HCM City (VNA) - Ho Chi Minh City aims to promote sustainable urban agriculture linked with tourism, as well as digital transformation in this field this year, heard a conference held on January 10.
This is among the tasks for this year identified by the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Highlighting this year's priorities, Nguyen Xuan Hoang, acting Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said to continue implementing the urban agriculture strategy for 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, the city will focus on developing eco-friendly production models, key and potential agricultural products, along with advanced new-style countryside and urbanisation in outlying areas. Besides, it will step up researching and applying biotechnology to produce high-quality and high-yield crop varieties and animal breeds in order to become a regional hub in this regard.
Efforts will also include effectively implementing specific policies and mechanisms to attract investment to agricultural production and services along with rural areas. Support will also be provided for connecting production and the market.
For 2025, the local agricultural sector targets a growth rate of 1 - 1.5%, with the production value reaching 650 - 750 million VND (25,600 - 29,500 USD) per hectare and high-tech farming accounting for 50 - 60% of the total agricultural production value.
To that end, the department will focus on transitioning from traditional agriculture with low efficiency to urban and highly efficient one while fostering high-tech, organic and circular production. Land use will be optimised by shifting from low-yield crops to more profitable alternatives.
The city will also expand concentrated production zones tied to value chains in line with with national and local plans, including the national green growth strategy and the HCM City Master Plan for 2021 - 2030.
Rural development targets include 50% of the communes meeting advanced new-style rural area standards, two rural districts meeting the advanced standards, and at least 93 OCOP (One Commune, One Product) items rated at least three stars.
Despite challenges like shrinking farmland, the city agricultural sector reported growth in 2024. The agricultural, forestry, aquatic production value approximated 20 trillion VND, up 0.2 year on year, according to the department.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Vo Van Hoan praised these achievements, underscoring the sector's role in maintaining stability in rural areas and developing urban and high-tech farming in southern Vietnam.
In the coming time, he noted, the sector should will further promote green agriculture, digital transformation, and development plans for key and potential products./.
