Digital Transformation in Rural Development Significant Advance

The digital transformation program for new rural development, aimed to build smart rural areas in 2021-2025, was approved by the Government in Decision 924/QD-TTg dated August 2, 2022. Many localities have quickly adopted the program to meet this requirement.

“Breakthrough step” in rural development

Digital transformation in agriculture and in the new-style rural building is a policy adopted by the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement this national target program. Speeding up digital transformation in new rural development is an optimal solution and an inevitable trend to effectively foster agricultural and rural potential in the current context. This can be considered a "breakthrough step" to bring benefits to many users such as producers, consumers, quarantine agencies and authorities. This is a creation of localities and the agricultural and rural development sector to generate magnetism and spread technological application to agricultural production and new rural construction.

A representative of Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that digital transformation is a key task to execute the National Target Program on New Rural Development in the 2021-2025 period in Lam Dong province to realize the goal of having ecological agriculture, modern rural areas, civilized farmers and a national digital transformation strategy. Therefore, the province needs to agree on solutions to actively and flexibly coordinate three pillars of rural development: Digital government, digital economy and digital society for residential communities.

Accordingly, the smart new rural commune model handles 100% of administrative records on the province's information system, is expected to handle at least 80% and hopefully 90% of eligible administrative procedures to be provided and processed online where users enter data only once; and ensures that 100% of meetings and conferences at provincial, district and commune levels can be conducted online. The province will develop the digital economy and introduce tourist attractions and cultural features of communes via internet applications and social networks. Small and medium-sized enterprises, individual business households, cooperatives and agricultural production households all adopt electronic payments. OCOP products are registered and sold on e-commerce platforms such as Voso.vn, Postmart.vn and other reputable domestic and international e-commerce platforms.

The province will also develop the digital society with a 2-way interactive eGov-Connect application, electronic information websites, emails, Facebook and Zalo applications; install free Wifi internet networks, and surveillance cameras integrated with the Lam Dong Intelligent Operations Center (IOC).

An Giang province now has 89 out of 116 communes to reach Criterion 8 on information and communication of the national criteria set of new rural communes, equivalent to 76.72% of all communes. Regarding digital infrastructure development, the province currently has 129 commune cultural post offices in 116 communes, including 113 post offices in operation. High-speed fiber optic internet has reached 100% of communes, wards and towns across the province. Broadband mobile internet covers 100% of villages and hamlets to meet user demands. All administrative agencies have local area networks (LANs), internet connectivity and specialized data transmission networks of the Party and government. The science and technology program for new rural development in the province has deployed 664 production support models associated with high-tech agricultural models, funded by the central budget. This move has helped increase per capita income in rural areas over the years.

More training on digital transformation capabilities

Besides Lam Dong and An Giang provinces, some localities are fostering digital transformation in new rural development. According to a representative of Bac Giang Steering Committee for National Target Programs, Bac Giang province approved 52 groups of key and typical agricultural products for commercial production. Besides, the province has 180 OCOP products typically imbued with local culture, customs and strengths. These products have clear origin and quality, and are highly appreciated by consumers. This is a great space for digital transformation in the agricultural sector.

Accordingly, Bac Giang province launched a plan to support farmers and agricultural production cooperatives on e-commerce platforms and foster digital agriculture and rural development. The province looked to form digital agricultural production households (with digital selling booths, digital addresses, digital payment accounts, digital traceability and digital labels on e-commerce platforms); built database software on e-commerce websites in Bac Giang province; and organized training on online business skills and startup knowledge on e-commerce platforms.

In order to effectively carry out the Digital Transformation Program for New Rural Development and look towards a smart new countryside, Bac Giang proposed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development soon advise the Prime Minister to approve the Digital Transformation Project for Agriculture and Rural Development to 2025, with a vision to 2030. The province will strengthen training to improve digital transformation capabilities for officials at all levels and people.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam, digital transformation in new rural construction needs to be further promoted to actively assist agricultural production and consumption and traceability of agricultural, forest and aquatic products and build e-government. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also requested relevant bodies to accelerate communications, raise awareness, and change mindset about digital transformation in rural development for Party members, government officials and residents; promoted building digital government for rural area construction; and fostered digital economy in rural economic development.

Dinh Bao (Vietnam Business Forum)