Quang Tri promotes digitalization in agricultural production

Defining digital transformation stands as a crucial and essential undertaking to revolutionize the landscape of the agricultural sector. In recent times, entities within the agricultural industry, as well as organizations and individuals in Quang Tri Province, have actively embraced digitalization in guiding, managing, and enhancing production. This concerted effort aims to decrease production expenses, enhance labor productivity, and progressively extend the reach of Quang Tri’s agricultural products.

Applying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to spray pesticides for pest and disease control on rice crops. Photo: L.A

Nguyen Hong Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, highlighted the positive outcomes of the encouragement given to localities and individuals in advancing high-tech agricultural development in Quang Tri. Numerous agricultural product brands from the province have successfully penetrated both domestic and international markets, catering to discerning customer segments and significantly propelling socio-economic development in the region.

Activities related to the application of digital technology in the agricultural sector have played a pivotal role in reshaping farmers' production mindset, steering them towards modern, smart, and sustainable agricultural practices.

Notably, in the cultivation domain, the province boasts over 30 greenhouses and net houses spanning approximately 3 hectares, employing high-tech methods. Additionally, more than 5,000 hectares of crop areas have adopted economical irrigation technology. The utilization of drones for spraying herbicides, fertilizers, and pest control has been implemented on rice, cassava, and rubber fields, covering an area exceeding 5,500 hectares.

The cultivation of crops in adherence to organic standards, natural farming, VietGAP, and food safety criteria encompasses over 1,360 hectares. The province hosts 19 establishments employing quality management systems compliant with HACCP and ISO standards in the processing of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products. Furthermore, 115 OCOP (One Commune, One Product) items bear the OCOP stamp along with traceability features, showcasing and selling on various e-commerce platforms. Notably, 27 planting area codes have been granted for export and domestic consumption across localities, encompassing a scale of over 2,237 hectares.

In the livestock sector, the integration of digital technology for livestock production and disease prevention has gained traction. This includes the use of geographic information systems (GIS) for monitoring and controlling avian influenza, the application of the Vietnam Animal Disease Information System (VAHIS) for managing livestock and poultry diseases, and the utilization of online aquatic disease reporting systems for managing aquatic diseases.

Many livestock households have adopted slaughter management and traceability software, along with closed barn technology featuring air conditioning systems, automatic feeding and drinking troughs, automatic poultry brooders, and waste treatment to ensure environmental hygiene through microbial and biogas technologies.

In the seafood sector, an increasing number of farming households are incorporating automatic equipment in shrimp farming, such as automatic shrimp feeders, oxygen warning devices, and power warning machines. Additionally, the application of pond water environmental monitoring and warning systems, connected to the internet with smartphones, has become more prevalent.

The implementation of VMS (Vessel Monitoring System) technology to track fishing vessel journeys and manage their activities, the use of horizontal sonar scanners in purse seine fishing, the deployment of the VX 1700 communication machine with integrated satellite positioning, the application of radar scanner systems in gill net fishing, and the installation of automatic steering systems on offshore fishing vessels signify advancements in the fishing industry.

Simultaneously, efforts are underway to enhance the skill set of human resources in the agricultural sector, providing training in digital skills for farmers to incorporate into production, supply, distribution, and forecasting. The promotion of e-commerce in agriculture is also part of this initiative.

In terms of irrigation, a network of 35 automatic rain measuring stations has been established, along with automatic and user-friendly natural disaster monitoring, surveillance, and warning stations. These installations effectively serve the purpose of forecasting, directing, and managing responses to natural disasters in the province. Information is shared freely with the community through a website and the Vrain software application on phones or computers, ensuring proactive production and response to natural disasters.

According to Phuong, the positive response to digital transformation by people and businesses in production, business, and consumption, along with the developed telecommunications and information technology infrastructure and widespread use of smart electronic devices, provides favorable conditions for advancing real estate in production, operation, and management.

The initial establishment of a high-tech agricultural zone in the Sa Mu pass area, Huong Hoa district, is creating favorable conditions to pilot the application of technological advancements in production. This facilitates easier access and application for people and businesses. Many key agricultural products in the province have obtained growing area codes, organic certification, OCOP certification, geographical indications, and collective labels.

In the future, the agricultural sector will designate digitalization as a key task. The focus will be on promoting the application of technology in agricultural, forestry, and fishery production. This includes implementing traceability linked to planting area codes and packaging facility codes to meet the requirements for domestic and export consumption of agricultural products.

Efforts will be directed towards building, refining, and advancing cooperative production forms that connect in a closed chain or link between stages with the participation of all stakeholders. The application of new technology, such as sensor technology and nanotechnology in precision and high-tech agricultural production, as well as drone technology for agricultural monitoring and production, will be emphasized.

Infrastructure improvement and the establishment of shared agricultural industry databases will be a priority. The goal is to standardize and automate agricultural production and business processes, including the automation and mechanization of production, management processes, origin monitoring, and product supply chains, moving towards fully mechanized agriculture.

Le An - Ngoc Mai