Towards sustainable development of rice industry

Updated date: 04/17/2025 05:21:09

DTO - In the spirit of implementing the Project on Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares of High-Quality and Low-Emission Rice Cultivation Associated with Green Growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030 (referred to as the Project) in Dong Thap province, last year, the province monitored and evaluated the results of the pilot model of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth.

Farmers apply mechanization in sowing and planting according to the high-quality rice cultivation model, reducing emissions (Photo: Nhat Khanh)

Excited about the pilot model

The pilot model of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in Thap Muoi district with a scale of 50ha/24 participating households in Hamlet 4 field, Lang Bien commune, belonging to Thang Loi Agricultural Service Cooperative (implemented in 3 crops) started from the autumn-winter crop of 2024. The model has synchronously applied solutions according to the technical process of producing high-quality and low-emission rice in the region according to the instructions of the Department of Crop Production. Specifically, 100% mechanization is applied in sowing rows/clusters combined with burying manure to reduce the amount of seeds, reduce the amount of fertilizer, reduce the number of times spraying pesticides; installing water level sensors to help farmers and cooperatives proactively irrigate; 100% of straw is collected from the fields.

Accordingly, the results are quite encouraging. In the 2024 autumn-winter crop, 43.1 hectares/20 farmers were deployed. The model reduced costs by about 1.6 million VND/ha, reduced production costs by 578 VND/kg, and brought in an average profit of about 5.3 million VND/ha compared to the control field. The model helped reduce emissions by an average of 4.92 tons of CO2e/ha. In the 2024-2025 winter-spring crop, the area was expanded to 50 hectares/24 participating farmers. The model reduced production costs by about 2.6 VND/ha, reduced costs by 942 - 971 VND/kg, and brought in higher profits of 8.6 - 9 million VND/ha (equivalent to an increase of about 160%) compared to conventional production practices. This model helps reduce emissions by an average of over 3.9 tons of CO2e/ha. The 2025 summer-autumn crop will continue to be implemented on a scale of 50 hectares/24 participating farmers.

In recent times, the province has paid attention to expanding the scale of production areas applying high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation processes associated with green growth. Accordingly, the Provincial People's Committee directed the Department of Agriculture and Environment to proactively coordinate with localities and enterprises to continue expanding the high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation areas associated with green growth to achieve the goals of the Project set out in 2025. To date, the area participating in the Project has reached 25,556.6 hectares (equal to 51% of the project plan in 2025).

To create leverage for development, the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Agriculture and Environment to preside over and coordinate with relevant units to advise and propose investment policies to complete the infrastructure of the pilot model to implement the Project at the field of Hamlet 4, Lang Bien commune, belonging to Thang Loi Agricultural Service Cooperative.

Within the framework of the Project, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is proposing to the Government to implement the Project on Infrastructure and Technical Support for High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice in the Mekong Delta with a loan from the World Bank (WB) for 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta. In particular, the Provincial People's Committee proposed the Project on Infrastructure and Technical Support for Low-Carbon Rice Production in the Mekong Delta - Dong Thap Province from public investment capital for the period 2026 - 2030 with an estimated cost of about 972 billion VND. This is an important resource for investment in upgrading infrastructure in specialized areas...

Towards sustainable development, localities actively encourage enterprises to participate in the Project, sign contracts with cooperatives and production households to provide quality inputs, technical support, and consume output products for rice-growing households. Accordingly, the ratio of area linked to rice consumption between farmers - cooperatives and enterprises reaches about 21% of the area.

Expanding the cultivated area

According to the Provincial People's Committee, the pilot models achieved certain results last year. However, the water withdrawal time according to the requirement of alternating flooding and drying during the growth stages of rice plants according to the Technical Process of high-quality and low-emission cultivation in the pilot area did not meet the requirements. The reason is that the infrastructure system serving production is not yet synchronized, and the field conditions in the production areas are not flat (hills, depressions).

Due to objective conditions affecting the rainy weather in the summer-autumn and autumn-winter crops, the application of straw rolling machines to meet the criteria of collecting straw from the fields is still facing many difficulties. In addition, some cooperatives and cooperatives are currently not proactive in finding markets for straw consumption. During the rainy season, straw is collected with a low recovery rate. Wet straw is difficult to store and use for growing mushrooms or processing into other products.

The ratio of rice consumption linkage area between farmers - cooperatives and enterprises has not reached the expected level, due to unstable rice consumption market, contracts through traders do not have high legal binding. The progress of expanding the model area according to the Project criteria in some localities is still slow due to farmers' concerns, the participating area is not concentrated. The project "Supporting infrastructure and techniques for high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta, WB loan" has not been approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, so the internal irrigation works in the localities participating in the Project have not been fully upgraded.

In order to strive to expand the area of ​​high-quality rice cultivation to at least 50,000 hectares by the end of 2025, the Provincial People's Committee has set out a number of key tasks to be implemented, such as continuing to deploy, monitor and evaluate the results of the pilot model of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in Thap Muoi district, Dong Thap province with a scale of 50 hectares/24 participating households (3rd crop). Implemented from the capital source for developing rice land according to Decree 35/2015/ND-CP of the Government; funding for implementing the Project on restructuring the agricultural sector and agricultural extension funding in 2025 and the local budget to continue to replicate the model in the districts: Hong Ngu, Tan Hong, Tam Nong, Thanh Binh, Thap Muoi, Cao Lanh and Hong Ngu city.

At the same time, continue to coordinate with SNV to implement the project "Transforming the rice value chain to respond to climate change and sustainable development in the Mekong Delta"; call on businesses to participate in the project and expand the area applying the emission-reducing rice cultivation process. Review, upgrade, invest in existing irrigation works and complete the canal system combined with intra-field traffic to proactively irrigate, drain, manage water and facilitate the operation and movement of machinery in districts and cities.

Regarding consumption linkage, encourage enterprises participating in the Project to sign linkage contracts with cooperatives and production households to provide quality inputs, technical support, and output products for rice-growing households. Build brands and develop markets for high-quality and low-emission rice products; promote brands and trademarks of rice produced from high-quality rice areas associated with green growth domestically and internationally; focus on credit support, promote the implementation of the Loan Program for linkage in production, processing and consumption of high-quality and low-emission rice products in the Mekong Delta according to Decision No. 1490/QD-TTg...

Y DU

Source: https://baodongthap.vn/kinh-te/huong-den-su-phat-trien-ben-vung-nganh-hang-lua-gao-130755.aspx