Early investment in infrastructure for cooperatives in the 1 million hectare rice project

On March 20, a delegation from the World Bank (WB) visited the high-quality, low-emission rice fields at Phuoc Hao Cooperative (Phuoc Hao Commune, Chau Thanh District, Tra Vinh Province). This is one of the models participating in the Project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030" (Project).

The road to Phuoc Hao Cooperative is currently dirt, making it difficult to transport rice out of the fields. Photo: Ho Thao.

The delegation was received by representatives of the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, the Institute of Agricultural Environment, the School of Public Policy and Rural Development (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) and leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Tra Vinh province.

The WB representative asked many questions about the level of understanding of the Project by farmers, the benefits that cooperatives receive when participating in the Project and the possibility of applying mechanization in rice production. The WB was also interested in the water management method using AWD (alternate wetting and drying) technique and the farmer training process.

Mr. Truong Hoa Thuan, Director of Phuoc Hao Cooperative, said that participating in the model helps farmers reduce input costs, access scientific and technical advances and apply the process of "1 must, 5 reductions". Farmers use certified rice varieties, reduce the amount of seed sown to 90 - 100kg/ha, apply the cluster sowing method to save chemical fertilizers, increase the use of organic fertilizers, improve the quality of rice grains and sell at higher prices.

In addition, the cooperative has applied technology through the use of smartphones to receive notifications and farming instructions. The cooperative is still continuing to encourage farmers to apply more technology to optimize the production process.

Associate Professor Dr. Mai Van Trinh, Director of the Institute of Agricultural Environment (far right) introduced to the delegation the model participating in the 1 million hectare rice project in Tra Vinh. Photo: Ho Thao.

Associate Professor, Dr. Mai Van Trinh, Director of the Institute of Agricultural Environment, added that Phuoc Hao Cooperative has participated in the Project since 2024, initially with a cultivation area of ​​50 hectares. This model applies modern farming methods such as alternating flooding and drying techniques, helping to effectively control water and reduce CO₂ emissions.

Results in the 2024 summer-autumn crop show that this model emits an average of only 5.36 tons of CO₂/ha, nearly half the level of 11.7 tons of CO₂/ha of traditional fields, one of the models with the highest emission reduction among the models participating in the Project.

One of the current major difficulties of the cooperative is that the internal transport system has not been invested in synchronously, with roads leading to the fields still having dirt, causing difficulties in transporting straw, rice and agricultural materials.

In addition, the lack of investment in the water pumping system makes it difficult to discharge water naturally during the rainy season when the water level outside is higher than inside. Therefore, investing in a pumping system to actively control the water level in the area is very necessary.

Farmers participating in the model hope to soon receive synchronous investment in infrastructure. Photo: Ho Thao.

Dr. Tran Minh Hai, Vice Principal of the School of Public Policy and Rural Development, said that Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam has proposed to soon invest in concrete road systems, pumping stations, power lines, etc. when expanding the Project area at the Cooperative.

Accordingly, the irrigation system is synchronized, when the tide is low, the operating unit will open the sluice to drain water, helping to dry out the entire 3,600 hectares of production land in the surrounding area. Conversely, during the rainy season, the pumping system will be operated to pump water out of the fields, thereby improving the efficiency of water management in production.