Developing high-quality rice fields and reducing emissions.

By 2025, Vinh Long province aims to cultivate 3,200 hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice, and by 2030, to reach 20,000 hectares.

Over the years, Vinh Long's agricultural sector has gradually implemented solutions to improve rice quality, especially high-quality rice for export, and increase income for rice farmers. Based on the foundation of rice fields cultivated using Integrated Crop Health Management (IPHM), which is an important basis for implementing the Sustainable Development Project of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta, the project aims towards ecological, sustainable agricultural production that adapts to climate change.

Outstanding effectiveness from the IPHM model

In other provinces and cities, the Sustainable Development Project for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation linked to green growth in the Mekong Delta region is being implemented with many elements inherited from the "Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in Vietnam" project, abbreviated as VnSAT. Vinh Long, in particular, did not previously participate in the VnSAT project. However, to implement this project, the agricultural sector is relying on rice fields producing according to the IPHM (Integrated Pest Management) model.

During the 2024 Summer-Autumn crop season, the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection demonstrated several rice production models using the Integrated Crop Management (IPHM) method in the districts of Tam Binh, Mang Thit, Long Ho, and Vung Liem. Statistics show that the average rice yield in the demonstration fields reached approximately 6.4 tons/ha, 0.4 tons/ha higher than the control fields. Along with reduced input costs, a 20% reduction in fertilizer use and a 15-30% reduction in the number of pesticide applications helped farmers achieve a profit of approximately 26.6 million VND/ha.

Accordingly, the IPHM model also helps farmers boldly change their mindset and rice production practices from traditional production to sustainable, organic, and economically viable agriculture, especially by using good seeds (certified, high-quality seeds), reducing planting density, applying good farming practices, balanced fertilization, increasing the use of organic fertilizers, and integrated pest management (IPM), etc. Many farmers say that the IPHM model has transferred scientific and technical advancements, applied intensive farming methods that are organic and sustainable, have fewer harmful effects on farmers' health, and have less impact on the environment.

Participating in the IPHM rice production model, Mr. Nguyen Van Hieu (My Loc commune, Tam Binh district) said: “I sow sparsely, in rows, 10 kg/hectare. This reduces the cost of seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. Before, I sowed 15 kg, now I only use 10 kg, saving 100,000 VND/hectare, and reducing the number of pesticide sprays by 300,000 VND by 3 times. Besides that, I also see the benefits of using pesticides according to the "4 correct principles," the pesticide withdrawal period, and raising awareness in collecting pesticide packaging and disposing of it in the designated places, contributing to environmental protection, reducing emissions, and most importantly, protecting the health of myself and consumers.”

Through monitoring and implementation, this model not only reduces costs and increases profits, but also reduces emissions in production, protecting the environment. This is a crucial factor in current rice production. This model can be applied to scale up production, aiming towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Project for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation, in which farmers are participating.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vinh Long province, Vinh Long is not participating in the VnSAT Project, so in the 2024-2025 period, it will only register to participate in 3,200 hectares, and by 2030, it will expand by an additional 16,800 hectares to reach 20,000 hectares. Specifically, phase 1 (2024-2025) will be implemented in 4 districts: Vung Liem, Long Ho, Binh Tan, and Tam Binh, with a cultivated area of ​​3,200 hectares/year for high-quality, low-emission rice; phase 2 (2026-2030) will be implemented in the districts of Vung Liem, Long Ho, Binh Tan, Tam Binh, Tra On, Mang Thit, and Binh Minh town, developing the cultivated area to 16,800 hectares. Specifically for the 2024 Summer-Autumn rice crop, the province is implementing a project integrating IPHM (Integrated Pest Management) rice cultivation models, climate change adaptation rice production models, large-scale high-tech rice farming models, and organic rice production models… which have been implemented in previous years in districts and towns.

Aiming to develop high-quality rice fields and reduce emissions.

According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, implementing the IPHM model, in addition to reducing seeds and fertilizers, especially nitrogen fertilizer content, farmers also manage pests using integrated pest management (IPM) and alternate wetting and drying irrigation. Many farmers have also collected all straw from the fields for reuse, contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These technical solutions meet many criteria of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Sustainable Development Project for 1 million hectares of high-quality rice cultivation. In the Summer-Autumn crop of 2024, the agricultural sector helped farmers establish approximately 220 hectares of rice production according to IPHM. In the Autumn-Winter crop, additional models were established in Binh Tan district.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, Deputy Head of the Crop Production and Plant Protection Sub-Department, said: “In this model, farmers are guided to practice integrated crop health management based primarily on the ‘1 must, 5 reductions’ principle. We advise farmers to first reduce seed usage, use new technology fertilizers, and increase fertilizer efficiency per unit area. Reducing nitrogen content in total fertilizer use will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this year's Autumn-Winter crop season, the sub-department will guide farmers to replicate these models in other localities and build more models in Binh Tan district. At the same time, we will continue to implement measures to support farmers who have already produced rice according to the IPHM model, aiming to produce rice that meets the criteria of the Sustainable Development Project for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta region in Vinh Long.”

The agricultural sector continues to implement measures to support farmers who have been producing rice according to IPHM (Integrated Pest Management System), aiming to produce rice that meets the criteria of the 1 million hectare project.

Mr. Nguyen Van Liem, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province, said: “The agricultural sector considers the IPHM cultivation model on rice as a pilot model to be replicated in the following years. Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has visited these models to learn from other localities and develop special policies, especially establishing community agricultural extension groups. This includes policies to support these groups and agricultural extension officers at the grassroots level, thereby promoting and encouraging people to actively participate in this 1 million hectare project.”

With the proposed solutions, the agricultural sector and rice farmers in Vinh Long province are determined to successfully implement the project. This will contribute to increasing the added value of rice and directly increase profits for farmers.

According to the plan, by 2025, Vinh Long province will implement 3,200 hectares and by 2030 will reach 20,000 hectares of specialized cultivation of high-quality, low-emission rice, out of a total of 1 million hectares in the Mekong Delta. The project aims to establish 1 million hectares of specialized high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation areas linked to the reorganization of the production system along the value chain, applying sustainable farming practices to increase the value and sustainable development of the rice industry, improve production and business efficiency, increase income and living standards of rice farmers, protect the environment, adapt to climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This will contribute to fulfilling Vietnam's international commitments on emission reduction, ensuring that the Vietnamese Prime Minister has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Furthermore, the implementation of the project will help increase the added value of rice, enhance investment attraction, and create higher added value for farmers and the Vietnamese agricultural sector.

Text and photos: NGUYEN KHANG

Source: https://baovinhlong.vn/tin-moi/202408/phat-trien-canh-dong-lua-chat-luong-cao-giam-phat-thai-32d1f71/