Breakthrough in agricultural processing and preservation technology: Towards a sustainable value chain

The National Science and Technology Program (S&T) KC.07/21-30 is opening up a new direction in enhancing the value chain of Vietnamese agricultural products, from preservation, deep processing to mechanization of production. With a synchronous approach and clear goals, the program is expected to create a strong shift to help Vietnamese agriculture develop sustainably, effectively and environmentally.

In the context of the world economy shifting strongly to green growth model, circular economy and smart agriculture, the application of science and technology in agricultural production is considered the key for Vietnam to improve its competitiveness and ensure long-term food security. However, according to experts, the capacity to process and preserve agricultural, forestry and fishery products in the country is still limited; agricultural mechanization is not uniform among regions, especially in the Central Highlands and mountainous areas.

Therefore, Program KC.07/21-30 "Research on application and development of technology for processing, preserving agricultural, forestry and fishery products and mechanization in agriculture", chaired by the Ministry of Science and Technology , was approved in Decision No. 1252/QD-BKHCN dated July 14, 2022. This is one of the key national programs for the period 2021-2030, aiming to promote research, application and mastery of technology in the entire agricultural value chain, from production, harvesting, preservation to processing and consumption.

According to statistics, currently about 70% of Vietnam's agricultural exports are still in raw or semi-processed form, leading to low added value. Post-harvest losses for some key agricultural products are still high, from 10 to 30%. Meanwhile, developed countries have promoted deep processing, diversified products and utilized by-products to produce biological materials, renewable energy or functional foods.

Research, application and development of technology for processing and preserving agricultural, forestry and fishery products.

In addition, preservation technology is still lacking in synchronization, many small businesses do not have the conditions to invest in modern drying, packaging and freezing systems. Agricultural mechanization is only focused on some production stages such as land preparation, irrigation, rice harvesting, while the fields of fruit trees, vegetables, aquaculture and livestock farming still depend on manual labor.

These limitations have caused our agricultural value chain to be 'broken' at many links. Therefore, promoting research and application of new technologies in processing and mechanization is an urgent requirement for Vietnam's agriculture to enter a stage of sustainable development.

According to the orientation, the KC.07/21-30 Program focuses on four major groups of contents: Research and application of advanced preservation and processing technology to prolong preservation time, improve product quality, diversify products and meet international standards; Develop technology to process agricultural by-products, such as coffee grounds, fruit peels, straw, pepper residue into products of high economic value (functional foods, biological fertilizers, new materials...), contributing to the formation of a circular economy in agriculture; Master the technology of manufacturing machinery, equipment and agricultural production lines suitable for Vietnam's conditions, especially for mountainous and highland areas, where the terrain is complex and the production scale is small; Build a model of synchronous technology application along the value chain, linking research institutes, enterprises and localities, towards commercialization and replication of research results.

The specific targets of the program are also clearly set: At least 50% of tasks have practical application results, 20% have the potential for commercialization; 100% of products meet national technical standards or equivalent; reduce post-harvest losses by 10-20% depending on the agricultural product group; and increase the rate of deep processing to a level equivalent to that of advanced countries in the region.

Pre-processing technology allows the production of dishes from fully processed seafood.

With the characteristics of a large agricultural production area, the Central Highlands is being selected as the "key implementation area" of the KC.07/21-30 Program. This is a region with great advantages in fruit and industrial crops such as durian, avocado, passion fruit, coffee, pepper, but still faces challenges in preservation, deep processing and mechanization.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Bui Quang Thuat, the projects under the program in the Central Highlands will focus on building a closed technology chain model, from harvesting, transporting, preliminary processing, preserving to processing finished products. Along with that is the development of specialized equipment and machinery suitable for the terrain and production scale in the locality, helping to improve labor productivity and reduce costs.

One of the new features of KC.07/21-30 is the mechanism to encourage the connection of "four houses": State - Scientists - Enterprises - Farmers. The program prioritizes topics and projects with enterprises participating right from the task definition stage, while supporting technology transfer and training of operational human resources.

According to experts, when research institutes master technology, businesses proactively commercialize, and farmers are direct beneficiaries, Vietnam's agricultural value chain will be more closed, efficient and sustainable.

The KC.07/21-30 program is expected to create breakthroughs in the field of preservation, processing and mechanization of Vietnamese agriculture. Through research, application, manufacturing and modeling, the program aims to improve productivity, quality and value of agricultural products; form sustainable value chains; expand domestic and international markets; improve farmers' income; and promote the modernization of agriculture in a green and smart direction.

Source: https://mst.gov.vn/dot-pha-cong-nghe-che-bien-bao-quan-nong-san-huong-toi-chuoi-gia-tri-ben-vung-197251101223520489.htm