Kien Giang province proposed to include the rice-shrimp ecosystem in the implementation of the Project of 1 million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta region.
Rice - shrimp favorable to participate in the Project
On April 1, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam led a working delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to survey agricultural cooperatives in Kien Giang province selected to participate in the Project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta region by 2030" (referred to as the Project of 1 million hectares of high-quality rice).
Accordingly, the delegation visited Thanh An Shrimp and Crab Rice Cooperative (Dong Thanh Commune, An Minh District) and Thanh Nien Phu Hoa Agricultural Service Cooperative (Tan Hoi Commune, Tan Hiep District).
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam (second from right) surveys agricultural cooperatives in Kien Giang province selected to participate in the 1 million hectares of high-quality rice project. Photo: Trung Chanh.
Thanh An Rice-Shrimp-Crab Cooperative produces according to a rotation model of 1 rice crop, 1 shrimp crop combined with sea crab farming. Mr. Nguyen Van Khanh, Director of the Cooperative, said that the Cooperative has a production area of 140 hectares, in addition to a production linkage area of about 400 hectares. The unit has converted rice production to organic for 5 years now, signing a contract with Dai Duong Xanh Company to supply input materials and consume products.
According to Mr. Khanh, the cooperative members are very hopeful to participate in the implementation of the 1 million hectares of high-quality rice project being implemented by the agricultural sector because farmers here have experience in organic rice production. When applying the criteria of the project on emission reduction, it will bring high efficiency and many advantages.
Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of An Minh district, Mr. Le Van Khanh, said that the district has a planned area for rice-shrimp production with an area of 38,900 hectares. The district has also established 21 agricultural cooperatives producing according to the rice-shrimp rotation model. The annual crop calendar from January to September is for brackish water shrimp and sea crab farming; from October to December, rice is grown in combination with giant freshwater shrimp farming.
An Minh District proposed to participate in the Project of 1 million hectares of high-quality rice in the rice-shrimp area with an area of 20,000 hectares (by 2030). Accordingly, the district needs support in investing in infrastructure, transportation, irrigation, warehouses. Invest in 5 smart pest and planthopper control stations to monitor fields and manage harmful organisms.
In particular, support models of straw reuse to develop livelihoods and apply biotechnology and microbiology in straw treatment, creating a favorable natural environment to promote the development of natural food in the rice-shrimp model.
Associate Professor, Dr. Mai Van Trinh, Director of the Institute of Agricultural Environment (Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences), assessed that the rice-shrimp farming system itself is cyclical and natural, and combined with an organic production process, it is very good. The rice-shrimp model is a sustainable agricultural production system. After the rice is planted, the straw decomposes to provide food for the shrimp. After the shrimp farming season, the shrimp waste is a source of nutrients for the rice plants. It is a closed cycle in which farmers do not have to invest in more inputs, thus reducing production costs.
"Here, farmers have already achieved organic production, so they will have more opportunities to move towards low-emission production and green rice production. When green rice is certified, its value will be much higher than that of normal rice. If participating in the 1 million hectares of high-quality rice project for the rice-shrimp farming model, farmers will achieve three benefits at the same time: reducing emissions, increasing economic efficiency, and maintaining a sustainable ecosystem for agriculture and rural areas," emphasized Dr. Mai Van Trinh.
Kien Giang builds 200 thousand hectares of high quality rice
Mr. Tran Cong Danh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kien Giang province, said that the People's Committee of Kien Giang province has decided on the scale of the area participating in the Project of 1 million hectares of high-quality rice with an area of 200,000 hectares, implemented in 12 districts and cities of the province.
The implementation process will be divided into phases. Specifically, phase 1 (2024 - 2025) focuses on consolidating the existing areas of the Vietnam Sustainable Agricultural Transformation Project (VnSAT Project) with an area of 24,738 hectares and the goal of expanding the area outside the VnSAT Project area to 100,000 hectares by 2025. Phase 2 (2026 - 2030) identifies key areas to establish investment projects to develop new high-quality specialized rice areas, reducing emissions by an additional 100,000 hectares to reach a total area of 200,000 hectares.
Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam (third from right) and the working delegation surveyed Thanh An shrimp-rice-crab cooperative, which Kien Giang proposed to select to participate in the 1 million hectares of high-quality rice project. Photo: Trung Chanh.
The main activities to implement the contents of the Project are selecting, building participating areas and areas, reviewing, applying, and perfecting technical packages to ensure sustainable development criteria, reorganizing production and training to improve capacity, investing in upgrading infrastructure in specialized areas, mobilizing resources, technical and financial support from carbon finance funds, support funds around the world, etc.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said that to implement the 1 million hectares of high-quality rice project, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has established delegations to survey key rice production localities with alternating freshwater and brackish water ecosystems.
"For the rice-shrimp model in Kien Giang, we plan to choose to participate in the Project because this is a natural production model, very promising. Farmers producing according to this model have proactively applied organic production processes, with businesses signing contracts to supply materials and consume products at high prices. However, rice-shrimp rotation production must strictly follow the crop calendar and apply technical processes to achieve high efficiency," Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam noted.
Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam assessed that the rice-shrimp model produced according to organic processes is very suitable for participation in the Project of 1 million hectares of high-quality rice, applying low-emission production processes. The success of the model not only helps increase value and income for farmers but also moves towards building a green rice brand on shrimp farming land.
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