Do not produce organic agriculture according to the crowd

Organic agriculture is the world's trend

On August 25, the National Center for Agricultural Extension cooperated with the Agriculture Extension Center of Lam Dong Province and other units to organize the forum Agriculture Extension @ Agriculture with the theme "Development of organic and circular agriculture in association with environmental protection and biodiversity".

The forum aims to capture information and issues related to organic and circular agriculture development and analyze difficulties and problems for sustainable development solutions.

The forum was attended by leaders, representatives of agencies, units, localities, and many people and businesses in the South Central and Central Highlands provinces.

By 2022, the world will have nearly 200 countries developing organic agricultural products with over 71 million hectares, equivalent to 1.5% of the total cultivated area and total revenue of over EUR 110 billion.

There are currently about 500 thousand hectares of organic agricultural production in Vietnam. The country now has about 100 companies engaged in organic agriculture production, and the export turnover of these products is approximately US$ 340 million/year. The main products include rice, shrimp, coconut, coffee, milk, tea, fruit...

Organic and circular agricultural production has contributed to environmental protection by not using harmful chemicals. Organic agriculture also contributes to mitigating the impact of climate change by applying sustainable farming practices.

In addition, it also ensures the fertility of the soil, reduces water pollution, protects the life of wild animals, etc. In particular, organic agricultural products have higher quality and are good for consumers' health.

Lam Dong is one of the leading provinces in developing organic agriculture programs. Tran Van Tuan, Director of Lam Dong Agricultural Extension Center, said that organic agriculture brings many benefits and advantages. Since 2020, the locality has implemented an organic agriculture project on cropping and animal husbandry.

After 2 years of implementing the project, the locality has identified over 170 organic agricultural production areas and built and temporarily promulgated 17 production processes. Also, creating 14 organic production models such as coffee, rice, macadamia, vegetables, chicken raising...

“Lam Dong has supported granting 13 certificates of organic production standards with a total area of about 63 hectares. Organic agriculture has contributed to improving product quality, protecting health, protecting the environment, and enhancing the value of products. Local organic farming models have contributed to changing farmers' awareness in production and have a great spread in the community," said Tran Van Tuan.

At the forum, Pham Van Duy, Deputy Director of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), said that organic agriculture is associated with circular agriculture, an essential issue in economic development towards sustainable development.

Our country currently has about 100 enterprises producing and processing organic agricultural products for export and hundreds of enterprises producing and consuming the domestic market.

"Organic agriculture is being identified as a development trend and will develop quickly due to the assurance of providing healthy products. Besides developing organic production, the effective use of by-products Agricultural products also contribute to protecting the sustainable development of the environment, enhancing added value, and enhancing the brand name," Duy emphasized.

Do organic agriculture not follow the crowd

Organic and circular agriculture is a trend with many benefits. However, according to Pham Van Duy, Deputy Director of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development, organic businesses are still facing problems because many people do not fully understand the problems of organic agriculture and know little about regulations.

Ha Phuc Mich, chairman of the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association, said that organic production should adhere to four principles. It includes principles of health, ecology, fairness, and prudence. These 4 principles are the "red thread" throughout organic agriculture and the world.

Mich also gave orientations for individuals, organizations, and businesses involved in producing, consuming, and using organic products. Accordingly, producers need to orient the product's consumption market because each market has requirements for organic standards.

Certification organizations must also improve their qualifications and understanding of organic certification, especially to meet the principles of organic standards and ensure transparency.

At the forum, Le Quoc Thanh, Director of the National Center for Agricultural Extension, assessed that organic agriculture and circular agriculture are the world's trends. This production method produces high-quality, high-value products and is intended for high-quality markets. However, organic agricultural production must comply with processes and principles, ensuring transparency in all stages.