Smart village is gradually taking shape

A scientific conference on "Developing high-tech agricultural tourism in the direction of smart village” in Phu Giao district has just ended, but has opened up a direction of green development with the appearance of a smart village on the basis of hi-tech agriculture in association with the local new-style rural construction and tourism development. The smart village aims at construction, promising to become a worth-living place and a green symbol of Binh Duong province.

Full of development advantages

Phu Giao district has many favorable natural conditions for agricultural development. Summarizing 10 years of implementation of the National Target Program on new-style rural construction, the district has all 10 communes recognized as new-style rural ones. Especially, there are 3 communes of Tan Hiep, Tan Long and An Thai recognized as advanced new-style rural ones. For its target in the period of 2021-2025, the district will successfully build all 10 advanced and model new-style rural communes and also be recognized as an advanced new-style rural locality. Thanks to new-style rural construction, the district's socio-economic infrastructure has been invested in a synchronous way. The district's main traffic system with DT741 street has created lots of motivations for the local socio-economic development.

Introduction of agricultural products at the booth displaying agricultural products in An Binh commune

Meanwhile, high-tech agriculture is now becoming an indispensable direction of the district with the structure of crop plants and domestic animals being gradually shifted towards high-tech application and biosecurity. Specifically, the district's animal husbandry sector has developed stably. Many companies, farms and households have boldly invested and applied modern and advanced production lines into livestock production, such as: feeders, automatic drinkers, bringing high economic efficiency. A number of products with high economic value such as dried fruits, organic vegetables...have been interested in investment and development. In particular, the “One Commune-One Product” program (OCOP) is widely deployed. The district has so far had 4 products recognized as “OCOP” ones with 3-star and 4-star standards in association with the value chain with close linkages between relevant sides, contributing to improving productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness for the local agricultural products, affirming their position in the market.

In fact, the district has formed up large-scale high-tech agricultural production zones, including the 411.75-ha cultivation area of U&I Agriculture Joint Stock Company​​ in An Thai commune; the 471-ha dairy cow breeding area​​ and the over 152-ha organic agricultural production area of ​​Vinamit Joint Stock Company in Phuoc Sang commune. The whole district has formed up 11 cooperatives in the field of agriculture. In addition, there are 141 farms under the criteria of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 309 establishments and households involved in high-tech agricultural production, creating a premise for the local sustainable agricultural development. Along with that, support policies in the agricultural sector such as provincial People's Committee’s Decision No. 04, provincial People's Council’s Resolution No. 09, policies to support linkages and application of clean production models, cooperatives of provincial People's Committee in order to restructure and develop high-tech agricultural models in association with safe production, product consumption and promotion have created favorable conditions for organizations and individuals to boldly invest in agricultural development, economic development bringing high value in agricultural and forestry production.

Along with the trend of developing high-tech agriculture, Phu Giao is also associated with the development of eco-tourism by taking advantage of attractive tourist destinations, combined with spiritual tourism, such as: Phuoc Hoa broken bridge, Buu Phuoc pagoda, relic of Phuoc Thanh Governor's palace... Especially, Rac stream located along An Binh, Tam Lap communes, Tiger cave area in Tam Lap commune have beautiful and attractive natural landscape. When being planned for investment, they will have great potential to attract tourists.

Smart village - green icon

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Hong Quan, Director of the Research Institute for Circular Economy Development under the National University of Ho Chi Minh city said that the potentials and achievements recorded in Phu Giao in various fields is the foundation for the district to deploy the smart village model. This is one of the concrete forms of digital transformation of agriculture and rural areas. Accordingly, the smart village is a community (village, quarter, commune) in rural areas using innovative solutions based on the local strengths and opportunities. Particularly, the community participates in sharing to develop and realize the goal of improving socio-economic and environmental conditions on the basis of digital technology.

The smart village is a solution to modernize rural areas, overcoming the digital gap between rural and urban areas, and developing digital potential in rural areas. The concept of smart village refers to rural areas and communities that are built on their existing strengths and assets as well as developing new opportunities. The practice of building the smart village in Tan Uyen town’s Bach Dang commune will help Phu Giao learn valuable lessons when implementing the project.

Nguyen Thi My Hang, Secretary of Phu Giao district’s Party Committee said: “Building the smart village in the district is to create a venue for initiatives on practical issues in life such as smart agricultural and rural digital transformation, high-tech agriculture, sustainable jobs, labor productivity, community cohesion, education, clean energy, waste treatment and environmental protection. It is expected that the smart village will become a worth-living, environmentally friendly place and become one of the green symbols in the future. The smart village model will create a premise for building smart new-style rural communes towards model advanced new-style construction in harmony between socio-economic and environmental benefits imbued with the district’s own identity”.

Reported by Kim Ha-Ly Huy-Translated by Kim Tin