Expecting the first high-quality rice fields in the West

“Twice a week, agricultural officers come to the rice fields to inspect and give careful recommendations. Cooperative members keep a diary of each task related to the rice production process,” said Nguyen Cao Khai, Director of Thuan Tien Agricultural Service Cooperative (Vinh Thanh District, Can Tho City), recounting the work that has been going on for the past two months, when this place was chosen as a pilot to launch the project of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta (referred to as the project).

Growing rice in "footprint-free fields"

Can Tho City, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Kien Giang, Dong Thap are the 5 localities selected to pilot the Project. According to members of Thuan Tien Cooperative, farmers here are very happy to receive support for seeds and 50% of fertilizer costs to implement the Project. Currently, the members' OM 5451 rice variety has formed ears. They are even happier when a business commits to buying rice at 300 VND/kg higher than the market price.

This is one of the pilot fields using certified varieties, applying alternate wet and dry water management (AWD), specialized fertilization (SSNM), and using machines to sow rows combined with burying fertilizer. All stages are done by machine - considered as growing rice "in a field without footprints". Farmers are also proficient in pest management using IPM methods. And when the rice is ripe, they use a combine harvester to harvest, collect straw from the field to make straw mushrooms and fertilizer from the straw.

Like many localities in the Mekong Delta, in the period of 2016-2022, Can Tho City has 32,000 farmers participating in the VnSAT project with an area of ​​38,000 hectares. These are important bases and data for implementing the current project. “Previously, the average amount of rice seeds sown by farmers in the Mekong Delta was about 100-150 kg/ha; when implementing the project, it was only 60 kg/ha. The amount of fertilizer and pesticides also decreased, with less lodging and post-harvest loss. Farmers are also good at writing field diaries,” said Mr. Nguyen Cao Khai.

According to Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee Nguyen Ngoc He: The city expects and commits to make every effort to successfully implement the Project, striving to build a specialized high-quality rice production area of ​​38,000 hectares by 2025, and 50,000 hectares in the 2026-2030 period.

According to the Project, after harvesting rice, farmers will harvest straw (reduce emissions) in the fields to grow mushrooms.

The core role is the Cooperative.

Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), commented: The project is not purely technical, improving the infrastructure for production towards reorganizing the entire rice industry in the Mekong Delta with the goal of reducing production costs, increasing the value of rice grains, reducing emissions and developing sustainable rural areas. The core of the project is to form cooperatives, farmer organizations, closely linking with businesses to consume rice at a higher level in terms of value, long-term stability and increasing income for farmers.

Currently, Can Tho, Soc Trang, and Dong Thap have all chosen cooperatives as the place to launch the Project. "The success of sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta depends on cooperatives," said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has also implemented a capacity building plan for partners and agricultural cooperatives to develop value chain linkages to implement the Project. Accordingly, in the 2024-2025 period, training and capacity building for 3,100 management and technical staff of 620 agricultural cooperatives and cooperative groups registered to participate in the Project will be completed; 3,000 agricultural extension officers and community extension officers... Also during this period, 200,000 farmers were exposed to and learned about sustainable rice cultivation processes, emission reduction associated with green growth, registration skills, and emission reduction assessment at the household level. This is an effort to enhance the capacity of agricultural cooperatives, farmer households, and related parties participating in the high-quality rice industry chain, reducing emissions; ensuring sufficient conditions and capacity to participate in the effective implementation of the Project.

“I hope the connection between farmers and businesses will be more systematic. If businesses fulfill their commitment to purchase rice, farmers will have more motivation to expand the area in the Project. In just one month, members here will harvest the first rice area according to the Project. Farmers have high expectations,” said Mr. Nguyen Cao Khai, Director of Thuan Tien Agricultural Service Cooperative.

Many businesses with experience in linking rice production with farmers are also excited to participate in the Project. Since the end of 2023, Loc Troi Group (An Giang province) has signed with provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta to implement production linkages on over 300,000 hectares until 2030. After the Project was approved by the Government, Loc Troi has actively coordinated with localities to implement and increase exports to the world, contributing to green growth. Loc Troi hopes that local authorities at all levels, banks and financial institutions... will accompany businesses to implement the Project.

HIGH WIND

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ky-vong-nhung-ruong-lua-chat-luong-cao-dau-tien-o-mien-tay-post742694.html