Major hindrances to hi-tech agriculture development in Ho Chi Minh city

Vague regulations and management mechanisms, as well as difficulties in attracting qualified manpower and transferring technologies have become major obstacles to the development of hi-tech agriculture in HCMC, according to the management board of the HCMC Hi-tech Agriculture Park.

The management board says in a recent report that the application of high technology has exposed a slew of shortcomings, hindering the development of local hi-tech agriculture.

According to the report, the State management function of the board is ambiguous, resulting in a host of hindrances, especially when the board teams up with relevant departments and agencies to do its job.

The report stresses complicated mechanisms and procedures to invest in the park have taken investors much time to go through, as the one-door mechanism has yet to be applied, and investment regulations are overlapping and unclear.

The HCMC Hi-tech Agriculture Park, which covers 88 hectares in the outlying district of Cu Chi, requires total capital of VND152 billion for infrastructure development, averaging out at VND1.7 billion per hectare of technical infrastructure.

The park has so far attracted 14 projects which need around 57 hectares. However, four firms have yet to start work on their projects that are allocated 11 hectares and have total registered capital of more than VND141 billion.

Besides, the report notes that the search for output via the transfer of technologies and farming models to local farmers is also faced with many problems, as farmers shy themselves away from the high costs.

The link between the park and hi-tech farms is weak, as many firms and cooperatives are not willing to apply hi-tech farming techniques and models while the fund for transfer activities is quite modest.

Notably, a lack of hi-skilled manpower is also a serious obstacle. The board says it has found tough to lure well-qualified staff, due to unfavorable travel conditions for technical workers and other employees who must cover long distance to the park.

In a related development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has plans to organize a conference on the development of hi-tech agriculture in the central province of Lam Dong this week. Delegates are expected to share their experience and suggest workable solutions so as to fuel the growth of the sector.