Vietnam aims to become world’s farm produce granary

Opening the forum on digital transformation in Vietnam’s agriculture, Truong Gia Binh, Chair of the Vietnam Digital Agriculture Association (VIDA), stressed that it’s necessary to conduct strong digital transformation in e-commerce, e-payment, logistics and agriculture operations. If Vietnam can successfully do these, it will become a country with great competitive potential.

“Our land is situated in the area which doesn’t need heating in winter. It allows us to harvest many crops all year round. We still develop agriculture with 2/3 of population in rural areas. Vietnam’s IT is developing rapidly. All these factors will turn Vietnam into a farm produce granary of the world,” Binh said.

Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Huy Dung said the important role of agriculture in maintaining the survival of the society has been confirmed in the pandemic. Agricultural development is the foundation for socio-economic development.

Digital transformation in agriculture needs to be implemented on the basis of data. It’s necessary to have big data about land, crops, livestock and aquaculture; apply digital technology to automate production and business processes, and supervise origin and product supply chains, ensuring transparency, accuracy, safety and food hygiene; and deploy the initiative ‘every farmer is a businessperson and every cooperative is a business utilizing digital technology’.

Also, it’s necessary to conduct digital transformation in management to have reasonable and timely policies for agriculture development, such as market forecasting and planning management.

According to Dung, the goal is that farmers make products at the lowest possible cost and sell products at the highest possible price. Digital transformation is one of the keys to reach that goal.

Minister of Agriculture Le Minh Hoan said Vietnam is facing three challenges, including climate change, market fluctuations and changes in consumption trends in the world.

However, challenges could turn into opportunities. Vietnam is shifting from the period of agricultural production into the period of an agricultural economy based on technology and digital transformation.

Prof Tran Dang Xuan from Hiroshima University said that 70% of Vietnam’s farm produce is from small-scale farming households. These households should be put at the center. Of smart agriculture production areas, Mekong Delta should be put at the center. Farmers should learn how to make online transactions. The Government should create policies to encourage farmers to develop digital agriculture.

The scholar said that Vietnam should learn from Japan when developing digital agriculture by sending students to Japan every year for internships.