Project of 1 million hectares of rice in the Mekong Delta

At the workshop, Mr. Tran Cong Thang, Director of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, reported on a survey of rice production in some provinces and cities of Long An, Dong Thap, An Giang and Can Tho to serve the project development.

The surveyed localities expressed consensus and appreciation for the project's ideas and have specific plans to participate in the 2025 and 2030 phases. In particular, An Giang province will reorganize production and strengthen linkages in rice production; Dong Thap will develop a digital transformation program in agricultural development; Can Tho will develop a plan for the irrigation system for rice production from 2025 to 2030 and for the entire local area, and Long An province is a high-tech rice area.

According to Mr. Tran Cong Thang, localities are developing the rice industry in a more sustainable direction, reducing emissions and especially contributing to increasing added value and farmers' income. Most of the areas registered to participate in the project by 2025 are rice areas with suitable conditions for rice production, with good infrastructure investment and better production organization than the remaining areas. By 2030, the total area of provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta participating in the project will be more than 1 million hectares.

According to the representative of the World Bank, Vietnam has experience in implementing VnSat and good production technical solutions. The World Bank hopes to accompany the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the provinces and cities in the region to participate in implementing the 1 million hectare rice project.

With the aim of promoting sustainable farming practices to produce high-quality rice and reduce carbon emissions, the domestic and export markets are increasingly large. The representative of the World Bank in Vietnam also said that it is necessary to analyze domestic and international market demand; production is in harmony with market demand, farmers can increase sales, improve competitiveness and ultimately profits; research value chains and branding strategies.

Mr. Tran Thanh Nam, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that the project is a highlight and a turning point for the rice industry in the Mekong Delta, adapting to climate change according to the commitment at COP 26.

This will be a transition to a new stage, implementing the process of reducing production costs for people, increasing profits and increasing the professionalism of people. And when achieving Carbon certification, the brand of Vietnamese rice will increase, the selling price will be high, raising the brand and value of Vietnamese rice in the world market.

“The project to sustainably develop 1 million hectares of high-quality rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta region has the biggest goal of reducing costs, increasing production value and ensuring the ecological environment. To achieve this goal, it requires the participation of all levels and sectors, especially the role of local authorities in orienting the planning of building high-quality raw material areas, supporting mechanisms and policies to encourage farmers, cooperatives and businesses to participate in raw material areas”, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam emphasized.

News and photos: THUY AN

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