Greenhouse investment for Moc Chau: If done, must be substantial

If you do smart agriculture, do it well

In Moc Chau district (Son La province), the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI) has worked closely with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to support farmers through the “Smart Agriculture for Future Generations” project since 2021. As a result, what were once scattered individual gardens have now transformed into a concentrated vegetable production area under greenhouses, supplying products to Hanoi and surrounding provinces and cities.

The smart agriculture project is funded by the Korean Government and extends to both Vietnam and Uzbekistan. While greenhouse areas in Uzbekistan typically range from 300 to 500m2, in Vietnam, the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute has proactively worked with the FAO to secure investment for much larger greenhouses, ranging from 1,500 to 2,000m2.

Discussing the project, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Hung, Director of the FAVRI, explained that the decision to invest in larger-scale greenhouses is not just strategic but also based on the actual capacity and needs of the farmers in Moc Chau.

Dr. Hung noted that international experts initially believed Moc Chau farmers would struggle to access and effectively implement new technology on a large scale. However, after years of collaborating on international projects with the Institute, local farmers have become well-acquainted with high-tech vegetable production techniques. Today, Moc Chau is showing signs of a concentrated vegetable-growing area.

“Moc Chau farmers are ready to innovate. They have the ability to adopt smart agriculture to enhance production efficiency,” Dr. Hung affirmed. He further explained that if the investment is limited to small greenhouses, the economic returns will be low, and the profits will not be attractive enough to encourage widespread participation in the project. He emphasized that what farmers truly need are modern technologies and production techniques, as these are the keys to developing an effective and sustainable concentrated production area.

At the same time, small-scale farming cannot meet the goal of creating concentrated, commodity-oriented production areas. In this context, a model for safe vegetable production in large greenhouses is essential, requiring investment in integrated equipment and the identification of suitable distribution channels.

After a period of negotiation, international experts and officials gradually recognized the value of this plan and agreed to adjust the investment strategy, opening up new opportunities for Moc Chau farmers. As a result, large-scale production households participating in the project have already achieved significantly higher efficiency.

Scaling sustainable soluions

In previous years, Son La farmers primarily relied on the large land area and traditional farming methods. However, as agricultural land gradually becomes more limited, smart agriculture is becoming an inevitable direction for boosting productivity, optimizing growing spaces, and reducing environmental impact.

Reflecting on the three-year journey of the project’s implementation, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Quoc Hung noted that applying high technology in greenhouses has helped manage nutrition and pest control more effectively, resulting in safe vegetable products with stable quality.

Producing vegetables in greenhouses also offers many significant benefits, thanks to the ability to control environmental factors such as temperature and light. Specifically, when light intensity becomes too high, farmers are trained to use sun-blocking nets to protect their crops. Additionally, pest control equipment is installed in the greenhouses by project staff to prevent pest infestations during the wet rainy season.

Dr. Nguyen Quoc Hung emphasized, “A key factor in the success of the project is the harmonious combination of domestic technologies and technical advancements from international experts. These solutions have been tailored to suit the natural conditions of Moc Chau, helping to optimize production efficiency.”