The rice cultivation regions of Bac Giang are concentrated on the application of advanced technology in agricultural production

Backing the economy

As a midland province in the north, Bac Giang is blessed with natural resources and many advantages for agricultural development. The province has a concentrated fruit growing area of nearly 52,000 ha. In recent years, agricultural production in Bac Giang has developed comprehensively, with increased productivity and improved quality. The commercial production of crops has been accelerated to meet market needs.

In 2023, the agricultural production value rose by 2.6%, the fourth year of growth in a row. Specifically, agriculture expanded 2.4%; forestry climbed 3.3%, and fisheries looked up 5.3%. The production value (current price) was VND40,516 billion, 6.6% higher than the full-year plan. Key crops continued to develop on large-scale production, boosted by cooperation and linkage along the value chain to a certain extent. The application of technical advances and advanced production processes such as VietGAP, GlobalGAP and high technology were cared for scaleup. The average production value on a hectare of farming land was VND138 million, 2.2% higher than the plan.

Particularly, 2023 was a landmark year for One Commune, One Product (OCOP) products, with 132 products earning OCOP certification. Unprecedentedly, meat production increased by 8%, and lychee export output exceeded 50%.

Furthermore, agricultural development has created a driving force to foster the National Target Program on New Rural Development. The province has 154 out of 182 communes certified to meet new rural development standards, accounting for 84.6%; 59 communes accredited to achieve advanced new rural development standards, 12 communes certified to fulfill model new rural development standards, 359 villages recognized to meet model new rural development standards, and seven out of 10 district-level units certified to meet new rural development standards. On average, a commune has fulfilled 17.8 criteria.

Mr. Le Ba Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Bac Giang province, said: Agriculture has affirmed its role as a pillar of the economy by firmly ensuring food security, creating good livelihoods, jobs and incomes for people, and giving a facelift to the countryside. Institutional infrastructure in transportation, irrigation, culture, healthcare and education has all been improved; poverty rate declined and people's livelihoods have gone up. All have made an important contribution to local socioeconomic development.

Toward high-tech, sustainable agriculture

Recently, although the cultivated area of some crops has shrunk, boosted by the application of scientific and technical advances and new farming processes, the productivity and output of Bac Giang agricultural products have still increased. To date, the province has built over 1,000 high-tech agricultural production models. The average production value per hectare of high-tech farming area is VND220-250 million a year, 2-2.5 times higher than conventional production. Vegetable, flower and mushroom production in greenhouses and cold houses brings in VND700 million - 1 billion of revenue per hectare a year, 7-10 times higher than conventional production. Notably, high-end production models of flowers, ornamental plants and melons earn over VND2 billion of revenue per hectare a year.

In the province, some large-scale concentrated high-tech agricultural production areas have been formed, including 16,600 ha of VietGAP and GlobalGAP-certified lychee production areas in Luc Ngan, Tan Yen and Luc Nam districts and 45,500 ha of premium rice production area Yen Dung, Lang Giang, Viet Yen and Tan Yen districts.

Thanh said that Bac Giang Provincial Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, highlights modern, sustainable agricultural development, effective, productive commercial production of quality and competitive commodities powered by the development of high-tech agriculture, smart agriculture, and organic agriculture. Bac Giang is targeted to become a key national agricultural province and lead the north.

To achieve these goals, in the coming time, the agricultural sector will continue to develop diverse agriculture by fully unlocking local potential advantages; promote export-oriented sustainable agricultural production; strengthen connectivity between businesses, scientists and people in agricultural production, processing and consumption.

The sector will manage and carry out high-tech agricultural production plans in concentrated cultivation areas to make key agricultural products to attract companies to establish joint production.

Besides, the sector will scale up the application of new scientific and technological advances in production; expand consumption markets, focusing on traditional Chinese export markets and new export markets such as the U.S., the EU and Japan.

The agricultural sector will continue to improve and reorganize coordinated agricultural production; and focus on developing economic cooperation along the value chain in key specialized production areas of the province.

The sector will encourage and attract large potential businesses to invest in high-tech agricultural production; support building brands, collective brands, new designs, remodels, packaging, product labels and traceability stamps; and instruct and facilitate cooperatives to join the OCOP Program.