Agriculture continues to claim to be the backbone of the economy, especially in the context of economic fluctuations, epidemics and frequent natural disasters.
A rice product of Tan Long Group
In 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected all socio-economic areas of An Giang province. However, the agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors were still the growth engines of the economy in this difficult and challenging development period. Rice productivity increased, livestock production grew steadily, export turnover of a number of agricultural products increased significantly compared to the same period last year. The growth for the agricultural, forestry and fishery sector reached 2.22%, higher than the same period (1.97% in 2020).
Growth in the agricultural sector has always remained stable. Average agricultural production value and income per capita in rural areas continuously increase every year. Income per capita in rural An Giang had increased by more than VND 6.5 million in the period 2015-2020, from VND 28.3 million to VND 34.7 million. The percentage of rural people with access to clean water increased from 78% in 2016 to 91% in 2020.
Among the 20 largest enterprises in An Giang province, enterprises producing or processing agricultural products account for about 80%. The production value of the agricultural product processing industry grows by an average of 7.98% per year in the period 2015-2020 and accounts for over 90% of the total industrial production value of the province. The province's agricultural exports have also grown continuously and contributed a large part to the province's export turnover.
Restructuring the agricultural sector comes into effect while scale and production level are improved. Restructuring agricultural production has brought about many effects, gradually reducing the area of rice cultivation with low efficiency, increasing the proportion of livestock, vegetables and fruit crops in association with the application of scientific and technological advances. The province has also applied high technology to production, so value chain linkage models are replicated and production value is raised. At the same time, An Giang has continued to focus on removing "bottlenecks" in calling and attracting investment in agriculture and rural areas.
The new rural program has been implemented relatively successfully in the province. Up to now, An Giang has 67/116 communes that have been recognized to meet the new rural commune standard, reaching the rate of 57.76%, of which 25 communes have reached the new enhanced rural standard. In the whole province, three district-level units have completed the National Target Program on new rural construction.
Currently, although the epidemic has been controlled, the market fluctuates unpredictably, the risks in agricultural production are at a high level. In order to promptly remove difficulties and obstacles, restore production, circulation and consumption, and aim to restore and promote the development of production and export of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and animal husbandry in the context of epidemic prevention and control, An Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development developed a plan "Recovery and development of the Agriculture and Rural Development sector in the condition of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control in An Giang province". The objectives of this Plan are: “(1) Stabilize and develop production in the Agriculture and Rural Development sector, build a new rural area of the province that is adaptive, flexible and safe to the conditions of epidemic prevention and control, adapting to climate change, responding to market requirements and ensuring the connection to consumption of agricultural, forestry, fishery and livestock products of the province. Try not to disrupt the production chain, supply, distribution and consumption of goods;
(2) Develop solutions to support, promptly remove difficulties, obstacles and bottlenecks hindering recovery activities, promote production chain development, and create favorable conditions for enterprises to invest in agriculture and rural areas. (3) Propose policies to solve difficulties for businesses and people affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, and restore the production, supply and processing chains of the province's key agricultural products.
In which, the province has also proposed 5 groups of important solutions: Management of production organization associated with consumption of agricultural, forestry and fishery products and livestock; Promote the development of cooperative groups, cooperatives and connect the consumption of agricultural products; Strengthen the application of science and technology, efficient and economical models in agricultural production; Implement policies to support businesses, cooperative groups and cooperatives, and; Strengthen market development, trade promotion and support connection for consumption of agricultural products.
Nguyen Si Lam
Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of An Giang province
Source: Vietnam Business Forum
Vietnamese
October 2024
Hanoi