On occassion of 3 working years in Vietnam, on January 21st, 2011, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) presented the medal for the cause of agriculture and rural development to Mr. Benito Alvarez Fernandez, resident representative of Spanish Agency for International Cooperation Development (AECID) in Vietnam in recognition for his contributions to Vietnam’s agricultural development.
Mr. Benito Alvarez Fernandez was born in 1948 in Ourense, Spain. In 1973, he graduated in Philosophy at University of Santo Tomas de Aquino in Rome. He has been working International Cooperation of the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECID) since 1992. He served as Resident Representative of Spanish Technical Office (OTC) – AECID in Brazil from 1995 to 1998; in Mexico from 1998 to 2002; in Mauritania from 2002 to 2005, in Tunez from 2005 to 2007 and in Vietnam since December, 2007.
During the period from 2007 to present, Mr Benito has great contribution in building and developing international cooperation activtities through projects in various fields such as rural development, tourism, gender, micro-credit funds...
Being the Resident Representative for Spanish Agency for International Cooperation Development (AECID) in Vietnam, he has strong support to aid activities in the field of agriculture and rural development both at national level, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and provincial level in coordinating and implementing key projects on protection of biodiversity, sustainable rural development, support for agri-rural enterprises, promotion of cooperative models; thereby creating opportunities to improve rural livelihoods, proverty reduction in Vietnam. Vice Minister Bui Ba Bong highly appreciate contributions of Mr Benito Alvarez Fernandez in particular and of AECID in general for the cause of agriculture and rural development in Vietnam.

In coming years, the development strategy of Vietnam’s agriculture focuses on areas of new rural development, investment attraction for development of small and medium sized enterprises, proverty reduction and climate change. MARD would still receive the support of AECID particularly and other Spanish international organisations generally together with MARD to support the implementation of mentioned fields.
Acknowledge important contributions of Mr Benito Alvarez Fernandez to the development of Vietnam’s agriculture an rural affairs, on behalf of MARD’s leaders, Vice Minister Bui Ba Bong awarded the medal “For the cause of Agriculture and Rural Development” to Mr. Benito Alvarez Fernandez. This award presents for deep thanks of MARD to Mr Benito and AECID Vietnam’s officers because of valuable support for Vietnam’s agriculture sector so far.

Mr Benito was absolutely delighted to personally receive the award and equally honoured to receive it on behalf of all the Vietnamese and Australian team officers working in AECID who are supporting him and working hard to obtain these achievements. He believes that AECID will continue to make effort in cooperation with Vietnam in sustainable economic development, proverty reduction and environmental protection.
Mr Cesar Espada, General Counsel of Spain, representatives of Spanish NGOs and Vietnamese partners of AECID and mass communication participated in the event.