Application of science and technology to create a momentum for agricultural production

According to statistics from the Asia-Pacific Institute for Scientific and Technical Cooperation (IAP), from 2001 to 2005, the total product (GDP) of the agriculture-forestry-fishery sector in Can Tho City increased from above. VND 1,300 billion to nearly VND 2,700 billion; production value increased from VND 2,055 billion to VND 3,800 billion. One of the important factors to achieve the above result is that the agricultural sector has actively promoted the transfer and application of science and technology (science and technology) into production.

The resilience for agricultural production

Currently, the method of science and technology transfer to farmers is commonly applied as an organization to investigate effective production models in the city to replicate these models. At the same time, building a demonstration model of advanced science and technology application to popularize for people to learn and follow. This is also the shortest way to bring research results from research facilities to fields.

In the field of cultivation, from 2002 to 2005, the extension agencies from the city to the grassroots level deployed 21 types of progressive technical models with over 4,300 demonstration sites. In particular, the model of high quality rice breeding is carried out continuously over the years, contributing to providing high quality rice varieties for mass production. Model of planting fruit trees such as Hoa Loc mango, clean citrus trees, contributing to expanding the area of ​​fruit trees in the city. Rice-color rotations or rice-color-aquaculture models are increasingly popular, helping farmers to change their rice monoculture practices, improving economic efficiency.

With the impact of extension workers and the economic efficiency of the rice-color rotational models, Mr. Nguyen Van Chien's family, in Thoi An Dong ward, Binh Thuy district, boldly converted their farming habits. 3 rice crops / year to plant 1 rice crop - 2 crops. In 2005, he planted 1 rice crop, 2 watermelon crops and used agricultural coatings. The total profit earned by Mr. Chien is VND 12.6 million, nearly doubling that of 3 rice crops. Particularly in the spring-summer crop of 2006, in addition to an area of ​​3,900m2 of house land, his family hired 2,600m2 to grow watermelons and profit nearly 20 million VND.

Thanks to the application of scientific and technical progress in growing bitter melon, many farmers have improved their productivity and economic efficiency.(Photo: Kim Xuan)

Not only replicating effective models, the cultivation industry also synchronously implemented advanced techniques on seeds, nutrition, plant protection techniques . In which, the program " 3 reduced, 3 tanks " helped farmers changed rice production practices: reducing the amount of seed sown, chemical fertilizers and plant protection drugs; Rice production towards sustainability, stability and science. According to the statistics of Can Tho City Plant Protection Department, up to now, about 30% of farmers apply the integrated control (IPM) process in citrus production. The city has built 3 areas of safe vegetable production since 2003 with a total area of ​​200 hectares and now, the area of ​​safe vegetable cultivation is about 500 hectares.

In the field of animal husbandry, science and technology is applied to create sources of breeding cattle and poultry for high productivity and good quality; apply bio-fermentation technology to silage feed, increase nutritional value; prevention of cattle and poultry epidemics . Sind program of cow herd is one of the typical programs. From 2001-2005, the program was invested over 140 billion VND. Thanks to the application of technical advances in animal husbandry, the weight of Sind cross-bred cows is high, the profit is 1-2 million VND higher than cows / heads, the calves of Sind cross-bred cows also have a higher price from 1 -2 million VND / animal compared to calves. In addition, the number of dairy cows is growing, creating stable milk supply for the market and helping farmers improve their incomes and improve their lives.

Besides farming and breeding, the city's seafood industry has also made great progress. In the last 5 years, every year, the growth rate of seafood has always increased by over 10%. In aquaculture models in Can Tho, the model of raising giant freshwater prawn is developing very strongly with an area of ​​over 300 ha. In order to meet the increasing demand of breeding animals while the source of natural seed shrimp is increasingly scarce, Can Tho Agricultural Breeding Center has organized the transfer of the process of producing giant freshwater prawn seeds according to the process of 'clear- water open 'for 20 households to produce giant freshwater prawn seeds. Thereby, building 10 private farms to produce shrimp seed, with investment capital of equipment and materials is 30 million VND / camp. 40 technicians are trained to serve the production activities of the camps. As a result, 10 farms have produced standardized blue-legged prawn seeds, providing quality breeds for farmers in the city and neighboring provinces.

Challenges

Besides the positive results, the city agriculture industry still faces many difficulties and limitations. According to the research results of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Scientific and Technical Cooperation (IAP), the unit cooperates with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Can Tho City, in the process of transfer and application. Science and technology in agricultural production, investment policies for agriculture are not satisfactory. In 2000, the investment capital for the development of agriculture and forestry was over VND 167 billion, but by 2005, it was reduced to over VND 45 billion.

The support of the Central Government for the hi-tech agricultural development program is still very limited, not promoting the popularization and application of extensive farming methods while competition in the market is increasingly fierce. . On the other hand, the scale of small-scale farm production has not met the requirements of large commodity production, affecting the process of industrialization and modernization. Surface water quality is increasingly polluted, limiting the strength of aquaculture. The connection between 4 houses (State, science, enterprises, farmers) to serve, research and production is not synchronous and the efficiency is not high .

Mr. Ha Anh Dung, Director of Can Tho Agricultural Extension Center, said: 'The farmers' vision is still limited, relying on the support of the State budget. The force of agricultural extension workers in the communes is still thin, the level is not high, but the job is too much. The consumption of products is still limited, making it difficult for farmers to find output when producing large quantities of agricultural products. ' According to Master Bui Phuong Mai, an officer of the Department of Science Management, Department of Science and Technology of Can Tho City, over the past time, there have been models of applying scientific and technological advances that were very successful but difficult to expand into large production tea due to limited capital. Therefore, the State needs to support the transfer of the results of projects that have ended in large-scale agricultural production.

The authorities all said that: In the new development stage, it is necessary to continue to apply science and technology to agricultural production. To increase investment capital sources for agricultural extension programs and transfer of scientific and technical advances; Encouraging and facilitating cohesion between farmers and businesses, ensuring output for products . On the other hand, the city should have training strategies, improve qualifications and allocate reasonable staff for rolling. agricultural extension agencies in localities, especially networks of agricultural extension workers in communes, contribute to improving the quality and effectiveness of the transfer and application of science and technology in agricultural production.

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