Quang Tri strives to enhance quality and value of agricultural products

Recently, the agricultural sector and localities have intensified research efforts and actively applied science and technology across various stages of agricultural production. This has gradually improved productivity, quality, and the value of agricultural products.

In 2023, Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc from Cua Viet Town, Gio Linh District, invested US$2,100 to install an automatic steering device on his fishing boat, QT 92756TS. According to Mr. Ngoc, the key advantage of this device is its ease of use; the operator only needs to select the direction or destination coordinates on the screen, which can store up to 20 destination points. The device offers four flexible driving modes.

One of the features, remote steering, allows the captain to control the boat from a distance, as if steering with a wheel. The device also has alarms for the captain’s safety, such as a warning system to prevent drowsiness and an alert if no one is on lookout duty in the cabin.

Since installing the automatic steering device, Mr. Ngoc only needs to set the course or destination coordinates, and the machine automatically navigates the boat to the correct location using the shortest route. "On average, each fishing trip saves me about $170 to 210 on fuel compared to before. The captain doesn’t have to constantly monitor the compass to adjust the direction. During free time, the captain can rest or perform other tasks," Mr. Ngoc shared.

Mr. Le Van Toan, Deputy Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Gio Linh District, stated that the district currently has over 860 fishing boats and service vessels with a total capacity of over 101,000 horsepower. Among these, nearly 170 boats, measuring 15 meters or more in length, specialize in fishing in offshore waters. In recent years, alongside the construction of new boats and modifications to existing ones, local fishermen have actively applied advances in science and technology (S&T) to their fisheries operations.

As a result, the district has become home to one of the most powerful and modern fishing fleets in the province. Nearly all fishing boats in Gio Linh are equipped with safety devices such as long-range communication systems, satellite navigation, and journey tracking systems. The boats also employ modern fishing technologies, including fish finders, improved hydraulic winches, automatic steering devices, and PU storage tanks. As a result, the catch volume and product quality have significantly improved, while post-catch losses have been considerably reduced.

Nguyen Hong Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, shared that in recent years, the agricultural sector and localities have strengthened the transfer and application of science and technology to agricultural production in order to improve productivity, quality, and the value of agricultural products.

In crop production, over 5,000 hectares of crops have adopted water-saving irrigation technologies, and over 10,000 hectares have used unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for pesticide spraying.

Additionally, many new technologies and devices have been applied in rice production, such as motorized rice transplanters with a capacity of 4 hectares per day, fertilizer applicators, and rice sowing machines. Several research projects on S&T have been conducted, including trials on the resistance of new cassava varieties to leaf mosaic virus and growth potential, as well as the selection of new crop varieties in the province. Other studies include the application of biological technologies to produce biological products for plant disease prevention, biological pesticides, agricultural waste treatment, organic fertilizer production, and environmental protection.

In livestock and fisheries, the province now has nearly 700 livestock farms, including 135 high-tech farms that use closed housing, automated feeding and watering systems, disinfection, and farm surveillance cameras connected to the internet and smartphones.

Through annual funding sources, pilot models for breeding new species, such as square-head snakehead fish, flathead grey mullet, brown-striped grouper, and yellowfin surgeonfish, are being implemented. The area for high-tech aquaculture has expanded to over 107 hectares, with shrimp farming using modern equipment such as automatic feeders, oxygen blowers, oxygen alarms, power failure warnings, and camera surveillance systems in aquaculture ponds.

Today, many businesses and production facilities have invested in applying modern technology for production, drying, preservation, and processing of agricultural products, creating high-quality products with high economic value.

For instance, the Khai Ha fish sauce production facility has invested in large-scale fish trapping tanks with roofing, while My An General Trading Joint Stock Company produces fish sauce using solar energy and has invested in fish sauce filtering machines and fully integrated bottling lines. The Ho Van Thang dried fish processing facility has invested in machinery to steam fish and reduce manual processes, as well as building cold storage to preserve products.

Some fruit and vegetable processing facilities, such as the Tran Lan Clean Agricultural Products Co., Dong Trieu Clean Agriculture Cooperative, Green Globe Co., and Sukha Farm, have adopted freeze-drying technology in processing. More than 90 facilities in the province now use QR code or barcode technology for product traceability, including for medicinal herbs, coffee, fruits, fish sauce, and other processed products.

Phuong stated that promoting the application of science and technology in agricultural production is a key factor in improving productivity and product quality, creating jobs, and increasing farmers' incomes. The agriculture sector will continue to cooperate with localities to strengthen vocational training, propose and implement programs and projects on applying science and technology and innovation in agriculture.

The department will also advise the provincial government on issuing policies and strategies for research and application of science and technology in agriculture. It will work to attract enterprises and corporations to explore and invest in high-tech agriculture and agricultural production models, helping to restructure the agricultural sector towards increasing value-added products and ensuring sustainable development.

Recognizing digital transformation as a crucial task for reshaping the agricultural sector, various units within the agriculture industry, along with organizations and individuals across the province, have recently intensified their efforts to integrate digitalization into management, operations, and production. This has helped reduce production costs, improve labor efficiency, and gradually expand the reach of Quang Tri’s agricultural products. Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyen Hong Phuong, stated that after encouraging localities and residents to accelerate high-tech agricultural development, many of Quang Tri’s agricultural brands have made their way to domestic and international markets, reaching discerning customer segments and contributing to a significant breakthrough in the province’s socio-economic development.

Digital transformation activities in agriculture have driven a shift in the mindset of farmers, aiming toward modern, intelligent, and sustainable agricultural practices. For instance, in crop production, the province has established more than 30 greenhouses and net houses covering around 3 hectares with high-tech applications, along with over 5,000 hectares of crops using water-saving irrigation technology. The use of drones for spraying herbicides, fertilizers, and pest control on crops like rice, cassava, and rubber has been applied over more than 5,500 hectares.

Additionally, more than 1,360 hectares of crops are now cultivated according to organic standards, natural farming, VietGAP, and food safety principles. The province has 19 facilities applying quality management systems such as HACCP and ISO in processing agricultural, forestry, and fishery products. Moreover, 115 OCOP products have received OCOP certification with traceability, and are marketed on e-commerce platforms. Notably, 27 planting area codes have been granted for both export and domestic consumption, covering over 2,237 hectares across various regions.

In animal husbandry, the application of digital technology has advanced, including systems for livestock and poultry disease monitoring and control, such as GIS for avian influenza management, the Vietnam Animal Health Information System (VAHIS) for managing livestock and poultry diseases, and online systems for reporting aquatic disease outbreaks.

Many farming households have adopted software for slaughterhouse management and traceability, as well as integrated farming systems with automatic temperature-controlled livestock housing, automatic feeding and watering systems, automated poultry heating, and waste treatment to ensure environmental hygiene using microbial agents and biogas technology.

Le An - Ngoc Mai