Re-structure of agriculture combines with new rural building

Nguyen Ngoc Thuy in Thanh Hoi commune takes care of her shallot garden being grown on VietGAP standard.

Implementing goal of rural agricultural development on overall, modern and sustainable growth, restructure of agriculture in combination with new rural building has been focused by the provincial administration. With investment on 3 areas of agriculture, farmer and countryside, the local agriculture sector has reached strong development.

Implementing concerted goal

According to the provincial department of Agriculture and Rural Development, re-structure of agriculture and new rural building are two topics attached closely to socio-economic development, bringing a better life for farmers. Besides, re-structure of agriculture is to re-hold production to improve productivity and output in a bid to narrow distance of income between rural and urban areas. This is also one of criteria set out in the process of new rural building.

During the process of implementing agriculture re-structure in attachment to new rural building, localities have over the past years focused on putting farmers on central position and holding key role in the process. Many capital sources, tech-science advances have been transferred for farmers, facilitating farmers’ production. For localities having big agricultural land area, the local authorities have concentrated on developing rubber plantations, orchards, vegetable gardens, breeding farms. In areas of growing rice and vegetables, inter-field traffic system has been invested completely while irrigation system has been ensured. In addition, local farmers constantly produce products around the year to increase production on the same area. Plants such as rice, vegetables have been applied VietGAP standard to increase yield. As a result, rice productivity has gained 6-8 tons per ha; vegetable 2-2.5 tons/1,000sqm. Therefore, average income in rural area has reached VND31mil per capita per year.

Pham Van Bong, vice director of the provincial department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in the period of 2015-2020 the department in cooperation with relevant agencies and localities will work with localities to build test and training stations of tech-science transfer in the province.

In order to well implement re-structure of agriculture, the department suggested the local department of Science and Technology to mull timely over support of capital and tech-science in this period.

Spurring application of tech-science advances

Thanh Hoi is a pilot commune of new rural development in Tan Uyen town and also a localities implementing restructure of agriculture in attachment to new rural building. Thanh Hoi commune has been selected to launch a project of “applying technology of safe vegetable production on VietGAP standard” from July 2012 to June 2015. Accordingly, 40 households joining in 4 models of growing shallot, cucumber, chili and choy sum. The participating farmers attended 9 training classes on vegetable-growing technique, enjoyed support of fertilizer and nurslings. The project is worth VND4bil with the capacity of 10 tons per ha for shallot, 18 tons/ha for choy sum, 1 ton/1,000sqm for chili.

Tran Kim Quan, vice chairman of Thanh Hoi commune People’s Committee said that the initial result showed that the project’s economic efficiency was improved significantly.

Moreover, the commune always ensures 19 criteria of new rural building with the average income of VND34mil.

Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, farmer of Thanh Hoi commune added that joining in VietGAP standard vegetable production project, her family enjoys support of fertilizer, nursling, technique, helping her family reach nearly VND100mil per year in income.

Leaders of the provincial department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that to restructure of agriculture in combination with new rural building, the local administration will focus on investing in rural area. Local agricultural sector will strive to obtain breeding and planting capacity of VND100mil/ha/year. As for new rural building program, the local administration will invest in communes gaining 14-18 criteria of new rural building to gain 30 out of 40 new rural communes in this year.

Reported by N.Tran – Translated by A.C