A hi-tech model growing tomatoes (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam needs tooptimise the opportunities and achievements from the Fourth Industrial Revolution(Industry 4.0) to develop smart agriculture, heard a workshop in Hanoi onAugust 21.
The event was jointly held by the Ministry ofPlanning and Investment, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministryof Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Education and Training as part of theVietnam Innovation Network 2018.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment Le Quoc Doanh said agriculture is one of the most important economicsectors of Vietnam, making up to over 15 percent of the country’s grossdomestic product (GDP) in 2017, up nearly 3 percent against 2016, with manyhigh value export items.
The agricultural sector is currentlyencountering a number of challenges and difficulties such as climate change andsmall-scale production, he added.
The workshop helped connect experts, researchagencies, education facilities, and enterprises to conduct joint researchprojects and promote the application of science and technology in developingsmart agriculture, he noted.
Nguyen Hoang from the US’s University of California(Davis) said Vietnam is capable of leading the world’s agricultural race thanksto its favourable natural conditions and plethora of encouraging policies for thedevelopment of high-tech smart agriculture.
A key principle is making use of the internet toset up a network of young experts and intellectuals in the field, he suggested.
The workshop introduced smart agriculturaldevelopment models from around the world which could be applied in Vietnam,such as building a clean and safe habitat, establishing agriculture startupfirms, using robotic technology to grow clean vegetables, and building high-techaquaculture.
Participants also suggested building an infrastructuredatabase for the sector and reviewing policies and strategies to supportagricultural development in Vietnam. –VNA
VNA
