Bring technology to sustainable shrimp farming models in the Central Coast

On 23-24 July in Dong Hoi City (Quang Binh), the National Center for Agricultural Extension (NAEC), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Binh, organized the forum Extension@Agriculture with the theme "Application of solutions and technical advances for sustainable development of shrimp farming in some central coastal provinces".

Over the past years, Vietnam's shrimp industry has overcome difficulties and challenges to become a spearhead industry with essential contributions to agriculture and the economy. Our country's shrimp export turnover in 2022 set a record, reaching US$4.3 billion, up 11.2% compared to 2021. In 2023, our country set a target of over US$4.3 billion in shrimp export turnover.

Through some projects and programs, the National Science and Technology Center has been implementing shrimp farming projects such as applying high technology, circulating shrimp farming technology, shrimp intercropping, organic farming, VietGAP, etc. Thereby supporting shrimp farmers towards sustainable and highly efficient production.

At the forum, the delegates heard from agencies, units, businesses, and localities presenting some presentations on the current situation, solutions, and orientations for sustainable development of brackish water shrimp farming in Vietnam and the central coastal provinces. Delegates also introduce many farming models supported and implemented effectively in the direction of environmental protection, reducing CO2 emissions in shrimp farming, difficulties, and advantages in consulting and evaluating VietGAP certification for brackish water shrimp farming models.

The forum also spent most of the time for state management agencies in agriculture, organizations, businesses, and shrimp farmers to exchange and discuss in order to effectively apply solutions and technical advances for the sustainable development of shrimp farming in some central coastal provinces...

According to Mr. Hoang Van Hong, Deputy Director of NAEC, the forum has an essential meaning in proposing and finding solutions to promote the development of shrimp farming in the central provinces into a large-scale commodity production industry, contributing to improving output, value, and sustainable development.

At the forum, the delegates assessed that the NAEC has become a bridge between businesses, shrimp production facilities, and farmers providing technological solutions. In particular, typically cooperated with Grobest Vietnam Company to deploy and select the best technology solutions to transfer to shrimp farming households in coastal provinces across the country.

According to Mr. Le Van Loi, Deputy Director of Quang Binh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, shrimp farmers in Quang Binh province have also actively learned and applied many scientific and technical advances in shrimp farming such as tarpaulin farming, 2-3 stages of shrimp farming, high-tech shrimp farming, etc., contributing to improving the productivity, output, and value of shrimp.

In 2022, Quang Binh province will stock 1,480 ha of brackish water shrimp, with a harvest of nearly 4,200 tons. In the 2023 plan, Quang Binh will raise about 1,500 ha, of which the area of white leg shrimp is over 1,200 ha, and black tiger prawn is over 280 ha.

"Quang Binh province has also actively propagated and mobilized shrimp farmers to focus on building a model of cooperative groups and community groups to raise awareness of disease prevention, protect the environment, and support each other in producing and consuming products. Instructing shrimp farmers to apply effective production processes such as the process of shrimp farming with limited chemicals, the farming process of 2-3 stages of shrimp production as VIETGAP standard, and the direction of large-scale stocking, and reduce production costs, have traceability," Mr. Loi emphasized.

The delegates visited the white-leg shrimp farming model within the forum's framework at Mr. Tran Anh Duc's farm, Hai Ninh commune (Quang Ninh district, Quang Binh province).

Mr. Duc's shrimp farm consists of a system of 7 ponds (each with an area from 2,500m2 to 3,500m2). Thanks to new technology applications, the pond efficiency is recently very high. Mr. Duc said that the shrimp farming process is applied with new technology supported by Grobest Vietnam Company from water treatment, breed selection, feed, and disease prevention by microscopy methods, etc., so the success rate is very high.

“Five shrimp crops in a row, I achieved a yield of over 40 tons/ha/year. After deducting expenses, the annual profit is about VND 2 billion. Applying this new farming technology gives us peace of mind in production,” said Mr. Duc.

In Quang Binh province, shrimp farming is considered a key in aquaculture development with concentrated shrimp farming areas, high-tech farming in Ngu Thuy and Ngu Thuy Bac communes (Le Thuy district), Trung Trach and Dai Trach communes (Bo Trach district), Hai Ninh (Quang Ninh district); intensive and semi-intensive farming in Quang Tho ward (Ba Don town), Quang Xuan commune (Quang Trach district), Vo Ninh commune (Quang Ninh district).