Can Tho Strives to Become High-tech Agricultural Centre in Mekong Delta

 

Can Tho City is home to many research institutes and universities, thus enabling it to carry out cooperation programmes with other Mekong Delta provinces and academia as well as study, apply and transfer science and technology to farmers. In the 2008 - 2014 period, the city carried out over 50 scientific and technological research and application projects in agriculture and rural development.

 

Can Tho City also attaches much importance to farming and aquaculture extension work. Many effective agricultural programmes have been launched, helping farmers to earn VND131-146 million per year from each hectare of cultivated area.

 

In rice cultivation, Can Tho adopted the big field model in 2011 with 400 ha in Vinh Thanh district. In 2014, the model was expanded to over 14,888 ha, including 63 ha applying VietGAP standards and 100 ha applying GlobalGAP standards. This model helps reduce production costs, improve product quality, and increase profitability for rice farmers. Each hectare generates an additional VND1.8-4.5 million for farmers.

 

In addition to rice production, farmers are also guided to increase earnings from their land. The city helps farmers adopt crop rotation and inter-cropping. Many farmers open their gardens and farms to tourists to earn more money from their land. Their incomes increase 1.5 - 2 times from just cultivation.

 

In livestock farming, Can Tho pays attention to biosecurity and food safety. The city has developed many livestock and fowl farms with annual revenue of VND1 billion upwards. In fisheries, science and technology transfer is enhanced to encourage farmers to adopt GlobalGAP, SQF and BMP standards to improve aquatic quality and meet export standards.

 

In livestock farming, Can Tho pays attention to biosecurity and food safety. The city has developed many livestock and fowl farms with annual revenue of VND1 billion upwards. In fisheries, science and technology transfer is enhanced to encourage farmers to adopt GlobalGAP, SQF and BMP standards to improve aquatic quality and meet export standards.

 

Mr Pham Van Quynh, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Can Tho, said, the formation of centralised farming zones has facilitated the development of processing industries and rural services and attracted many economic sectors to invest in handicraft production in the countryside. In 2014, the city’s milled rice output was approximately 3 million tonnes, frozen seafood output was estimated at 325,000 tonnes, rice and frozen seafood export was projected at over US$1 billion. Hence, Can Tho City is the centre of agricultural processing and services.

 

Mr Quynh said, to develop the agricultural sector towards regional and international standards, Can Tho City is carrying out high-tech agricultural development project for the 2014 - 2020 period which focuses on three key tasks: Managing agricultural products towards international standards, turning fisheries into a key economic sector, and developing Can Tho into a high-tech agricultural centre of the Mekong Delta region. According to the project, high-tech agricultural production value will account for 10-15 per cent of total agricultural production value in 2015 and 30 - 35 per cent in 2020.

 

To accomplish its objectives, Can Tho will gradually develop high-tech agriculture, with key products being rice, vegetables, fruits, livestock, freshwater fisheries and technical and scientific services. From now to 2020, the city will build three high-tech agricultural zones, namely the High-tech Agricultural Zone No. 1 in Thoi Thanh commune (Thoi Lai district), High-tech Agricultural Zone No. 2 in Thoi Hung commune (Co Do district), and High-tech Agricultural Zone No. 3 in Thanh Phu commune (Co Do district). These zones will play important roles in the study and transfer of science and technologies, and raise technological content and added value of agricultural products.

 

 Hoang Lam