Promoting good models and practices from the 1 million hectare project for high-quality rice cultivation

The CLC and PTT rice cultivation models were implemented in the 2024-2025 winter-spring crop in Truong Xuan commune, Thoi Lai district, Can Tho city.

Positive results

After one year of implementation, the Project has affirmed its correctness and necessity and initially brought about remarkable results in transforming agriculture towards modernity, sustainability and adaptation to climate change. Farmers' habits in rice production have gradually changed towards increasing value, reducing emissions and protecting the environment. The Project has received attention, support and technical support from international organizations and development partners in terms of technology, credit and market development. Enterprises, cooperatives and farmers have paid more attention to production linkages, improving product quality, converting to sustainable farming processes (such as advanced irrigation water management, rational use of fertilizers, straw treatment, etc.) and has been applied more and more widely, aiming at the goal of building a Vietnamese rice brand associated with CLC, PTT and environmental protection.

In order to have a model to replicate the implementation of the Project, from the summer-autumn crop of 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has coordinated with localities and relevant parties to deploy 7 central-level pilot models in 5 provinces and cities including Can Tho City, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Dong Thap and Kien Giang. The results have brought clear benefits in both economy and environment. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the models help reduce production costs from 8.2% to 24.2% thanks to a 30-50% reduction in seeds, saving 30-70kg of fertilizer/ha, reducing 1-4 times of spraying pesticides and cutting 30-40% of irrigation water. At the same time, productivity increased by 2.4-7%, farmers' income increased by 12-50%, equivalent to an increase in profit from 4-7.6 million VND/ha compared to traditional farming. Farmers are contracted to buy rice from enterprises at higher prices than outside. The model has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a reduction of 2-12 tonnes CO₂ equivalent/ha.

With positive results, the pilot models have received strong support from farmers, cooperatives and stakeholders. On that basis, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has agreed with localities to continue to replicate the model across 12 provinces and cities participating in the project, aiming to build a high-quality rice production system that is environmentally friendly and highly competitive in the international market. Accordingly, 5 localities with central pilot models have proactively expanded and implemented 53 models, with an area of ​​3,653 hectares in the 2024-2025 winter-spring crop. Provinces that do not have central models (such as Long An, Tien Giang, Hau Giang, An Giang and Bac Lieu) have also developed 48 models to implement the project, with an area of ​​more than 865 hectares...

Continue to develop

In Can Tho City, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has just held a conference to review 1 year of implementing the Project to review and evaluate the results achieved, difficulties, obstacles and orient key tasks in the coming time to achieve the project's goals. At this conference, many delegates said that although many initial positive results have been achieved, the project implementation process still has difficulties and obstacles that need to be promptly resolved to ensure progress and effectiveness. The authorities need to pay attention to promoting training and coaching for farmers and related parties. Support and encourage farmers, businesses and cooperatives to strengthen chain linkages to implement models, projects and good practices to soon achieve the goal of having 1 million hectares of CLC and PTT rice associated with branded rice products.

Mr. Nguyen Cao Khai, Director of Tien Thuan Cooperative in Vinh Thanh District, Can Tho City, said: “To replicate the model, farmers really need the State to provide additional capital support to invest in developing infrastructure, machinery, and technology for rice production and straw collection and treatment. Since the summer-autumn crop of 2024, the Cooperative has participated in implementing the pilot model with an area of ​​50 hectares and has maintained implementation in the autumn-winter rice crops of 2024 and winter-spring crops of 2024-2025. The results are beyond imagination, farmers have reduced the use of seeds by 50%, significantly reduced the use of fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation water, etc., while the yield and quality of rice have been improved, while increasing income from removing straw from the fields to grow straw mushrooms and make organic fertilizers. ” According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, awareness of the project among localities is not uniform. Although the project has been initially implemented effectively, some localities still do not really understand the core content and implementation methods of the project, so they are still confused. Some localities focus too much on carbon credits without paying attention to sustainable production and cost reduction. Irrigation infrastructure in many places has not been invested synchronously to apply technical solutions for rice cultivation according to the project. Awareness of enterprises and farmers is still limited, production linkage is still weak. Investment resources for the project are still limited, mainly from local budgets, enterprises and partly from the Central Government, mobilizing additional financial resources is still difficult.

Can Tho has been selected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to implement the first pilot model of the Project with an area of ​​50 hectares in Vinh Thanh from the summer-autumn crop of 2024. By the winter-spring crop of 2024-2025, the city has deployed 6 replicated models in 3 districts of Vinh Thanh, Co Do and Thoi Lai, with an area of ​​170 hectares. The models all help increase productivity, product quality and reduce production costs, reduce emissions, increase profits for farmers... According to Mr. Duong Tan Hien, Permanent Vice Chairman of Can Tho City People's Committee, in 2025, the city will focus resources to improve the quality of the Project implementation area, expanding to an area of ​​about 35,000 hectares. At the same time, develop a specific plan to mobilize resources to implement the project in the period of 2026-2030. To effectively implement the project, Can Tho recommends that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and other ministries and branches soon and continue to pay attention to implementing the project's infrastructure investment project, which is the basis to help rice growers have favorable conditions to improve production efficiency.

Mr. Do Duc Duy, Minister of Agriculture and Environment, requested localities to promptly approve their local projects and programs, along with support policies according to their authority and capacity, to support farmers, enterprises and cooperatives to soon expand the area participating in the 1 million hectare rice project to achieve the target as registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Government. Enterprises and cooperatives closely cooperate with localities and farmers to form sustainable chains from production, harvesting, processing, consumption and export. International organizations continue to accompany and support localities, enterprises and farmers to implement the project...

Article and photos: KHANH TRUNG

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/phat-huy-mo-hinh-cach-lam-hay-tu-e-an-1-trieu-hec-ta-chuyen-canh-lua-chat-luong-cao-a185574.html