Digital technology is the key to the door of modern agriculture

An opportunity and a challenge at the same time

Recently in Chuong My district (Hanoi), Hanoi Agricultural Extension Center held a seminar "Application of digital technology - The key to open the door of modern agriculture". The seminar had the participation of experts, managers, and businesses in the field of technology and agriculture in central Hanoi city.

Experts and managers agree that, in the 4.0 era, digital transformation of the agricultural sector is important to help farmers improve productivity, and quality, and optimize production activities. For Hanoi City, digital transformation in agriculture is both an opportunity and a challenge, so there should be many solutions to promote digital transformation in the near future.

During the seminar, Mr. Ta Van Tuong - Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shared: “In the past time, Hanoi is interested in digital transformation in agricultural production in implementing in the direction associated with the value chain. The city has coordinated and implemented the program in levels with businesses to make products transparent with QR codes. In addition, Hanoi promotes cooperation with other provinces on the basis of this system to manage the quality of agricultural products. Currently, Hanoi has more than 30 enterprises and agricultural cooperatives that actively apply digital technology to production. The highlight is the change from traditional production to automation in Chuc Son Clean Vegetable Cooperative”.

Director of Chuc Son Clean Vegetables and Fruits Cooperative, Mr Hoang Van Tham said: “Currently, the cooperative has 52 members with an area of 18.5 ha, and revenue in 2022 will reach VND 19 billion. Since its establishment, the cooperative has always been concerned about how to produce sustainable agriculture. In 2017, the cooperative decided to choose to develop in the direction of applying high technology in the development of vegetable production. The first technology applied is a weather warning station to adjust planting and care schedules, helping to increase productivity, reduce labour days and input materials consumption of people. Next is the application of technology to build a smart vegetable irrigation system. These systems are all connected via smartphones for people to easily control”.

The benefits of digital technology applications help the cooperative to be transparent in its products towards serving the high-end consumer segment. In September 2022, the cooperative cooperated with Sorimachi Company to use the management system from Japan for product traceability and transparency. After completing this system, consumers can check and monitor the actual production area remotely using a smartphone application.

According to Mr Tong Van Thai - Head of the Economic Division of Chuong My district, the district has more than 60% of the agricultural area, but the labour force is shifting strongly to industry and commerce. For many years now, the district has focused on directing the active application of digital technology in agricultural production towards digital transformation and digital economy. It can be said that the application of technology in production has created great added value, reducing the costs and labour of people. In the coming period, Chuong My will carry out more activities to raise people's awareness about the importance of digital transformation, and encourage and support hi-tech agricultural models.

From the perspective of managers, Mr Le Thanh Chau - Head of the Informatics Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that digital transformation in agriculture is the application of modern technology into the process of management, operation, production and distribution in the field to improve quality, increase efficiency and shorten the implementation process of production activities. 

Currently, most businesses and cooperatives just stop applying technology to digitize data, which is part of the process. Digital transformation in agriculture will be carried out in the following steps: standardization of agricultural data nationwide – standardising production processes - building data centres - building platforms for digital transformation - train human resources. 

Therefore, first of all, to continue the process of digital transformation, it is necessary to build a data centre to connect and share and centralize data for everyone to exploit and promote. 

Agricultural extension staff must improve

According to Mr Le Thanh Chau, the agricultural sector is more difficult than other industries in digital transformation due to many barriers. The level of awareness of managers and heads of production units is low, they do not really understand deeply about digital transformation. The digital transformation process also faces difficulties in terms of technology infrastructure, the internet system, the connection is not of good quality, and the regulations on digital transformation are facing many obstacles. 

An even bigger barrier is that it is difficult for farmers who directly produce products to keep pace with technology. Therefore, in order for the problem of fast digital transformation to reach the destination, farmers need to learn how to approach technology, apply technology, and control equipment in the production process, at the same time they need to learn to share data information with those who are interested. At that point, it will be easier for the leaders of businesses and cooperatives to apply technology to production, creating a broad synchronization. 

Talking about the benefits of digital transformation, Mr Ta Van Tuong emphasized the transparency of information because the biggest benefit that digital transformation brings is to serve the needs of consumers. When traceability is clear, information is transparent, the product will be trusted by consumers to use, ensuring safety for human health. In addition, the destination of agricultural digital transformation is also to improve income and living standards for farmers and unite the State, businesses, scientists, and farmers to create value.

Sharing about the application of digital technology in modern agriculture, Ms Vu Thi Huong - Director of Hanoi Agricultural Extension Center said that, the agricultural extension staff themselves also need to be trained, this is not a problem only for farmers, cooperatives and businesses. The Center hopes that through conferences and training seminars, farmers will be aware of the need to participate in digital technology and apply digital technology in each specific job.

The application of digital technology is one of the important contents that the Agricultural Extension Center cooperates with the press agencies of Central and Hanoi to promote propaganda in 2023. In addition, the Center organizes dozens of training courses on this subject for farmers, ranchers and cooperatives. The purpose of providing information and changing people's thinking about digital technology applications cannot be done by individual households but must be linked together into cooperative parties and Cooperatives to jointly build a sustainable production and consumption chain.

Following the direction of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Center for Agricultural Extension will accompany the Economic Departments of districts, towns; through Cultivation and Plant Protection Stations, Animal Husbandry - Veterinary Stations and Agricultural Service Centers to organize conferences, seminars, and training on the application of digital technology in agriculture in turn in localities in the city.

Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development continues to review and develop mechanisms and policies for agricultural and rural development in the capital for the period up to 2030 and subsequent periods associated with restructuring, improve production efficiency; strive to become a leading locality in the development of high-tech applied agriculture, ecological agriculture, modern rural areas, and civilized farmers.