Three main ecological zones form the foundation for agriculture in Quang Ngai.

Quang Ngai province is orienting its development towards green agriculture linked with tourism, making the most of its advantages in the sea, the vast forests of the Central Highlands, and its indigenous cultural values.

Sa Loong commune in Quang Ngai province was established by merging the former Dak Kan and Sa Loong communes. It has a natural area of ​​over 275 km² and a population of over 12,300 people, of which ethnic minorities account for nearly 58%. As a border commune adjacent to Cambodia, Sa Loong plays a crucial role in national defense and security, while also possessing significant potential for developing commercial agriculture .

The "Sa Loong: Scent of the Land - Heartfelt Human Connection" agricultural market showcases and connects farmers with consumers of their produce. Photo: Vo Ha.

According to Nguyen Chi Tuong, Secretary of the Party Committee of Sa Loong commune, the locality has been focusing on transforming the crop structure towards increasing value, applying high technology, and linking it to the consumer market. To date, the entire commune has 1,897 hectares of annual crops, and industrial and fruit crops have been strongly expanded, including 2,595 hectares of coffee, 5,379 hectares of rubber, 478 hectares of fruit trees, and 144 hectares of macadamia nuts.

Sa Loong is also developing concentrated production areas. People are boldly switching to organic farming, applying modern techniques, establishing planting area codes, and achieving a production value of over 127 million VND per hectare of agricultural land per year.

Livestock farming has also seen notable development with 7 farms raising over 2,000 animals, 2 swiftlet farming models, and 2 households using automatic heating and cooling systems. The locality has been granted a planting area code for 10 hectares of macadamia trees belonging to the Duc Han Agricultural Service - Trade Cooperative and is finalizing the application for 20 hectares of durian trees belonging to Farm Sa Loong.

Many ecological farming models are being implemented in western Quang Ngai . Photo: Vo Ha.

With its existing potential, Sa Loong aims to become a high-tech agricultural zone of the province, focusing on sustainable development, improving the lives of its people, and striving to eliminate poverty.

Similarly to Sa Loong, Mang Den commune – a newly merged administrative unit from the three communes of Mang Canh, Dak Tang and Mang Den town – is identifying high-tech agriculture as the pillar of its economic development.

With an altitude of 1,200m, a cool climate year-round, and a rich primary forest ecosystem, Mang Den possesses unique advantages for developing Arabica coffee, cold-climate vegetables and flowers, fruit trees, and medicinal plants. The commune's Party Committee has determined that agricultural development must be linked to economic restructuring and place the people at the center of the value chain.

By 2030, the commune aims to achieve 500 hectares of medicinal plants, 1,400 hectares of Arabica coffee, 200 hectares of cold-climate vegetables and flowers, 720 hectares of fruit trees, a livestock population of 10,000 animals, and a fish production of approximately 500 tons.

According to Dang Quang Ha, Secretary of the Party Committee of Mang Den commune, in recent years, Mang Den has expanded the area of ​​cold-climate coffee and built the brand "Mang Den Arabica Coffee," while also focusing on developing medicinal herbs and temperate vegetables and fruits. Many high-tech agricultural models have been maintained and replicated, helping to improve economic efficiency and suit the local climate and soil conditions.

In the near future, the commune will focus on developing specialty products associated with processing and brand building, such as Mang Den Arabica coffee, cold-climate vegetables, and Mang Den sturgeon. At the same time, it will promote the multi-purpose use of agricultural land and develop tourism and services linked to agricultural production. Advanced agricultural models such as green agriculture, organic farming, circular agriculture, "forest-field-rice" integrated farming, and agriculture combined with services will be piloted and replicated.

High-tech agriculture is the cornerstone of Mang Den's economic development. Photo: Vo Ha.

Quang Ngai province has over 1.065 million hectares of land designated for forestry and over 893,000 hectares of forested land. This is a rich resource for developing forest-based economy, ecotourism, and medicinal plants. The western region has a cool climate year-round (18-20°C), which is very suitable for growing Ngoc Linh ginseng and other medicinal plants under the forest canopy.

Currently, the province has approximately 9,798 hectares of medicinal plants, including 2,922 hectares of Ngoc Linh ginseng, 1,211 hectares of Codonopsis pilosula, 99 hectares of Angelica sinensis, etc., forming a Ngoc Linh ginseng growing area in Mang Ri, Ngoc Linh, and Xop communes, and a vine ginseng growing area in Tu Mo Rong.

Many ecological agricultural models are being implemented, such as VietGAP-certified coffee production (134ha), organic durian production (33ha), and VietGAP-certified integrated fruit tree model (4ha), bringing value up 1.5-2 times compared to before.

Quang Ngai also has two recognized high-tech agricultural zones (Dak Ha coffee zone and Mang Den vegetable and fruit zone), seven high-tech agricultural enterprises, and ten potential concentrated production areas. The province is supporting the development of over 1,000 hectares of robusta coffee, 1,200 hectares of fruit trees, 50 hectares of vegetables, and especially 2,800 hectares of medicinal plants in Mang Ri commune.

According to the Chairman of the Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee, Nguyen Hoang Giang, the province is orienting its development towards green agriculture linked with tourism, maximizing the advantages of the sea, the vast Central Highlands, and the value of local culture. The three main ecological zones – highlands, plains, and islands – form the foundation for sustainable multi-sector economic development, from high-tech agriculture to ecotourism and marine economy.

The mountainous region, with landmarks such as Ca Dam Mountain, Ngoc Linh Mountain, Mang Den Mountain, White Waterfall, and the Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border marker, offers great potential for developing ecotourism and community-based tourism, creating a sustainable market for agricultural products and increasing income for local people.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/ba-vung-sinh-thai-chu-dao-tao-nen-tang-cho-nong-nghiep-quang-ngai-d787635.html