperation between research institutes, universities, and businesses; there is a lack of high-tech resources, a shortage of leading experts, and a lack of investment from businesses. Business participation is still primarily focused on leveraging funding from science programs, and the technological aspect is not given sufficient importance. The regulatory framework for new products created from biotechnology has not kept pace with demand, thus failing to promote research. There is also a lack of appropriate policies for international cooperation and technology transfer.
Therefore, drastic solutions are urgently needed to overcome these difficulties. According to Le Huy Ham, Head of the KC.12/2021-2030 Program, to effectively implement Resolution No. 36-NQ/TƯ, it is necessary to clearly define the direction, which is to develop biotechnology closely aligned with practical realities and the needs of production. We should not research what we are good at, but what is practically needed and what we are capable of doing. Addressing the needs of production and the potential contribution to production will be the criteria for evaluating the tasks of the Biotechnology Research, Application and Development Program.
To achieve the two main objectives of the KC.12/2021-2030 Program, which are: developing and applying advanced technologies in the field of biotechnology to create products serving socio-economic development and national defense and security; and forming and developing a number of biotechnology products on an industrial scale in priority areas, contributing to the formation of a biotechnology industry, it is necessary to strongly develop the biotechnology industry based on technologies mastered from the previous phase. Applying new technologies in optoelectronics, automation, new materials, information technology, etc., to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the competitiveness of biotechnology products. Continuing research and development of new products based on gene technology, cell technology, microbial technology, enzymes, proteins, etc.
In particular, it is necessary to access and master new, modern technologies such as: Genome editing, genome technology, animal cloning, artificial meat, gene drive (technology to activate genes to control pests)...; develop Industry 4.0 applications for modern biotechnology oriented towards and developing products that serve socio-economic development; and support the training of personnel through the implementation of scientific and technological tasks.
Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat said that the draft Action Program of the Government to implement Resolution No. 36-NQ/TƯ has been submitted and is expected to be issued in the near future.
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