On June 6, representatives from four companies, Saigon Kim Hong, Vinaseed, Binh Dien, and Bayer, gathered at a rice field in Quang Bi Commune, Hanoi, to demonstrate a low-emission rice cultivation model featuring a precision hill-seeding machine with integrated fertilizer placement and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). The demonstration was jointly organized by Saigon Kim Hong, the Hanoi Sub-Department of Plant Production and Protection, and the Quang Bi Agricultural Cooperative.

Unlike mechanical transplanting, which requires multiple stages including raising seedlings in trays, transporting them to the fields, and transplanting, the hill-seeding machine sows seeds directly into the field, eliminating several intermediate steps and significantly reducing production costs. The machine is also equipped with an integrated fertilizer placement system that incorporates fertilizer into the soil during seeding, minimizing nutrient losses and reducing fertilizer use by 20-25%.

Meanwhile, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) can be used to apply crop protection products or spread fertilizers across large-scale rice fields, reducing labor costs and significantly improving operational efficiency. By optimizing seeding rates, applying fertilizers more efficiently, managing irrigation scientifically, and adopting appropriate cultivation practices, farmers can reduce input costs while maintaining yields, improving rice quality, increasing profitability, and at the same time lowering greenhouse gas emissions and minimizing pest and disease outbreaks.

According to the Hanoi Sub-Department of Plant Production and Protection, the results of the demonstration model provide an important practical foundation for further refining technical procedures, while also serving as evidence to support the wider adoption of the model in the future.

The hill-seeding machine is designed with three integrated compartments: a fertilizer hopper (inner tray), a seed hopper (outer tray), and two 25-liter tanks for crop protection products. This configuration enables the machine to perform three operations in a single pass: sowing seeds, incorporating fertilizer into the soil, and applying pre-emergence herbicide during the early stage of crop establishment.

This solution helps reduce seeding rates, improve fertilizer use efficiency, promote more uniform crop growth, lower labor costs, and enhance overall production efficiency.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Dao Thi Nhu He, Director of Saigon Kim Hong Trading and Services Co., Ltd., the company supplying the hill-seeding machine with integrated fertilizer placement, said the technology was developed to address current challenges in rice production, particularly the shortage of agricultural labor and rising labor costs in Northern Viet Nam.

In terms of operational efficiency, the machine is approximately three times more productive than conventional rice transplanters. It can sow 8-10 hectares per day, or 4-5 hectares per day when fertilizer incorporation is carried out simultaneously, compared with only 2-3 hectares per day for a standard transplanter. Depending on the rice variety, seed requirements range from 30 to 50 kg per hectare, helping reduce input costs and improve production efficiency.

Field application has also demonstrated the clear economic benefits of hill seeding through significantly lower production costs. While traditional transplanting typically costs VND 8-10 million per hectare, hill seeding costs only VND 2-3 million per hectare, generating average savings of around VND 5 million per hectare.

In addition, seed use is reduced from approximately 65 kg to 50 kg per hectare, saving 15–20 kg of seed per hectare. At the same time, hill-seeded rice achieves yields comparable to those of transplanted rice, while producing more vigorous plants with greater lodging resistance, making the technology well suited for large-scale production.

After observing the field demonstration, Mr. Vu Van Manh, Deputy Head of the Economic Division of Quang Bi Commune, said local authorities and farmers expect the model to introduce a new cultivation approach that reduces labor requirements, lowers production costs, and improves economic returns.

According to Mr. Manh, if the demonstration delivers positive results in terms of yield, production costs, and overall efficiency, the commune's Economic Division will advise local authorities on developing communication and support plans to gradually scale up the model, contributing to greater agricultural mechanization and promoting modern, cost-efficient, and low-emission rice production.

Saigon Kim Hong, Vinaseed, Binh Dien, and Bayer are among Viet Nam's leading agricultural companies. Each provides a distinct range of solutions, spanning agricultural mechanization, crop seeds, fertilizers, crop protection products, and cultivation technologies. In recent years, all four have intensified efforts to promote smart agricultural solutions that improve resource efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Through partnerships with local authorities and farmers, the companies aim to advance sustainable rice production models, enhancing productivity, quality, and the competitiveness of Vietnam's rice sector.

$ 1 = VND 26,462 - Source: Vietcombank.

Authors: Tung Dinh - Thanh Thuy

Translated by Phuong Linh