5 Keys to digital irrigation efficiency

On December 29, in Buon Ma Thuot Ward, Dak Lak Province, the Department of Hydraulic Works Management and Construction (DWMG), in coordination with Vietnam Agriculture and Nature Newspaper and the Dak Lak Department of Agriculture and Environment, organized the forum "Research and application of strategic technologies in the development of advanced, water-saving irrigation for upland crops in support of smart agriculture, climate change adaptation, and contribution to water security in the South central coast and central highlands."

According to Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy Director General of the Department of Hydraulic Works Management and Construction, advanced irrigation technologies have delivered clear benefits, including water savings of 20-40%, reduced labor costs, improved productivity and crop quality, as well as lower emissions and greater resilience to adverse climate conditions.

However, he also candidly acknowledged a number of barriers that continue to deter farmers, such as high upfront investment costs, volatile agricultural prices, and limited access to support policies, in-depth technical advisory services, and essential infrastructure.

To address these bottlenecks, DWMG will continue to work closely with local authorities to further specify and effectively implement Decree No. 77/2018/ND-CP, with a focus on simplifying procedures and enhancing transparency so that policies can reach farmers more effectively.

Resources from the National Target Program on New Rural Development, along with ODA funding and concessional credit, will be more strongly integrated to support water storage infrastructure and irrigation systems for key upland crops. In particular, DWMG proposed treating preferential credit mechanisms, such as lower interest rates and extended loan tenors - as strategic investments in water security and sustainable livelihoods.

“We highly value the participation of businesses, irrigation consultancy units with community engagement, research institutes, universities, and experts. The State encourages enterprises to conduct research, localize irrigation technologies, and transfer solutions suited to Viet Nam’s small-scale and diverse farming conditions. Policies on taxation, land, and public-private partnership (PPP) mechanisms will be promoted to incentivize long-term engagement between enterprises and farmers, going beyond equipment sales to include maintenance services and technical training,” Mr. Nam emphasized.

Regarding future directions, the Deputy Director General noted that the Department will develop a digital data platform, integrated with the agricultural sector’s databases and supported by AI applications, to help farmers make decisions based on the principle of “right timing - right amount - effective irrigation.”

With a water-user-centered approach, the DWMG commits to working alongside local authorities, businesses, cooperatives, and farmers to gradually realize the objectives of the Irrigation Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045.

Mr. Dinh Thanh Mung, Deputy Chief of Office of the DWMG,emphasized that this is a period of significant opportunity, as policies promoting digital transformation are being advanced and the legal framework is gradually being completed.

In practice, the digital transformation process in agriculture and water resources has begun to yield notable results, creating momentum for further progress. A strong social foundation, marked by high rates of internet and smartphone usage, provides ideal conditions for integrating technological applications into farmers’ production activities.

In the coming period, communication and outreach efforts should continue to be strengthened to raise public awareness of the role, importance, and benefits of applying digital technologies in smart irrigation.

Regarding mechanisms and policies, legislators need to research and integrate regulations on the application of AI, Big Data, and Digital Twins into the legal framework for hydraulic engineering. Simultaneously, priority should be given to establishing financial support mechanisms and digital infrastructure development policies to encourage businesses to invest in and apply advanced, water-saving irrigation solutions.

"We must focus on building AI assistant platforms and smart control tools to enable irrigation decision-making based on real-world data. In particular, emphasis should be placed on developing standardized database systems that connect everything from meteorological data to real-time soil moisture levels.

Besides enhancing public capacity, implementation must follow a specific roadmap with clearly defined responsibilities and outputs for each stage. This ensures consistency, focus, and sustainable efficiency on a large scale," stated Mr. Dinh Thanh Mung.