The Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang is looking to pilot smart rice cultivation models suitable to each of its localities, with capital sourced mainly from the private sector, said Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Le Tien Chau.

 Hau Giang to pilot smart rice cultivation (Source: khuyennonghaugiang.com.vn)

Chau shared the plan at a working session on March 11with Rynan Holdings JSC, whose smart rice cultivation technologies are being applied in several Mekong Delta provinces. 

According to Chau, over 70 percent of Hau Giang’s population make their living through agriculture. However, local agricultural production faces difficulties over high costs and thus residents struggle to improve their standards of living beyond their current means. 

Hau Giang has set a goal to boost its GRDP (gross regional domestic product) per capita to 55 million VND (2,379 USD) by 2020, but the figure was at only 38 million VND in 2018. 

Breakthroughs in farming will play an important role in attaining the target, he added.

Nguyen Thanh My, chairman of Rynan Holdings JSC, said the company’s smart model can cut water volume for production by 30 percent, labour and seedling costs by over 50 percent, and fertiliser and other greenhouse gases’ levels by over 40 percent. 

As a result, it can boost profits by between 10 and 20 percent depending on crops, he noted.

Tran Chi Hung, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Department, said the local sector will work closely with the company to carry out the model in Hau Giang as soon as possible. –VNA