Seminar seeks to develop productive, quality agriculture

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – A seminar on developing quality and productive agriculture took place in Hanoi on June 27 as part of the Vietnam Economic Forum 2017. 

Speaking at the event, permanent deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission Cao Duc Phat said the agriculture sector grew strongly in the 2011-2015 period with improved farm produce quality and increasing number of agricultural firms. 

However, high-tech agriculture tends to stall due to barriers regarding land, market and capital access. 

Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MoNRE)’s Department of Science-Technology and Environment, said the State has issued a number of policies to facilitate high-tech agriculture, but administrative procedures and the lack of insurance for the field pose difficulty to the effort. 

She suggested encouraging firms to establish research centres and forming close linkage between businesses and technological organisations to promote high-tech application. 

Thuy stressed the need to increase negotiations and the signing of trade deals to facilitate businesses’ access to markets. 

Participants called for reviewing and amending regulations on hi-tech application in agriculture and the Law on Land, as well as providing incentives for hi-tech farming enterprises. 

The southern provinces of Hau Giang, Phu Yen and Bac Lieu are currently home to three hi-tech agricultural zones approved by the Prime Minister. 

The MoNRE has granted licenses to 26 hi-tech firms while Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa and Lam Dong provinces have devised plans to establish hi-tech agricultural zones. 

As of the late March, the State has provided 156.3 billion VND (6.79 million USD) for 15 hi-tech projects in agriculture. 

According to the MoNRE, firmed invested more than 21.2 trillion VND (921.7 million USD) into 25 hi-tech agricultural projects from June 2016 – February 2017.

The event was co-hosted by the MoNRE and the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission.