In the 2020 - 2025 phase, the province has focused on perfecting scientific and technological policies and applying science and technology into practice. Scientific and technological research and application has been comprehensively promoted in all fields and widely applied to production and life. In the 2021 - 2023 period, 64 scientific and technological tasks were implemented, including 60 provincial tasks and four national tasks), of which over 50% were involved in the agricultural sector.

Scientific and technological research and application has enabled the province to select many plant varieties and animal species of economic value that can grow well in the locality. Many high-tech and advanced tech application models have been widely introduced to production, helping expand local and neighboring areas. Many well-branded products have kept spreading and gained a firm foothold in the market, helping form centralized agricultural production areas for domestic and export markets.

Prominently in agriculture, Son La province applied science and technology to develop seed sources and intensive planting of large timber forests with Caribbean pines; researched, applied and built a drought-resistant grape (Ha Den variety) organic farming model; studied and assessed the growth and development of F1 crossbreeds between BBB cow and Sind crossbred cow; and used Technology 4.0 integrated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to monitor the growth and health of some agricultural crops (like mango and longan).

The province also adopted a restoration process of specialty crop varieties in a bid to preserve and develop locally precious genetic resources such as Tan Muong Va sticky rice and Tan Ngoc Chien sticky rice, indigenous specialty rice and Yen Chau round mango. Furthermore, Son La also took measures to prevent pests and diseases of key crops, helping stabilize and improve productivity and product quality. Applied processing and preservation technologies help increase the value of agricultural and forest products such as Son Tra wine, banana wine, Yen Chau dried bananas, plum wine, Moc Chau plum jam, Son La honey and Quynh Nhai fish sauce.

At the same time, the province has built and developed brands for 28 agricultural products carrying its geographical names, certified for protection by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam (NOIP), including three geographical indications, 22 certified brands and three collective brands. Two products are protected abroad. The province has also carried out the urgent local and national project called “Research on scientific and technological solutions to improve productivity, quality and sustainability of longan production in Son La and some northern provinces.”

In addition to research for direct agricultural production, scientific projects and agricultural development solutions are researched to propose the promulgation of practical policies on significant improvement of agricultural development. For example, from the outcomes of the scientific project themed “Restructuring agriculture towards increasing added value and sustainable development in Son La province to 2030”, we have coordinated with relevant bodies to advise and work out Resolution 08- NQ/TU dated January 21, 2021 of the Executive Board of the Provincial Party Committee on centralized, sustainable development of high-tech agriculture, forestry and fisheries to 2025 and further to 2030; and the Project on focused and sustainable development of high-tech agriculture, forestry and fisheries to 2025, with a vision to 2030, issued together with Conclusion 90-KL/TU dated January 15, 2021 of the Executive Board of the Provincial Party Committee.

Other examples include Action Program 21-CTr/TU dated March 21, 2023 of the Provincial Party Committee on implementation of Resolution 36-NQ/TW dated January 30, 2023 of the Politburo on biotechnology development and application for sustainable national development in the new situation; Plan 219-KH/TU dated March 16, 2024 of the Executive Board of the Provincial Party Committee on implementation of Conclusion 69-KL/TW dated January 11, 2024 of the Politburo on continued execution of Resolution 20-NQ/TW dated November 1, 2012 of the 11th Party Central Committee on scientific and technological development to empower the cause of national industrialization and modernization and international integration.

Mr. Luu Binh Khiem, Director of the Department of Science and Technology, Son La province, said: In the coming time, the department will continue to advise the province to promulgate regulatory documents and policies to support organizations and individuals investing in technological innovation; and hand over the results of accepted scientific and technological tasks to related units across the province for widespread practical application and replication. It will improve the quality of advisory and consultancy of expert councils for centralized scientific research directions. At the same time, the department will direct scientific and technological research and application close to the province's tasks and effectively support rapid and sustainable local socioeconomic development to 2025 and beyond.