Focus on Developing Hi-tech Agriculture

Kon Tum has 2 sub-climate regions of the East and West of Truong Son Mountain; each region owns comparative natural advantage and typical characteristics suitable for the development of each plant and different livestock. The West of Truong Son Mountain is suitable to develop crops and livestock such as rubber, robusta coffee, sugar cane, cassava, pepper, cattle breeding while the Eastern Truong Son is suitable for Ngoc Linh ginseng development, equity pink champagne, cold vegetable origin, catimo coffee, cold water fish, dairy, and dairy goat. To promote this advantage, Kon Tum has actively enhanced its high-tech application in agriculture for for high-economic value products. Specifically, the high-tech technologies are applied in production of vegetables, flowers, fruits and livestock like dairy goats, dairy cows, and beef, associated with ecotourism, and agriculture in Mang Den Ecological Tourism Site, Kon Plong district. Currently, the area with nearly 1,400 ha is developing 6 products including vegetables, fruits, flowers, animal products, fish and medicinal products. Also, the province focuses on developing organic coffee grown in a sustainable way, internationally branded "Coffee Dak Ha" with an area of 8,000 ha; the high-technologies are applied in the national production like Ngoc Linh ginseng and medicines under the forest canopy of Tu Mo Rong district, which are currently preserved and developed on 180 hectares and is expected to grow up to 16,988 ha.

The high-tech application for agricultural development is the most effective path to develop good quality products for high competitiveness and increasing income for farmers. Therefore, Kon Tum has paid attention to effectively exploiting its potential and existing advantages. Specifically, in Mang Den Ecological Tourism Site, the Provincial People's Committee has collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ministry of Science and Technology to organise a workshop for high-tech application in agricultural development. Through the workshop, Kon Tum has attracted more investment projects in the high-tech application agricultural sector. Also, the province has signed some cooperation contracts with Ho Chi Minh City to promote the high-tech application in agriculture.

 

In addition, to suction businesses to invest in the rural and agricultural sector, Kon Tum has actively expanded international cooperation, creating a comfortable environment, openness and transparency as a prerequisite attracting investment. So far, the province has licensed 9 enterprises to implement investment projects in high-tech agricultural development with a total land area of 3,484.22 ha and total investment of more than VND6,600 billion. The products including vegetables, flowers, roots, fruits, industrial crops, medicinal plants, and all kinds of cattle and poultry apply processes are technologically applied to meet domestic and international standards. Three current projects including land reclamation, infrastructure investment and planing some crops are being implemented. The remaining projects are prepared to be finalised. Along with issuing a list of projects to attract more investment in agriculture and rural areas, Kon Tum has also adopted preferential policies to attract enterprises to invest in the agricultural sector and rural areas, such as exemptions from land rent, land use fees, and human resources training.

 

With the aim towards a comprehensive and efficient high-tech application in agriculture, Kon Tum Province continues to promote agricultural restructuring. To leverage the agricultural development and restructure the agriculture in the coming period, the province will focus on the adjustment of a number of appropriate production models to develop crops and livestock comparative advantages of the province and of the each sub-climates East and West of Truong Son. As noted by Director of the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, Mr Nguyen Trung Hai, this is seen as the right direction to gradually lead to a thriving sustainable agricultural production, contributing to increasing agricultural value of the province to 10-15 per cent by 2020 and 25-30 per cent by 2030 in accordance with Resolution No.02 - NQ/TU on agricultural development and targets of the Provincial Standing Committee.

 

With the recently adjusted production plan, the province is focusing on developing provincial high-tech agricultural zones. The province is expected to develop high-tech agriculture in Mang Den with total regional area of 10,000 ha and total agricultural area of 150 ha; livestock in the district of Ia H'Drai; Ngoc Linh ginseng and medicinal herbs in Tu Mo Rong and Dak Glei district; coffee in Dak Ha; and research to grow cassava sustainably. "The development of agricultural production linked to the processing is a long-term strategy to create a breakthrough in agricultural production in order to create the environmental friendly agricultural produce with high productivity, quality and high competitiveness, contribute to improving the competitiveness of agriculture in Kon Tum in the international integration process", emphasised Mr Hai.