Officials and entrepreneurs have called for a master plan by the Government to ensure farmers embrace advanced agricultural technologies.

Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture Bui Ba Bong has admitted businesses need Government guidance and backing to invest in this field.

A report by his ministry said the use of advanced technologies was helping the agricultural sector develop in terms of modernisation, productivity, and competitiveness.

But the phenomenon remains relatively new since it has only been promoted strongly since the passage of the Law on High Technology in 2008.

The Central Highlands province of Lam Dong and HCM City were the first in the country to embrace high-tech agricultural zones, with both setting them up as early as in 2004.

Ha Noi, Nghe An, Gia Lai, Phu Yen, and Binh Duong have all submitted similar plans to the Government.

Since adopting advanced farm technologies, Lam Dong has managed to attract foreign direct investment in agriculture and more than double agricultural exports to US$250 million, or over 75 per cent of its overall exports, the province People’s Committee deputy chairman Pham S said.

HCM City uses high technology across a range of areas — cropping, animal husbandry, and aquaculture.

According to the People’s Committee Deputy Chairman Le Minh Tri, HCM City is pursuing both urban and agricultural development, and aims to become a seller of farm technologies.

The ministry said Viet Nam sought to improve its agricultural technologies to match the more advanced Southeast Asian countries by 2015 and developed Asian countries by 2020.

But participants at the meeting yesterday said neither was high-technology used in agriculture nor was there an effective model to do so.

Several businesses have shown interest already in being recognised as agricultural firms using high-technology, but many localities are not ready with detailed plans to promote use of farm technologies.

The ministry blamed this on a lack of policies and adequate legal documents.

It also admitted that its agencies had not been active enough in guiding development of the field, investing in training and research, and importing and developing technologies.

But it promised solutions, with the first priority being given to drafting a comprehensive plan for introducing proper policies to foster use of advanced technologies in agriculture.

Nguyen Dinh Son, president of the Da Lat Flower-Forest Biotechnology Corporation, said the biggest challenge for a business trying to enter the field was getting land due to vague policies.

Tri called on the Government to adopt credit policies that would encourage businesses to invest in agricultural technologies.

VNS