HCMC cooperate with Central Highlands in enhancing agriculture

At the conference, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development proposed many cooperation contents in 2024 for agricultural leaders in the Central Highlands provinces to discuss and agree. In addition, leaders of the agricultural sector in Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands provinces also discussed many bilateral cooperation issues.

Specifically: Ho Chi Minh City - Dak Lak proposes to cooperate in researching the process of preserving and breeding rare native fish in Dak Lak like perch, Bangana behri, Hemibagrus microphthalmus, dwarf snakehead, striped bonito, testing the preservation of fresh mango using low molecular weight chitosan biological product; support biological products to build pig farming models.

Ho Chi Minh City - Gia Lai proposed cooperation in training human resources in the field of molecular biology and proposed implementing scientific and technological tasks; transferring technology for producing Ngoc Linh ginseng hair roots on the bioreactor system; coordinating to deploy production and trade models of chilli essential oil; supporting biological products to build pig farming models to limit odour generation...

Besides, the Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City Hi-Tech Agricultural Park; Saigon Agriculture Corporation Limited; International University; and Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities also proposed many cooperation contents with the Central Highlands provinces in the field of agriculture.

According to Mr. Dinh Minh Hiep, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ho Chi Minh City, currently, agricultural production in Ho Chi Minh City is still quite modest. The need for businesses to expand the domestic consumption market and target exports is huge. Therefore, Ho Chi Minh City wants to connect with businesses in the Central Highlands in particular and the country in general to build quality raw material areas and ensure traceability.

According to Mr Luu Trung Nghia, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Gia Lai province, the Central Highlands province in general and Gia Lai, in particular, have the advantage of large land, climate, soil suitable for farming and animal husbandry to serve the Ho Chi Minh City market as well as export. However, Gia Lai and the Central Highlands provinces still "lack" science and technology, digital transformation, finance and management experience. Meanwhile, Ho Chi Minh City has strengths, a large enough market, and appropriate scientific and technological forces to develop a chain of links to support the promotion of local potential and advantages.

Therefore, through this cooperation, Mr Nghia hopes to use businesses with strengths in governance, management, technology, and markets in Ho Chi Minh City to develop raw material areas, processing and support, linking with farmers through cooperatives and cooperative groups to develop the local agricultural economy.

"Through cooperation with Ho Chi Minh City in recent times, many businesses have been introduced by Ho Chi Minh City to the Central Highlands to organize production according to product chains. They coordinate with localities of the province to produce agricultural products of the same origin publicly and transparently, bringing high economic efficiency, and serving domestic consumption and export.

Thanks to that, by 2023, Vietnam's agricultural exports will reach $ 53 billion, the agriculture and rural development sector is one of the industries with a trade surplus of over $ 12 billion. This is the advantage of agriculture in recent years," said the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Gia Lai province.

Mr Ngo Xuan Dong, Deputy Director of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dak Nong province, said that climate change is having a great impact on the Central Highlands provinces, and requires applying scientific and technical advances in production to adapt. “Dak Nong province is urgently in need of coordination and support from other provinces, especially Ho Chi Minh City. We really want to attract investors to the province for deep processing and enhancing the value of agricultural products", Mr Dong said.

Mr. Nguyen Tan Liem, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kon Tum province, said that recently, the locality and Ho Chi Minh City have cooperated in consuming agricultural products, adding value to agricultural products and forming effective coordination models. "Hopefully, Ho Chi Minh City will be a focal point connecting businesses with potential in capital, technology, and market enhancing value of Kon Tum's advantageous products such as coffee, macadamia, fruit trees, and medicinal herbs, notably Ngoc Linh ginseng".

Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Dinh Minh Hiep said that Ho Chi Minh City has strengths in high-quality human resources in the fields of high-tech agriculture and biotechnology. The city can support calling for capital and investment projects in the Central Highlands provinces.

"The important thing in cooperation between Ho Chi Minh City and the Central Highlands provinces is technology transfer, cooperation in controlling origin traceability, agricultural products and goods are guaranteed according to international standards. Only then can the connection between supply and demand be met, and both parties will benefit from this development cooperation", said the Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Mr Hiep also emphasized that localities need to prepare the content well, and specific orders for businesses and assign units that will invest in developing high-tech agriculture in the provinces to achieve efficiency. Avoid seminars that only discuss science while the most important story is the investment problem.