Thanh Hoa: Hi-tech agricultural production is inevitable direction

Presently, high-tech agricultural production, together with restructuring the agricultural sector, is an inevitable direction. In Thanh Hoa district of Long An province, this model has achieved initial results.

Developing agriculture is the inevitable direction

Change farming practices

The district has planned a 2,000-hectare rice area under the Provincial Project on High-tech Agricultural Development in three communes of Tan Tay, Thuy Dong and Thanh An. In addition to the planned area, the district also expanded 300 hectares of high-tech rice production in 3 communes of Tan Dong, Thuy Tay and Thanh Phuoc. Up to now, the district has carried out 1,414.3 out of 2,000 hectares of rice with high-tech applications, reaching 70.7 percent compared to the Resolution of the Provincial Party Committee. In addition, there are 77 agricultural production cooperative groups and 11 cooperatives in the district, on which 5 cooperative groups and 4 cooperatives in the high-tech rice area.

Thanh An commune identified rice as the main crop in the locality. When implementing the program, the people have a high consensus, gradually overcome the small-scaled and spontaneous production situation, creating a link between production and consumption of goods. Besides, the locality has also implemented models such as reducing the number of seeded sowing, "1-must-do, 5-to-reduce", "1-must, 6-reduce", ecological technology.

Mr. Nguyen Van Giang (living in hamlet 4, Thanh An commune) shared: “My family has 4 hectares of rice production in the area of central planning from 2018 to the present. I have been supported in leveling the field, instructing sowing, handling rice straw with biological mushrooms, using organic fertilizer, and so on. Thereby, this increases profits in production and contributes to protecting the environment".

Secretary of Thanh An Party Committee - Nguyen Quoc Dat said: “The locality is planned to implement the Program on Hi-tech Agricultural Development for rice until 2020 with 1,200 hectares. Up to now, the implementation area has reached over 76 percent compared to the Resolution of the district Party Committee, concentrated in hamlets 2, 3 and 4. The whole commune has 1 cooperative and 18 cooperative groups with over 420 members. At present, the commune has 10 dike areas, serving over 2,000 hectares of productive land; 3 electric pumping stations serving 991 hectares. The irrigation system ensures production needs and people’s life".

Recently, district leaders organized many direct dialogues with farmers in order to promptly solve difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process. The district mobilizes resources to invest in the construction of infrastructure systems for hi-tech rice production. Totally, 14 projects were invested by the province, worth of more than 50 billion VND; 2 works were currently completed, 1 project is under construction and 4 works are prepared to construct. In addition, 17 projects were invested by the district with an estimated capital of 14 billion VND; 1 project was currently completed, 5 projects are under construction.

The district is interested in calling businesses to invest in projects on hi-tech crop production and animal husbandry. In the breeding field, Ba Huan Thanh Hoa Hi-tech Co., Ltd; Hoan Hao VINA Hi-tech Breeding Trading Co., Ltd. invested in a hi-tech chicken farm project; Du Hoai Hi-tech Chicken Farm. In the field of cultivation, Frefarm Joint Stock Company - Long An Branch with a scale of 42 hectares, invested in building a membrane system to plant musk melon. The company currently produces 6 hectares of musk melon according to the hi-tech process.

Focusing on removing difficulties

Besides the achieved results, the district also encountered some difficulties in implementing the program. Specifically, propaganda is not deep and wide; the progress of constructing infrastructure works serving the hi-tech production areas is slow compared to the schedule; linkage of production and product consumption between enterprises and farmers is not sustainable; Hi-tech agricultural products have not had high price compared to products produced in the traditional way, so people have not applied the process bravely; etc.

To make the program effective, the district continues to increase propaganda and advocacy to help people raise awareness about hi-tech agricultural production in associated with restructuring agricultural sector.

Secretary of Thanh Hoa district Party Committee - Phan Quang Nghiep said: “The district focuses on planning agricultural production areas for each crop suitable to each region; forming the planning of agricultural product processing factories; at the same time, the district mobilizes resources to build transport infrastructure for agricultural production. The specialized branches will closely coordinate with the localities in the planning region in order to accelerate the implementation of the program, ensuring that, by 2020, it will reach 2,000 hectares according to the Resolution of the district Party Committee and 300 hectares of expanded areas.

Hi-tech agricultural development is an inevitable direction. The hi-tech agricultural areas formed and developed under the plan will promote the development of modern, organic, safe and sustainable agriculture, contributing to environmental protection and local socio-economic development.