Modernising agriculture: opportunities and solutions

Vietnam’s agriculture is entering a new phase to meet requirements in the process of international economic integration. Therefore, applying high-tech to improve efficiency, competitiveness and product quality and meet consumer demand is an urgent task, the Vietnam Economic News reported on August 1.
Vietnam’s agriculture is entering a new phase to meet requirements inthe process of international economic integration. Therefore, applyinghigh-tech to improve efficiency, competitiveness and product quality andmeet consumer demand is an urgent task, the Vietnam Economic Newsreported on August 1.

According to incomplete statistics, thecountry currently has 29 high-tech agricultural zones in 12 provincesand cities. These agricultural zones have formed development models suchas safe vegetable production and flower and ornamental plant growing inHo Chi Minh City, Bac Ninh and Lam Dong and mushroom production in VinhPhuc province.

In addition to development models, agriculturalzones have also established specialised production areas, dairyprocessing facilities in Hanoi, Nghe An province and Ho Chi Minh Cityand tea growing areas based on the Chinese Taipei technology in ThaiNguyen and Lam Dong provinces.

In particular, agricultural zoneshave actively applied new technology such as greenhouse, net house,nursery and cooling warehouse, contributing to improving productivityand stabilizing prices.

Director of Agricultural and RuralDepartment under the Central Economics Commission Nguyen Van Tien saidthat research results and high-tech applications had made importantcontributions to productivity growth in recent years. However,operations of high-tech agricultural zones have remained limited due tothe lack of support mechanisms.

“The selection of models,products and technology has remained unsuitable and costs have remainedhigh, leading to low efficiency. In addition, some high-techagricultural zones in Hai Phong city and Hanoi have not brought desiredefficiency,” Nguyen Van Tien was quoted as saying.

Businessesshould consider not only investing in the application of advancedtechnology into practical production but also promoting strengths interms of land resources and natural conditions.

Deputy GeneralDirector of Agrivina Co., Ltd. Nguyen Van Bao said that although Vietnamhas become a member of the International Union for the Protection ofNew Varieties of Plants (UPOV) since 2006, some businesses and farmersin Lam Dong province have used unoriginal seeds, leading to unfaircompetition between businesses.

Developing high-tech agriculturein the future should focus on core objectives such as seed selection andthe number of businesses and services participating in high-techagriculture.

Deputy Head of Science, Technology and EnvironmentDepartment under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentNguyen Tan Hinh said that the country would strongly develop high-techagriculture with a focus on the number of businesses and productionareas, contributing to increasing high-tech agricultural productionvalue to 10-15 percent of total agricultural production value.-VNA

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