Toward Sustainable, Effective Agriculture

With 56 km of coastline and 40,000 square kilometres of sea water surface in addition to a thick interlaced pond and canal system, Bac Lieu has great potential for fishery economy. By effectively promoting local potentialities and advantages for economic development, the fisheries sector has been recognised as an important economic sector of Bac Lieu province. The fisheries sector has achieved rapid growth in production scale, productivity and output. The total output of aquatic products was 10,168 tonnes in 1997, 110,466 tonnes in 2005 and 136,000 tonnes in 2009 - an increase of 13.37 times over 1990 and 1.23 times over 2005. The aquaculture area has also quickly expanded, from 42,185 ha in 1997 to 118,712 ha in 2005 and 125,866 ha in 2009, a rise of 2.98 times over 1990 and 1.06 times over 2005. Especially in 2009, thanks to active measures in environmental safety and standards, risks in industrial shrimp culturing have been limited while improvements have helped increase the shrimp output by 6.5 % from a year earlier. The fishing output was estimated at 83,000 tonnes in 2009, up 5.8 % compared with 2008, raising the total aquatic output (both culturing and natural fishing) to 222,700 tonnes, or 109 % of the annual plan and up 7 % from 2008. The living standards of the farmers are, therefore, improved.

 

With the further promotion of local potential and advantages, from now until the end of 2015, the aquaculture sector has been seen as a key spearhead. Accordingly, the province will increase the aquaculture area to 128,000 ha by 2015, including 122,200 ha of shrimp culturing area (with 15,000 ha for industrial shrimp culturing, 74,200 ha for combined shrimp culturing and 33,000 ha for shrimp-rice combination). The aquaculture output will reach 165,900 tonnes (including 87,700 tonnes of shrimps and 1,200 tonnes of other aquatic products).

 

To quickly achieve the aforementioned targets and accelerate the aquaculture and processing development, Mr Luong Ngoc Lan, Deputy Director of Bac Lieu Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said, in the coming time, Bac Lieu province will focus on implementing safe aquatic development plans in three levels (BMP, GaqP and CoC), tighten the control over fishing areas and certify qualified production facilities.

 

At present, the model that combines rice growing with fish farming brings high economic value for Bac Lieu province. More importantly, it ensures ecological balance and sustainable development. Peasants in the province of Bac Lieu have applied many successful combination models like combining rice with shrimp, crab and fish, or rice with shrimp, crab and fish giant river prawn, or rice with vegetables, or salt with shrimp, crab and fish. The suitable model generates annual net profit of VND10-50 million per production unit. Specially, the model combining rice with shrimp is promoting effects. Exclusive Hong Dan rice, which is planted in combination with shrimp, has registered for geographical indication. This model helps reduce diseases in shrimp while promoting efficiency.

 

Besides, the model that combines salt and pointed-tailed goby is widely applied by coastal farmers. The salt field is too salty to grow rice. Previously, farmers deserted the field when the salt season ended but now they are culturing pointed-tailed goby (Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus) there. Local authorities will consider the model to apply in other localities.