Towards digital agriculture

In the context of modern agriculture, which demands transparency and strict quality control, traceability is becoming the "key" to establishing the reputation of agricultural products in the market.

Checking the traceability labels on the Ninh Binh honey packaging line.

In Ninh Binh, the application of traceability to Kim Son mangrove honey, a long-standing traditional craft, is creating a strong shift and bringing high economic efficiency.

"Honey mine" of the coastal region

The mangrove forests along the coast of Kim Son have long been Ninh Binh's "honey granary." Now, those golden drops of honey are "identified" with electronic traceability labels and QR codes, ensuring transparency in the production process and enhancing the brand's image.

The 27/7 Beekeeping Cooperative in Kim Dong commune, established at the end of 2023 with 16 members, harvests honey in a vast mangrove forest area. Previously, people brought bees to collect honey from May to August each year, but the product lacked a clear brand and had difficulty accessing the market. Since receiving support with traceability labels and moisture reduction machines, the product achieves the standard moisture content, does not ferment, and its commercial value has increased significantly.

“The entire process, from beekeeping, daily honey harvesting, transportation, storage, moisture reduction to packaging, is documented with images and videos and updated on the traceability system. This helps consumers trust the product more, facilitates participation in official distribution channels, and aims for export. Currently, each product is pure, natural, standardized according to international standards, and listed on the OCOP platform and in the province's clean food stores,” shared Mr. Ta Duc Tai, Deputy Director of the Cooperative.

In Binh Minh commune, the Kim Son Sea Mangrove Honey Production and Consumption Cooperative, with 12 members, produces approximately 10 tons of honey per year. Applying traceability labels helps to clearly identify the product, leading to better market acceptance and improved selling prices.

According to Mr. Vu Manh Thang, Director of the Cooperative, in order to be eligible for the traceability label, members must adhere to a strict process: monitoring the bee colonies, not feeding them sugar, not mixing honey, harvesting using proper techniques, and verifying sugar content with measuring equipment... Despite the stringent requirements, the cooperative still purchases the honey at a higher price to encourage beekeepers to maintain consistent quality.

Not only cooperatives, but also young entrepreneurs are applying technology to enhance the value of local honey. Vu Anh Toan, Director of Kim Son Mangrove Honey Trading Joint Stock Company (Binh Minh commune), said that the company currently manages 700 beehives, with an annual production of 7-8 tons, and all products have been tagged with electronic QR codes. Thanks to traceability, the business can better control input materials, save time, and reach consumers faster. Customers can look up the origin and production process, thereby increasing trust and boosting revenue by 10-20%. Thanks to the advantage of the endemic mangrove flower source combined with traceability, beekeeping along the coast of Kim Son is developing sustainably.

Building a smart digital agriculture

With the goal of building a nationally standardized electronic traceability model that is scalable and directly applicable to the production, management, and consumption of products, Ninh Binh province is implementing the scientific project "Building a model for applying a traceability system to some honey products of Ninh Binh province" in the 2024-2025 period in Kim Dong, Binh Minh, and Dong Thai communes. This is a concrete step in realizing the government's and the province's policy on developing digital agriculture and digital rural areas.

This project combines both technological and social elements, building an information technology system with Smart-Trace software while simultaneously organizing guidance, training, and changing people's perceptions about standardized production processes and digital data management.

Specifically, the traceability system is designed based on the principle of identifying the object, production batch, location, and responsible person; updating data in real time using electronic devices; storing and sharing centrally through the Smart-Trace management software; integrating QR codes for each product for quick information lookup by consumers; and connecting with the national traceability portal, ensuring consistency, transparency, and authenticity.

Thanks to a synchronized approach, after only one year of implementation, traceable honey products have been highly appreciated by consumers and distributors, with selling prices increasing by 10-15%. Many production facilities have signed stable sales contracts with organic food stores inside and outside the province. Quality management has become stricter, limiting fraud and the mixing of low-quality honey; clean farming processes protect biodiversity and control chemicals, etc.

According to Mr. Hoang Trong Le, Secretary of the Party Committee of Kim Dong commune, applying traceability to honey not only helps to ensure product quality transparency but also creates a foundation for building the brand "Clean and Safe Ninh Binh Honey". In recent times, people have been very enthusiastic about participating in the model because they clearly see the benefits, from easier market access to increased income. The commune will continue to train and expand the model; at the same time, increase the area for beekeeping and the scale of participating households and businesses, aiming to build a stable and synchronized bee colony, improving the economic efficiency for the people.

According to Mr. Trinh Dinh The, Deputy Head of the Ninh Binh Provincial Department of Standards, Metrology and Quality, the province will continue to expand the traceability system not only for honey but also for many other characteristic products to form a synchronized traceability network; build a digital map of agricultural production areas, integrating traceability, geographical indications and environmental tracing; create a digital ecosystem for OCOP products and e-commerce; and organize in-depth training courses on digital skills and traceability for management staff.

The Ninh Binh honey traceability model is a breakthrough in applying digital technology to agricultural product management, playing a pivotal role in the province's digital agriculture development process. Ninh Binh aims to have 100% of its OCOP products (3 stars and above) with electronic traceability by 2030, synchronized with the national traceability portal, moving towards a transparent, sustainable, and strong-branded agricultural sector.

VAN LUA and YEN TRINH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/huong-toi-nen-nong-nghiep-so-post927524.html