Developing high-tech agriculture: Turning challenges into advantages

Promoting research and technology transfer

According to Dr. Phan Cong Kien, Deputy Director of the Nha Ho Research Institute for Cotton and Agricultural Development, the southern districts of Khanh Hoa (formerly part of Ninh Thuan province) feature a typical tropical monsoon climate characterized by dryness, heat, strong winds, and high evaporation. While these conditions are unfavorable for conventional farming, they create unique advantages and motivation for applying science and technology to develop high-tech and smart agriculture.

In addition, the irrigation system in southern Khanh Hoa has been comprehensively invested and upgraded, ensuring sufficient water supply for agricultural production. Most of the water sources used for farming here are clean and unpolluted by industrial zones or waste, which makes the area particularly favorable for the development of organic agriculture.

Amid increasing challenges to agricultural production caused by climate change, Khanh Hoa has identified the application of science and technology as a key pathway to developing high-tech and smart agriculture. The province has therefore focused on promoting innovation and applying modern scientific and technological solutions to serve socio-economic development in communes and wards across its southern region.

According to Dr. Phan Cong Kien, Deputy Director of the Nha Ho Research Institute for Cotton and Agricultural Development, in recent years the Institute has researched and bred a wide range of new crop varieties such as grapes, apples, rice, and maize. These varieties are resilient to adverse conditions, offer stable and high yield potential, and meet quality requirements, and have been successfully transferred to farmers for production. Advanced techniques and high-tech applications introduced by the Institute have helped reduce production costs while minimizing environmental impacts. Over time, the transfer of scientific and technological applications into farming practices has delivered significant economic benefits.

“Typical examples include the application of automatic and drip irrigation systems; automated temperature control in greenhouses and net houses; integrated pest management with minimal use of pesticides; mechanization and automation of microclimate regulation; nutrient management; and the use of solar power. These measures have helped reduce labor and water costs while improving crop productivity,” shared Dr. Phan Cong Kien.

According to the agricultural sector’s report, by the end of 2024, the total area of high-tech agriculture in the southern localities of Khanh Hoa Province reached 825.61 hectares, focusing on key and high-value crops such as grapes, apples, green asparagus, melon, onion, garlic, and aloe vera. High-tech agriculture has gradually developed in both scale and efficiency, ensuring stable yields and quality. The average income is estimated at about USD 40,000 per hectare of cultivated land, with some crops bringing returns of USD 60,000 - 80,000 per hectare, contributing 14% to the total agricultural output value of the southern localities in 2024.

Supporting businesses and farmers

In order to effectively implement Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science and technology development and digital transformation in agriculture, Khanh Hoa has made significant efforts in applying high-tech agriculture to several key and specialty products such as grapes, apples, cantaloupes, asparagus, aloe vera, garlic, onions, and medicinal plants. The province has promoted research collaboration, technology transfer, and the development of seed production zones for high-quality native varieties, while fostering high-tech, circular farms that integrate eco-tourism.

Khanh Hoa has also expanded and developed safe, high-quality agricultural products with high added value, along with processed goods to build large-scale production chains. The province has worked to attract investment into agricultural supply chains, in which the Nha Ho Research Institute for Cotton and Agricultural Development has played a crucial role.

Looking ahead, the Nha Ho Research Institute for Cotton and Agricultural Development will continue to apply science and technology in soil improvement and fertilization, focusing on enhancing soil fertility through microbial products, promoting mechanization to reduce production costs, and increasing the use of bio-based inputs.

The Institute is set to prioritize the application and transfer of technologies tailored to local conditions, while closely partnering with enterprises in research, technology transfer, and scaling up of innovations. By leveraging its role as a hub of innovation, the Institute aims to facilitate businesses’ access to and adoption of advanced production technologies, encourage the development of value chain models, and promote the integration of smart technologies and equipment across production, processing, and distribution, thereby fostering sustainable product value chains.

Dr. Phan Cong Kien noted that the current situation of fragmented and small-scale farmland, where individual landowners lack sufficient area for large-scale cultivation, results in low production efficiency, limited capacity for high-tech application, and challenges in management. Consequently, input costs are significantly higher, as farmers spend more labor and expenses to produce the same unit of output compared to large-scale farming.

To promote the adoption of scientific and technological advances and the application of modern technologies in agriculture, Dr. Kien recommended the introduction of appropriate policies to facilitate the organization of large-scale farming fields. Such policies would enable more efficient production management and create favorable conditions for transferring scientific and technological innovations into agricultural practices.

“In the coming period, the Nha Ho Research Institute for Cotton and Agricultural Development will strengthen cooperation with universities and research institutes across various fields to design and implement scientific and technological programs that effectively realize Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science and technology, innovation, and national digital transformation.

Particular emphasis will be placed on collaboration with enterprises and processing facilities to jointly carry out research projects, breed high-yield and high-quality crop varieties suited to local conditions, and develop models of high-tech agriculture, organic farming, and smart agriculture, especially those designed to enhance climate change resilience in Khanh Hoa and the South Central Coast - Central Highlands region,” shared Dr. Phan Cong Kien, Deputy Director of the Nha Ho Research Institute for Cotton and Agricultural Development.