In recent years, Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province (BR-VT) has carried out many specific action programs to bring high-tech agricultural models to each region and each farming household, which has contributed to improving people’s livelihoods and enhancing the appearance of rural areas in the province.
Developing high-tech agriculture
After more than 6 years of implementing Project No. 04-DA/TU dated July 28, 2017 on developing agriculture applying high technology, up to now, a number of areas in Ba Ria –Vung Tau Province has achieved the goals and accomplished the tasks of developing high-tech agriculture, reflected by outstanding results regarding criteria on new rural areas. The quality of life has improved and the appearance of these rural areas has also been enhanced.
High-tech models have been widely applied throughout the province in most agricultural sectors like farming, animal husbandry, and aquaculture. High-tech development schemes and projects in the province also attract widespread attention from the business community, economic organizations, scientists, and have been actively supported by the people. As of October 2023, in the province, 401 crop production areas, 132 livestock farms, 23 commercial aquaculture and aquatic breed production facilities have applied high technology.
Currently, high-tech zones for planting longan and raising shrimp have been established in Dat Do District. Pepper farms in Xuyen Moc District have also applied high technology.
In addition, it is oriented in Decision No. 600/QD-UBND dated March 21, 2023 that the development of high-tech agricultural areas should be associated with the development of advanced rural areas and new rural area models for the period from now to 2025. The province will establish at least three more agricultural areas applying high technology including: Pepper production zone in Chau Duc District, Pig farming zone in Chau Duc District, and Fruit tree production zone in Phu My Town. Besides, the development of a number of high-tech agricultural zones have been initially associated with key crops according to the strengths of each area. For example, Dat Do District focuses on vegetables, custard apple, flowers and ornamental plants of all kinds, Chau Duc District focuses on pepper and cocoa, Xuyen Moc District focuses on longan, dragon fruit, and pepper; Phu My Town focuses on green skin grapefruit.
Rural innovation
Along with economic values brought by the high-tech agriculture, the quality of life has also improved through the movement in which “Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province joins the whole nation in building new rural areas” during the 2021-2025 period.
It is estimated that by the end of 2023, in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, there will be 36 out of 47 communes meeting advanced new rural standards, all eight district-level units recognized by the Prime Minister for meeting new rural standards, and eight communes achieving the rural area model. In the whole province, there will be 92 agricultural products of 46 entities recognized as OCOP products of 3-star rating or higher (including 64 products with 4 stars, 28 products with 3 stars). These results will contribute to significant change in the appearance of these rural areas and improve the people’s lives. Currently, the average income per capita in newly built rural communes exceeds VND68 million a year; the poverty rate of the province has decreased significantly; 100% of rural households have gained access to fresh water, of which 89.8% of rural households have been using fresh water meeting national technical regulations.
Determining that it is imperative to develop new rural areas to improve socio-economic development and the people’s lives in the province, Ba Ria – Vung Tau has set goals that by 2025, the communes following the new rural model will obtain average annual growth of 4.12% in terms of agricultural value; 38 communes (accounting for 80.85%) will meet advanced new rural standards; 14 communes (accounting for 29.78%) will meet new rural area standards; the proportion of poor households under the province’s standards will decrease to 0.5% or below, and basically there are no more poor households under national standards; the production value and income per unit of agricultural land area will increase 1.5 times compared to 2020; the proportion of agricultural workers shall be lower than 15%; etc.
Based on the achieved results, Ba Ria – Vung Tau has been implementing many specific solutions towards comprehensive modernization of the province’s agricultural sector. Besides, high-tech agricultural production zones and concentrated production zones will be developed according to value chains, especially for key products of the province. Investors will be called for the development of high-tech agriculture. At the same time, the progress of building new rural areas and improving material life as well as income of farmers will be accelerated.
