Da Nang’s agriculture and rural development sector has been implementing and completing many tasks and solutions to develop and restructure the local agricultural sector towards agricultural economics, high-tech agriculture associated with social, environmental and community responsibility. Accordingly, the focus on has been on promoting key aspects to ensure economic development and recovery and create sustainable growth.

Workers are seen working at the high-tech agricultural model Afarm - Farm on smartphone in Hoa Phu Commune, Hoa Vang District

Restructuring agricultural industry

According to Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW dated January 24, 2019 adopted by the Politburo on building and developing Da Nang by 2030, with a vision towards 2045, the city has paid special attention to developing 5 spearhead economic sectors.

Regarding the field of agriculture and rural development, the Standing Board of the municipal Party Committee issued Programme No. 42-CTr/TU dated February 5, 2020 on promoting restructuring of the agricultural sector in the direction of hi-tech application, concentrated and large-scale production associated with building new-style rural areas; along with Plan No. 2585/KH-UBND dated April 20, 2020 on implementing the aforementioned programme.

Based on the abovementioned resolutions, programmes and plans, the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has coordinated with relevant departments and agencies, unions and localities to fulfill its assigned tasks.

Up to now, five out of the 47 assigned tasks have been completed, 38 are being implemented, 3 have not been carried out, and 1 has been proposed not to be implemented.

Specifically, the average annual agricultural GDP growth rate increased by 1.73% in the 2020-2022 period. The internal economic structure of the industry is fisheries 67.41%, agriculture 25.85%, and forestry 6.74%. 100% of communes met standards set for new-style rural areas, of which by the end of 2022, 5 out of the 11 communes met advanced new-style rural standards, with 64 OCOP products.

According to the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the agricultural sector has been speeding up restructuring. In recent years, the agricultural sector has focused on improving product quality and value, producing organic products meeting VietGAP certification, developing areas specialising in vegetable and flower cultivation, promoting the application of science and technology, and forming chain links associated with OCOP products.

In 2022, the total area of effective crop restructuring was 24.41 hectares. The planning of specializsed agricultural production areas and high-tech agricultural areas was implemented in association with the general planning of the city. There were two hi-tech agricultural regions with investment policies approved.

It is expected that at least 1 region will be completed by 2023 to create motivation, attract investment and effectively implement t support policies for the development of high-tech, organic, ecological and sustainable agriculture.

Rice production is strongly converted to organic production with more than 20 fields in the total area of 345 hectares.

Emphasis is on applying tray seedling and transplanting machines in rice production in order to create clear changes in productivity, quality and efficiency.

Areas specialising in vegetable cultivation have invested in infrastructure, applied science and technology, promoted mechanisation of irrigation, and developed safe and stable vegetable production with an area of 42.73 hectares of specialised and concentrated farming area, of which more than 13.54 hectares have been applied with high-tech applications.

In Hoa Vang District, agricultural models applying high technology have been formed with an area of more than 4 hectares in Hoa Phu, Hoa Ninh, Hoa Khuong, Hoa Phong communes.

​Efforts to develop fisheries and protect forest resources sustainably

According to the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the city has been focusing on developing fisheries in the direction of offshore exploitation associated with protecting sovereignty over seas and islands, thereby creating a breakthrough in restructuring ships in the direction of going offshore and developing modern fishing.

To date, a total of 1,241 fishing boats are operating in the city, of which 917 are ships with a length of 12m or more operating on open and offshore routes.

The communication system has been established seamlessly between ship to ship, between sea and land. Data of 100% of fishing vessels in the city have been added to the national fishery database system Vnfishbase to unify operation, and serve collection, examination and management.

Currently, the first stage of the project to upgrade the Tho Quang Fishing Port has been already completed and put into operation.

Regarding management, protection, exploitation of forest resources, biodiversity conservation, the city's agricultural sector has well implemented the management and protection of more than 63,044 hectares of existing forest area, with a forest coverage rate of 45.5% in late 2022, higher than the national forest coverage rate of 42.02%.

Forest productivity and quality, deployment of special-use and protection forests and policies to support the planting of large timber material forests in the city have been emphasised.

Also according to the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the local agricultural sector has been shifting in accordance with the city's development orientation with a concentration on three key areas: high-tech agriculture, organic agriculture; offshore seafood exploitation associated with fisheries logistics services; and forest protection and development associated with intensive afforestation of large timber trees.

In the coming time, the agricultural sector will continue to make efforts to complete assigned tasks, thereby contributing together with the government to build Da Nang into one of the major socio-economic centres of the country and Southeast Asia.

Reporting by VAN HOANG - Translating by M.DUNG