Developing towards digital rural areas and digital farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has prioritized the implementation of digital transformation in agriculture since 2021. As a result, the agricultural sector saw significant progress, particularly in terms of the digital economy, which has captured a notable market share.

Through digital transformation, the Ministry has developed several platforms and solutions to drive growth in production and enhance transparency in consumption, with a strong focus on various export markets including the EU, Japan, South Korea, and China.

"Countries in the region have developed competitive strategies against Vietnam and subsequently, made significant strides in agricultural digital transformation. To avoid falling behind, we must take drastic actions to promote digital transformation and the digital economy, with the Vietnamese people at its heart," commented Dang Duy Hien, Deputy Director of the Center for Digital Transformation and Agricultural Statistics under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Accordingly, Deputy Director Hien highlighted several existing bottlenecks in the agricultural sector, including: inconsistent information technology infrastructure; limited attention to digital transformation among local production organizations, cooperatives, and farmers; reluctance to change; disorganized data and information; a lack of digital skills among agricultural workers; insufficient coordination between agencies and organizations; a lack of supportive policies; and high investment costs.

With the aim of tackling these challenges, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has introduced various policies to promote digital transformation in agriculture, thereby creating people-centered business models and strengthening grassroots agricultural and irrigation extension services through the digital transformation process.

"The Ministry aims to establish an agricultural data center that support all 63 provinces and cities nationwide, enabling interconnected systems for shared data usage in various sectors, including fisheries, plant protection, and cooperative economy," Deputy Director Hien noted.

The Ministry is currently focused on one key solution: the research and dissemination of IoT devices. These devices collect data from fields, forests, ponds, and farms to analyze, identify, and recommend suitable solutions for each crop and livestock type. Additionally, the Ministry plans to promote digital transformation in the fields of crop and livestock production and implement digital management of key crops to develop tailored digital transformation models for each region.

According to Deputy Director Dang Duy Hien, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development places significant emphasis on digital rural areas and digital farmers in its digital transformation program. Accordingly, the Ministry is focusing on developing e-commerce communes and sustainable new rural communes. This initiative involves developing new solutions for managing the rural environment and creating rural economic models.

For farmers, the Ministry has emphasized the importance of agricultural extension activities and established the Farmer Network, a digital platform that allows individuals to access technical services, production models for specific crops, cultivation methods for individual fields, and plant protection measures. The platform also facilitates the exchange of technical methods and agricultural product prices. Through the Farmer Network, farmers can collaborate and create a connected network.

Consequently, the Ministry has introduced the Farmer Network in 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta and five provinces in the Central Highlands. Furthermore, the Ministry is in the process of reviewing and evaluating the initiative. It is a valuable model that benefits farmers by creating a digital environment for agriculture, promoting transparency, and providing business models for farmers based on digital platforms.

Agriculture is one of eight sectors prioritized for digital transformation in Vietnam. By 2025, Vietnam aims to develop and update 80% of its agricultural data on a big data platform, with contributions from organizations, individuals, and communities.

The Center for Digital Transformation and Agricultural Statistics held a conference on digital transformation with the participation of 24 provinces from the Mekong Delta, Southern Region, and Central Highlands on October 3 in Ho Chi Minh City.

At the conference, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on current challenges and proposed solutions to expedite the digital transformation process in the agricultural sector. Consequently, these solutions will allow local agencies, authorities, industry associations, businesses, and cooperatives in the Mekong Delta and Southern regions to gain a better understanding of digital transformation in agriculture and promote digital technologies within the sector.