Gia Lai aims for agroecological development

Mr. Nguyen Tuan Thanh, Standing Vice Chairman of the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee, shared that after the merger, the province has a natural area of approximately 21,577 km², the second largest in the country. With diverse terrain and climate, fertile soil provides advantages for developing key crops such as coffee, black pepper, durian, and passion fruit, as well as short-cycle industrial crops like sugarcane, cassava, and corn.

The vast area also offers potential for large livestock farming and aquaculture. These strengths position Gia Lai to become one of the country’s major agricultural production regions, contributing not only to the region but to the nation as a whole.

Currently, Gia Lai has about 255,670 ha of crops produced under VietGAP, GlobalGAP, organic, 4C, and Rainforest Alliance standards, accounting for over 41% of the total cultivated area; nearly 70,000 ha of this has been certified. Crops using advanced irrigation technology cover nearly 131,500 ha, helping reduce costs, increase productivity, and adapt to climate change. The province has been issued 255 cultivation area codes covering approximately 10,246 ha, along with 40 packaging facility codes for export purposes.

From 2021 to 2025, the agriculture, forestry, and fishery sector has grown at an average rate of 3.75% per year, with its share in the provincial economy at nearly 30%, continuing to serve as a pillar of Gia Lai’s economy.

In recent years, agricultural restructuring in Gia Lai has moved in the right direction, focusing on in-depth development and value enhancement, particularly production aimed at export quality. Value chains have been established linking production with processing. The province has developed concentrated specialty crop areas with high-value, competitive products associated with brand and trademark building. At the same time, agriculture is being developed toward nature-based solutions, applying high technology in combination with deep processing and climate change adaptation.

The livestock sector in Gia Lai is developing toward industrialized, concentrated, and biosecure models, with 180 linked farms and 31 safe food supply chains. Many high-tech, closed-loop livestock models effectively control diseases and meet both domestic and export market standards.

The province has established specialized commodity production areas focused on key agricultural products, building agricultural brands linked with e-commerce and traceability systems. Export-oriented agro-forestry-fishery processing centers have been set up alongside logistics service hubs, aiming to make Gia Lai a regional center for agro-forestry processing within the Viet Nam-Laos-Cambodia development triangle.

In the coming period, the province will focus on agricultural infrastructure investment, prioritizing the completion of the western irrigation system to secure water supply for crops. Crop zones will be replanned, applying high-tech solutions integrated with deep processing and brand building for key crops such as coffee, avocado, durian, black pepper, and passion fruit. In livestock, development will focus on high-tech, concentrated models that protect the environment, linked supply chains, and deep-processing facilities to serve both domestic and export markets.

Gia Lai continues to restructure crop and livestock production to align with local advantages, market demand, and climate change adaptation. Key crops are being standardized under VietGAP and organic certifications, linked in value chains to increase agricultural product value, while cultivation areas under GlobalGAP and organic standards are being expanded to create opportunities for direct exports to high-end markets.

However, the province still faces challenges. Cooperative and purchasing enterprise systems remain weak, and a high proportion of small-scale households limits participation in value chains. Internal roads, cold storage, and processing facilities are insufficient to support production expansion and product preservation. Quality standards, traceability, and international market competitiveness are uneven—issues that the province aims to address in the coming period.

On the occasion of the 80th Anniversary of Agriculture and Environment Day and the 1st National Patriotic Emulation Congress, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is organizing a series of events from July to December 2025. The highlight is the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Agriculture and Environment sector and the 1st National Patriotic Emulation Congress, taking place on the morning of November 12, 2025, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi, with over 1,200 delegates in attendance. VAN News will broadcast the event live.