Realizing the positive signs, recently, more and more businesses and people in the area have started to plant and develop organic rice and natural farming areas. However, these efforts are being held back by difficulties and obstacles that need to be resolved soon.
Farmers in Trieu Phong district introduce the process of organic rice production and natural farming - Photo: TL
Development is not as expected
At the end of February 2024, a working group from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development inspected and assessed the actual situation in four key rice districts of the province: Hai Lang, Trieu Phong, Gio Linh and Vinh Linh. During the working trip, the group focused on understanding the difficulties and problems related to the development of organic rice areas and natural farming.
From here, the problems that arose were recognized quite specifically and thoroughly. Immediately after that, the leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development invited related businesses and representatives of districts and specialized agencies to discuss and find solutions to expand the area of organic rice cultivation and natural farming.
The above activities are part of many efforts of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to remove difficulties and obstacles to develop organic rice and natural farming areas in the area. Resolution of the 17th Provincial Party Congress, term 2020 - 2025 sets a target that by 2025, the whole province will have over 1,000 hectares of organic rice and natural farming.
However, the implementation of the above targets faces many challenges. According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, by the end of 2023, the whole province will have 1,149 hectares of organic rice, natural farming, rice produced in the direction of organic, VietGAP, and food safety. Of which, the area of organic rice production, natural farming reaches 351.7 hectares, mainly concentrated in Trieu Phong and Hai Lang districts.
In the 2023-2024 winter-spring crop, the area of organic rice, natural cultivation, rice produced in the direction of organic, VietGAP, and food safety in the area will reach 865.65 hectares. Of which, 167.55 hectares will continue to maintain production according to organic standards (certified) and natural cultivation. The area of rice that people have expanded to produce in the direction of organic production will reach 502.2 hectares.
Although not high, the above results are achieved thanks to the efforts of all levels, sectors, businesses and people. To develop organic rice, some localities have issued specific resolutions and projects. In the resolutions, specific policies are clearly stipulated to encourage businesses and people to develop organic rice areas and natural farming. Some localities have planned clean rice growing areas to create the most favorable conditions for people.
Many challenges remain
Compared to before, businesses and people's awareness of the importance of organic rice cultivation and natural farming is increasing. People understand that production in this way not only brings economic benefits but also helps protect the environment, without affecting the health of themselves and consumers.
However, it is worth mentioning that for some reasons, a part of the people still choose to grow rice in the traditional way because they think that organic rice production has many potential risks due to natural disasters and epidemics. Therefore, farmers face many difficulties in production.
According to the people, the yield of organic rice production in the first crops is often lower than that of traditional production. Meanwhile, according to the resolution of the Provincial People's Council, people are only supported for 2 crops. In some localities, although there are resolutions and projects for organic rice development, the implementation has not really received attention. The work of evaluating the effectiveness and replicating the model is still a formality. The participation of the entire political system, especially the Party Committee, local authorities, organizations and unions is somewhat limited, mainly entrusted to cooperatives.
In localities, the infrastructure to meet the development of organic rice and natural farming areas is still not guaranteed, especially in terms of irrigation systems and intra-field roads. The area of organic rice production and natural farming is still fragmented, not consolidated or accumulated. The height of the fields is uneven and has not been leveled. This is the reason why people have difficulty in cultivating, mechanizing, and applying high technology to production. Input and production costs have also increased from here.
According to records, the price of fresh rice that enterprises purchase from people who produce organically and naturally is currently about 13,000 VND/kg. However, the number of enterprises linking production and consumption is still limited. Economic contracts between enterprises and cooperatives are not tight and lack flexibility, so they are easily broken. On the other hand, the linking capacity of most enterprises is still limited. The provision of technical service packages for organic rice production is synchronous and effective, but the cost is still high.
Need more active participation
Recently, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has proposed a plan to develop the area of organic rice production and natural farming in the coming time. Accordingly, in 2024, the whole province will strive to expand the area of organic rice production and organic farming to over 1,500 hectares, of which the area of organic rice production and natural farming will reach over 500 hectares. In 2025, efforts will be made to expand the area of organic rice production and organic farming to over 2,500 hectares, of which the area of organic rice production and natural farming will reach over 1,000 hectares.
To achieve the above results, in the immediate future, relevant levels and sectors need to strengthen the work of mobilizing and propagating the expansion of organic rice production and natural farming in the area. In addition, the important task is to focus on doing a good job of directing and operating; organizing conferences, seminars, evaluating and expanding the model; inviting businesses, promoting market connections for organic rice products...
It is also very necessary to coordinate with businesses inside and outside the province to organize testing and trial production to select new, short-term, high-quality rice varieties suitable for organic rice production, ensuring the market, production season, etc. Relevant levels and sectors need to strengthen training, guidance, and supervision of organic rice production processes, natural farming associated with organic standard certification, and planting area codes.
The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development needs to continue reviewing, perfecting, and advising the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Provincial People's Council a resolution on encouraging land accumulation and concentration and promoting mechanization in agricultural production in the province; at the same time, propose to adjust and supplement the resolution of the Provincial People's Council on developing organic rice to suit the production situation.
To invest in infrastructure to serve organic rice production, it is necessary to integrate resources and capital from resolutions; specific policies of districts, towns, cities; capital from enterprises, people... Along with that, the department needs to coordinate with localities to review and re-plan organic rice production areas with favorable irrigation systems and intra-field traffic.
However, the above solutions are only solutions to overcome the immediate difficulties. In the long term, the development of organic rice production areas and natural farming requires strong, responsible, and long-term participation of the entire political system, businesses, and people.
Tay Long
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