Hi-tech Agricultural Development: Breakthrough Direction for HCM City Agriculture

Based on its existing strengths in science, technology, human resources and capital and its role as a national economic centre, the city has increased investment in training, research, transfer and application of science and technology in the agricultural sector at research institutes, universities, agencies and units of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Also, the city has studied, researched and applied hi-tech agricultural development models in agriculturally developed countries in the world. Especially, it was the first in Vietnam to build a hi-tech agricultural zone.

 

To concretise and promote high tech-oriented agricultural development, the city has prepared and introduced agricultural transformation programme towards urban agriculture; high quality livestock and crop development programme; agricultural biotech application programme; and other crop and livestock development programmes. At the same time, it has issued agricultural restructuring encouragement policies towards urban agriculture whose main contents are to support lending interests for agricultural development support organisations and individuals, especially high tech seedling and livestock production and application; and boost trade promotion and consumption of agricultural products, and create driving forces for production development.

 

Thanks to high tech application, attributes of crops and livestock have improved significantly. Especially, the city has witnessed positive changes in crops and stock. In 2011, production value of ornamental plants and flowers rose 34.9 percent over 2010 while the area increased only 5.6 percent. Vegetable production value expanded 31.5 percent while the area was enlarged by 7.9 percent. Milk output value increased 48.3 percent while total cattle number was not changed much from 2010. Ornamental fish production output rose 8.3 percent but the production value jumped 30 percent. Brackish water shrimp farming area was almost unchanged but the production value was up 18.5 percent. The average production value on a hectare of arable land has also been lifted. In 2011, the value reached VND199.8 million per hectare, up 26.3 percent over 2010 (VND158.2 million).

 

From 2006 to 2010, while agricultural land continued to be narrowed rapidly, production value kept growing. The annualised growth rate of agriculture, forestry and fishery in the 2006 - 2010 period was 6 percent, roughly equal to that in 2001-2005. Particularly, crop cultivation climbed 6.5 percent a year, ending the period of declines; animal husbandry expanded 9 percent, higher than the annualised growth of 3.5 percent in 2001-2005. All came from the improvements in productivity and quality of agricultural products and was the direct result of hi-tech applications in agriculture.

 

Based on initial achievements of high tech agricultural development, the city continued to maintain and promote this approach. In the 2011 - 2020 period, HCM City will invest in two new high tech agricultural zones specialised in livestock and aquaculture; review and define stabilised agricultural areas after 2020 and draw up detailed plans for these areas; and study and improve mechanisms and policies to attract investment for high tech agriculture. The largest city in Vietnam will strive for over 6 percent annual growth in agriculture, forestry and fishery from 2011 to 2015, and the productivity will reach VND300 million per hectare a year, helping raise incomes of farmers.