Policies devised to support hi-tech agriculture in Ho Chi Minh City

In recent years, Ho Chi Minh City has devised a number of policies to support individuals, organisations, and enterprises to invest in agriculture, especially high technology agriculture. The number of enterprises involved in this field is constantly increasing.

A VietGAP-compliant shrimp farm in Tam Thon Hiep commune, Can Gio district.

In 2016, the municipal People’s Committee issued Decision 3907/QD on supporting and developing enterprises by 2020, while at the same time, it directed the relevant units to speed up the administrative reform to create favourable conditions for enterprises to operate, access resources and seek business opportunities.

Accordingly, from the end of 2016 to present, there have been 300 newly-established enterprises in the agricultural sector, bringing the total number of businesses in this field to nearly 1,300 enterprises. In early 2018, the municipal People's Committee issued Decision No. 655/QD-UBND on encouraging the shift of urban agriculture for the 2017 - 2020 period. Accordingly, the city will assist interest rates for organisations and individuals investing in the agricultural sector when they are granted credit by credit institutions for their feasible production plans. In particular, high-tech agricultural production has been supported with all interest rates.

Ho Chi Minh City has also approved a plan for human resources training in hi-tech agriculture over the 2018-2020 period, in which nearly 3,000 agricultural workers will be participating in the hi-tech agricultural production chain. They are now working in farms, cooperatives, hi-tech enterprises, and those with links to farmers in production and consumption. In addition, the city has trained 20 MScs and PhDs in the field of high technology applications in agriculture at institutes and universities in Vietnam as well as in Taiwan (China), the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia, Israel, Italy, and Canada.

Moreover, the city also has many other practical support policies for businesses to approach science and technology, seedlings and market research, such as a programme on hi-tech application in agriculture and production in accordance with VietGAP; criteria for recognition of hi-tech agricultural areas, among others. Attention has been directed to orienting development of the production of high-quality seedlings and breeds, hi-tech and bio-tech applications in combination with ecotourism development in order to increase the value added, quality, and market consumption of safe agricultural products.

According to Director of the High-tech Enterprise Incubation Centre Nguyen Hai An, in the aim of becoming a focal point for providing incubators of new technologies in agricultural production, the centre has provided legal supports and training for agricultural enterprises to create high quality products and meet market requirements.

The issuance of programmes, mechanisms, and policies to support agricultural development in the past has encouraged individuals and enterprises to invest in agricultural production with the application of high technology. Some companies have invested in high-tech leafy vegetables and fruit trees, such as Vineco Sagri Agricultural Co., Ltd., with more than 290ha in Pham Van Coi commune, Cu Chi district.

Several profitable models of hi-tech agriculture have earned recognition in the city. One of which is Nong Phat, which has applied the VietGAP standard in growing melons at its 2.3ha farm in Dong Thanh commune, Hoc Mon district.

High-tech farming has also become an emerging trend for suburban districts. Cu Chi district alone now has 26 high-tech farming models with a total area of 303.5ha, up 285ha from 2016. The farms focused on the production of safe vegetables, cow milk, orchids and ornamental trees, all of which are suited to the market’s taste and local natural conditions.