Around 2,000 agricultural cooperatives apply high technology in production

High-tech asparagus production area at Tuấn Tú cooperative in An Hải commune, Ninh Phước district, Ninh Thuận Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister’s Directive No. 19/CT-TTg on digital transformation and technology application in the development of the cooperative economy – effective from June 3 this year – have encouraged cooperatives to more actively embrace technology and digital transformation to achieve sustainable development.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, there are over 31,700 cooperatives nationwide, of which more than 20,000 are agricultural cooperatives. Approximately 10 per cent (2,000 cooperatives) have applied high technology, and 2,200 cooperatives have established businesses or invested in partnerships with businesses.

Lê Đức Thịnh, Director of the Department of Cooperative Economy and Rural Development, noted that in the past two years, the average size of agricultural cooperatives have increased from 170 to over 200 members per cooperative, with a total membership reaching 3.85 million.

Despite some weakness, most have participated in agricultural restructuring and are ready to apply technology and digital transformation. The Cooperative Law 2023, effective from 1 July 2023, emphasizes digital transformation and technology application in cooperative development.

Cao Xuân Thu Vân, Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, stated that Việt Nam has developed youth and women’s cooperatives. The Cooperative Law 2023, which expands international cooperation policies for workforce training, will help improve the capacity of cooperatives. The goal is for Việt Nam to have at least one cooperative among the top 300 exemplary cooperatives globally by 2045.

In Đồng Tháp Province, to quickly familiarise cooperatives with the Cooperative Law 2023, the Department of Science and Technology has coordinated with universities and high-tech businesses to support farmers in enhancing their technological application capabilities in production and management.

Lưu Thanh Trung, Director of Trung Hải Scientific and Technical Equipment Co Ltd, said the company has provided technology solutions and guided farmers in pre-processing, preserving agricultural products, ensuring food safety, checking microbiology, and plant health.

The collective economy, particularly cooperatives and cooperative groups, plays an important role in developing agricultural and rural economies, contributing to the industrialisation and modernisation of agriculture. Đồng Tháp Province has focused on developing the collective economy in rural areas.

Nguyễn Văn Vũ Minh, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Đồng Tháp, stated that the province currently has 195 agricultural cooperatives.

These cooperatives have applied scientific and technical advancements in production and processing, enhancing safe production processes and reducing costs, which has received positive responses from the people. Many fruit-growing households have recognised the benefits of joining cooperatives, improving production capacity, accessing technology, digitalising, and selling products at stable prices, thus ensuring production security and contributing capital to cooperatives.

In Sóc Trăng Province, cooperatives have actively adapted to the new Cooperative Law and applied technology in production and agricultural product consumption. According to the Sóc Trăng Cooperative Alliance, the province has 206 agricultural cooperatives. Many cooperatives have played a crucial role in linking production and product consumption for members, notably Tín Phát Agricultural Cooperative, Hưng Lợi Agricultural Cooperative, Vinh Lợi Agricultural Cooperative, Thọ Hòa Đông A Agricultural Cooperative, and Phước An Agricultural Cooperative.

Automated irrigation system applying high-tech agriculture in Sóc Trăng Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

Particularly, Toàn Thắng Aquatic Cooperative in Vĩnh Hiệp commune, Vĩnh Châu town, has established a large-scale farming area applying technology, yielding high economic value.

Phạm Văn Mừng, Director of Toàn Thắng Aquatic Cooperative, stated that Toàn Thắng has applied high technology in shrimp farming, achieving ASC certification from Europe and the USA, and partnered with Út Xi Seafood Processing Company to ensure stable consumption at higher market prices. The cooperative also uses information technology to monitor ponds and expand consumption channels, significantly increasing shrimp production to 500-700 tonnes from 2022 to now.

After nine years of operation, Toàn Thắng Aquatic Cooperative has attracted more than 70 members with a production area of 165 hectares, becoming one of the five exemplary new-style cooperatives in the province.

Thạch Phước Tài, Vice Chairman of the Sóc Trăng Cooperative Alliance, noted that applying technology in production and product consumption, along with value chain linkages, has reduced intermediaries, lowered costs, decreased prices, and increased product value, benefitted cooperatives and members, and avoided pressure from traders.

Cooperative members will actively secure high-quality raw materials, large output, and uniform types and quality, meeting market demand. Developing cooperative linkage models will promote the application of scientific and technical advancements, high technology in restructuring, expanding scale, and increasing agricultural production efficiency, aiming for stable and sustainable development. — VNS