Intelligence and technology are the 'working capital' of the agricultural sector

Speaking at the press conference announcing the activities to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Traditional Day of Agriculture and Environment (1945-2025), Mr. Cuong said that in the coming period, the reorganization of production and restructuring of the industry will be strengthened by the "four pillars" of the Politburo 's Resolution. The pillars include: Resolution 57 on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation; Resolution 59 on international integration in the new situation; Resolution 66 on innovation in law making and enforcement; Resolution 68 on private economic development.

Photo caption — Mr. Nguyen Nhu Cuong, Deputy Director of Department of Science and Technology.

He emphasized that if people and land are resources, the “fixed capital” of the country, intelligence and technology are the “working capital”, the key driving force for the country to break through in the new era. This is the key requirement for agriculture to develop in a modern direction, exploit resources reasonably and increase added value.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien further affirmed that agriculture is not only a pillar of Vietnam but also of the world. Ensuring food for 8 billion people is an important task, especially in the context of the world facing extreme natural disasters, epidemics and geopolitical conflicts. According to him, agriculture always plays a fundamental role in stabilizing food security and social security both domestically and internationally.

On the basis of science, technology and innovation, Vietnamese agriculture has a solid foundation to continue promoting its advantages and affirming the country's position in the new development stage.

It is no exaggeration to say that Vietnam "feeds the world".

At the press conference, Mr. Pham Van Duy, Deputy Director of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development, said that Vietnamese agricultural products have been exported to more than 190 countries and territories. This is a testament to the industry's capacity for production, processing and international integration, as Vietnamese agricultural products are present in almost all global markets.

According to Mr. Duy, Vietnam is in the group of leading exporting countries in the world in many key industries.

By 2024, rice exports will reach about 9 million tons, placing Vietnam in third place globally, behind only India and Thailand. With an output of over 39 million tons of rice, Vietnam will not only ensure national food security but also make an important contribution to world food security.

In the seafood sector, Vietnam's exports maintained a value of approximately 10 billion USD, ranking among the three largest seafood exporting countries in the world, behind only China and Norway. Although it reached 11 billion USD in 2022, the industry still showed good resilience after the fluctuations caused by the pandemic.

Vietnamese coffee continues to hold its second place in the world, just behind Brazil, with an annual output of about 1.6-1.8 million tons and a turnover of more than 4.5 billion USD. Vietnamese fruits and vegetables have also grown strongly, ranking among the top 15 exporting countries thanks to the advantage of climate and deep processing capabilities. Industries such as cashew nuts, pepper, rubber, wood and wood products have maintained high export levels, creating an important pillar of Vietnam's agricultural trade.

“From these figures, it can be said that the statement that Vietnam ‘feeds the world’ is not an exaggeration. Vietnamese agriculture is truly playing an important role in providing food for hundreds of countries,” Mr. Duy affirmed.

Growth potential is still wide open.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien said that the export turnover of agricultural, forestry and fishery products in the first 10 months of 2025 reached more than 58 billion USD, an increase of nearly 13-14% over the same period, with a trade surplus of approximately 17 billion USD. Key commodity groups such as rice, coffee, vegetables, seafood and wood all recorded positive growth. "The target of reaching about 65-67 billion USD for the whole year is feasible if we continue to maintain the recovery speed and make good use of free trade agreements," he affirmed.

According to the Deputy Minister, there is still a lot of room for growth when science and technology, logistics and digital transformation are widely applied in the production, processing and consumption of agricultural products. He said that when infrastructure for raw material areas, cold storage, logistics, electricity and irrigation are invested synchronously, combined with deep processing technology, artificial intelligence and digital traceability, Vietnamese agriculture will have leaps in quality and value.

Currently, the country has about 16 million hectares of agricultural land, of which 14.7 million hectares are in use. However, many areas still lack infrastructure, causing high logistics costs and limiting export efficiency, especially in the Mekong Delta. If this bottleneck is overcome, Vietnam can make a strong breakthrough in aquaculture, develop large timber forests and expand refined processing.

“Growth requires strict control of resources, the environment and emissions. Agricultural development must go hand in hand with environmental protection – that is the only way to improve growth quality and maintain a position in the world food supply chain,” Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/tri-tue-va-cong-nghe-la-von-luu-dong-cua-nganh-nong-nghiep-20251105164659514.htm