After 26 years since re-establishment (1997-2023), from a purely agricultural province, Bac Ninh has made breakthroughs in high-tech applications to agricultural production and accelerated agricultural restructuring. These are also important foundations for the province to continue its comprehensive development and become a growth pillar of the greater Hanoi region and the northern key economic region.
Baby melon production in a net house invested by Huong Viet Sinh Co., Ltd in Viet Doan commune, Tien Du district
Many effective models
The resolution of the 20th Bac Ninh Provincial Party Congress (2020-2025 term) states “Continue to attract and develop high-tech agriculture, urban agriculture and information technology application; create strong changes in agricultural and rural development, focusing on speeding up high-tech agriculture in association with rural construction and development".
Over the past time, the province’s tech-powered agricultural production has been increasingly expanded and developed (the value of high-tech agricultural production was estimated to account for 30% of the total agricultural production value). Many scientific, technical and technological advances have been widely applied in production. Synchronous mechanization has helped reduce labor, and increase productivity, economic efficiency and production value. Many high-tech agricultural production models are invested toward modernity, sustainability and high economic efficiency, thus changing the way of thinking and action of farmers in agricultural production.
The province has formed and developed 72 high-tech cultivation facilities with a total area of 161.65 ha, including 25 VietGAP-certified facilities covering 132.52 ha and 47 vegetable and flower production facilities in net houses and greenhouses, covering 29.13 ha. In animal husbandry, the province has 72 high-tech livestock farms applied with closed, automated stalls, feeding troughs and water suppliers, including two completely automated breeding facilities and four information technology-applied breeding livestock facilities. Moreover, 153 aquaculture farms are certified to meet VietGAP standards and one cooperative is granted a premium quality brand by the National Intellectual Property Office under the Ministry of Science and Technology. They supply 400-500 tons of fish to the market a year and earn revenue of VND18-20 billion a year.
Mr. Nguyen Cong Trinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Ninh province, said: The widespread high-tech application to production has helped increase the quality and output of agricultural products, thereby enhancing economic value, sustainable poverty reduction and socioeconomic development. This is an inevitable and necessary direction for a small but densely populated province with a lot of geographical advantages like Bac Ninh.
Along with hi-tech agriculture development, the province has strictly implemented the National Target Program on New Rural Development. At present, Bac Ninh is one of the 18 provinces and cities with 100% of communes recognized to meet new rural standards. 100% of communes and districts are actively applying advanced rural development standards and moving towards model localities. The province has 93 OCOP products, including 34 3-star products and 59 4-star products. 62 products were approved into the list of the Provincial OCOP Program and two were upgraded from 4-star class to 5-star class.
Bac Ninh is focusing on developing high-tech agriculture to increase product value
Fostering connectivity, sustainability
According to the Bac Ninh Master Plan to 2030 and further to 2050 and the Bac Ninh Urban Planning to 2045, agriculture is identified as an energy reserve area and a buffer zone for sustainable economic development. The province strives to increase the share of high-tech agriculture to 35-40% of the total agricultural value by 2025.
To achieve sustainable development, the province's agricultural sector has established high-tech cooperative and farm development support projects, linked production with consumption along the value chain, and focused on some key local products like vegetables, tubers, fruits, bananas, potatoes, chicken eggs and rice. The province has attracted nearly 200 agricultural companies. The cooperation between companies and farmers has made important contributions to creating breakthroughs in production. Bac Ninh province now has more than 20 certified safe food and agricultural supply chains, with some closely linked to giant firms, supermarkets and industrial parks as well as the whole market.
For example, Vietnam National Seed Group Joint Stock Company (VINASEED) and Dai Thanh Joint Stock Company connected input suppliers (seeds, fertilizers and plant protection drugs) and output consumers. Bac Ninh Seed Joint Stock Company launched a rice seed production model. Orion Company introduced a commercial potato production and consumption model.
Mr. Trinh said, the local agriculture sector developed an action plan to carry out the Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. The agriculture industry is expected to grow by 1-1.2% annually in the 2021-2025 period. By 2030, the province will develop environmentally friendly green, climate-resilient agriculture and reduce rural environmental pollution.
To achieve these targets, the sector is completing the agricultural production structure based on competitive advantages and market requirements; organizing important production stages in order to improve efficiency and ensure sustainable development; fostering cooperation, association and development of value chains and advanced agricultural models; building a civilized and modern countryside; and preserving traditional cultural identity.
Last but not least, Bac Ninh province is improving the quality of human resources to acquire and transfer production technology, thus helping raise the added value and sustainable growth of agriculture.
By Thanh Long, Vietnam Business Forum
Vietnamese
October 2024
Hanoi