On May 27th, 2014, in Hanoi, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan had a meeting with Ms. Wanda Collins - Chairman of the Board of Management and Leadership of International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) who was visiting and working in Vietnam. 

On May 27th, 2014, in Hanoi, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan had a meeting with Ms. Wanda Collins - Chairman of the Board of Management and Leadership of International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) who was visiting and working in Vietnam. 

Ms. Wanda Collins sent her sincere thanks to the Minister for taking the time to welcome her, and informed the cooperation situation between CIAT and research institutes, universities in Vietnam over the past time, especially with the Agricultural Genetics Institute (Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences) in the field of cassava production to the Minister. CIAT has decided to set up branches in Asia and associated laboratory of selecting the molecular breeding of cassava at the Agricultural Genetics Institute to promote collaborative relationships in research and application of cassava and other crops with partners of Vietnam. Ms. Wanda Collins and Leadership CIAT expressed their desire to receive support from the Ministry of Science and Technology in the completion of related legal procedures so that the branch of CIAT in Vietnam can operate more efficiently, make contribution to boost collaborative research activities and technology transfer to Vietnam.

Speaking at the meeting, the Minister Nguyen Quan appreciated the cooperation between CIAT and science and technology institutions in the country on the improvement of agricultural products' quality in Vietnam, especially cassava. Minister also expressed his desire to receive the help from CIAT to improve the added value of cassava and other agricultural crops through cooperation, technology transfer, human resource training between Vietnam and CIAT. Ministers gave assignments to the functional units under the Ministry to cooperate with CIAT to give guidelines and complete the legal procedures so that CIAT's branch in Vietnam can soon be recognized and put into operation in accordance with the legal provisions of the law.