Digital transformation in agriculture - No time to waste

As stated by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan, digital transformation in agriculture is an urgent need and must soon be realized.

Technology application in cultivation. Photo: Minh Hau.

On September 16th, Minister Le Minh Hoan attended the Vietnam Agriculture Digital Transformation Forum. In addition to Minister Le Minh Hoan, the forum was also attended by Mr. Bui Thanh Son (Minister of Foreign Affairs) and leaders representing 63 provinces and cities, representatives of central ministries, domestic experts and international delegates.

Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said that the attendance of over 3,000 delegates from more than 35 countries around the world is a positive signal, showing that Vietnam's agricultural industry is a top concern of many ministries, sectors and many countries.

The Vietnamese government has recently identified the importance of the agricultural sector, considering it as a breakthrough opportunity for Vietnam’s economy. One of the country's development orientations for the 2021-2030 period is to develop agriculture on the basis of digital transformation, efficiently linking domestic and international markets.

Over the years Vietnam's agriculture has become the main production industry of the country. However, in the near future and with the increasing demands of the market, Vietnamese agriculture must become more adaptable and competitive

The Covid-19 pandemic has reaffirmed that the introduction of smart technology into agriculture will ensure stability and clearance in the circulation of goods. Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate with ministries and branches to help Vietnam gain access to the world’s new trends, continue to propose initiatives, and contribute to the development of the national economy in general and the agricultural sector in particular.

Starting the session "Shaping Vietnam's Digital Agriculture towards 2035", Mr. Le Van Thanh, Member of the Steering Committee for Agricultural Digital Transformation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that for the past few years Vietnam’s agriculture has been in constant development and accomplished many important achievements, ensuring national food security.

However, many challenges have arisen, such as the decline of natural resources, the decrease in agricultural land area, and the problem of harmonious distribution, that require adequate solutions. Vietnam’s agro-products are ready to face the reality of difficulties, challenges and also opportunities to find a new path, both inside and outside the country.

As a matter of fact, consumers not only buy tangible value but also care about intangible values such as origin, assurance of green and organic products. Agriculture must be transparent with its data and information in order to reach far.

"Vietnam defines growth as based on science, technology, and digital transformation, all of which will create a turning point, help integrate the knowledge economy and achieve sustainable development. Digital transformation models can capture the attention of society, proving that technology will make a big change. We can't wait any longer. Society is ceaselessly changing in the current context, in particular Covid-19 with new and complicated variations, which can't be predicted in advance. Therefore, agriculture should also base itself on this story of changes and consolidate new orientations, adapting to new circumstances." Minister Le Minh Hoan said.