Linking to produce safe agricultural products

(Baonghean) - Safe agricultural production is one of the most important contents in the period of restructuring agriculture towards increasing added value and sustainable development.

PV:Could you tell us about the current production of safe agricultural products in Nghe An province? What are the difficulties in producing agricultural products that meet food safety and hygiene standards?

Mr. Nguyen Quy Linh:Safe agricultural production is one of the most important contents for agricultural extension activities in the period of restructuring agriculture towards increasing added value and sustainable development. Therefore, the agricultural extension system has been accompanying the sectors to direct agricultural production and localities to concentrate resources together with producers to organize well the production of safe agricultural products.

Papaya growing model brings high income to Mr. Nguyen Van Ba's household (Dien Lien commune, Dien Chau district). Photo: Quang An

In fact, thanks to the active participation of all levels, sectors and a widespread information and communication system, people's awareness of the production and consumption of safe agricultural products has been gradually improved. Consumers are increasingly wiser in choosing clean agricultural products to ensure health safety, and producers are also gradually becoming more aware of their responsibility in creating safer products for society. Therefore, safe production areas are increasingly being expanded, bringing products of higher quality and economic value.

However, the production of agricultural products that meet food safety and hygiene standards in the area still faces many difficulties and obstacles that need to be focused on to create motivation for safe agricultural production. Although the awareness of producers has changed in a positive direction, it has not really met the requirements. There are still many agricultural production areas that do not fully comply with food safety and hygiene regulations, production areas that do not meet the requirements according to regulations; indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides, antibiotics in livestock farming and harvesting products that do not ensure the prescribed quarantine period. Meanwhile, agricultural production in the locality is still fragmented, based on household scale, so it is very difficult to control in terms of processes.

In particular, the connection between production and consumption is still loose, the output market of clean agricultural products is unstable, many products have not signed consumption contracts with enterprises; most agricultural products are consumed widely throughout the province through local markets, so controlling the quality of input products is difficult, leading to consumers having difficulty distinguishing between safe and unsafe agricultural products; the efficiency of safe agricultural production is not higher than that of conventional production.

Post-harvest technology is generally weak, affecting the processing and increasing the added value of safe agricultural products. The infrastructure of raw material areas in many places does not meet the requirements for producing safe agricultural products.

PV:To overcome difficulties, what solutions has the industry focused on implementing in the past time to address this issue, sir?

Mr. Nguyen Quy Linh: In recent times, the Agricultural Extension Department has been working with localities and sectors to focus on many solutions to gradually improve the quality of agricultural products. First of all, we have strengthened the organization of propaganda through the mass media system, aiming to raise awareness of producers and consumers in the production and selection of safe products in processing and consumption. Strengthen training to improve people's capacity on safe and sustainable production techniques for crops and livestock, and measures to use plant protection drugs and veterinary drugs effectively.

Accordingly, each year, over 1,200 training courses are organized for farmers across the province, contributing to raising the sense of responsibility of producers towards the community. At the same time, promoting the construction of demonstration models for the production of safe agricultural products.

Growing squash in Nam Xuan commune (Nam Dan). Photo: PH

Up to now, the Agricultural Extension system, agricultural service sectors and localities have built hundreds of models for replication such as biosafety livestock models, models applying biological bedding to ensure ecological environment, safe vegetable production models following VietGAP, rice models applying SRI technology, 3 increase 3 decrease process; biosafety shrimp and aquaculture models, building VietGAP zones in aquaculture... from which seminars are organized, field visits and barn visits for people to understand and follow.

Through safe agricultural production models following VietGAP standards, people are gradually familiarized with the method of production, record keeping, and data retrieval so that when applying VietGAP standards, people can immediately respond. Along with that, promote coordination of programs and projects to build agricultural product chains based on the needs of businesses, thereby connecting with producers to create goods that meet market needs. Create favorable conditions for retail chains of safe agricultural products to better connect with producers. Thereby building specialized areas to serve the market.

It can be affirmed that, through the synchronous implementation of solutions, in recent years, safe agricultural production has made remarkable progress. Up to now, we have had many effective replication models.

In the livestock sector, there are models such as biosafety farming to ensure environmental hygiene and prevent disease. From practical effectiveness, up to now, nearly 45,000 pigs have been raised according to this model, many farming areas have done well in environmental hygiene through production models using biological bedding; converting domestic sows to foreign pigs in the direction of 12,000-head farms; raising poultry in the direction of biosafety with 350,000 heads.

In the field of cultivation, the improved rice intensification technique (SRI) is applied on an area of ​​4,600 hectares, safe vegetable production (cucumber, watermelon, squash, green beans, melon...) 1,600 hectares; converting highland to grow cucumber, squash, cabbage, kohlrabi in the direction of VietGap safety 420 hectares.

In the aquaculture sector, over 7 VietGAP shrimp farming areas have been established with an area of ​​240 hectares, with 2 diversified areas: Dien Van (Dien Chau) 27 hectares; Nghi Hop (Nghi Loc) 40 hectares. 76 hectares have been granted certificates for safe vegetable production, 40 hectares of oranges have been granted certificates for safe orange production facilities...

PV:Could you tell us what breakthrough solutions the industry will implement in the coming time to improve the effectiveness of agricultural extension activities?

Mr. Nguyen Quy Linh:First of all, we will continue to do a good job of information and propaganda, technical guidance to raise awareness among farmers in producing safe agricultural products. Gradually build groups and cooperatives to produce agricultural products, thereby concentrating human resources and organizing synchronous production to facilitate safe production.

In particular, there must be appropriate solutions to be able to do a good job of connecting businesses and people. This is considered one of the most important solutions today, to both have a basis for consuming agricultural products for farmers and have a stable and quality source of goods for businesses. At the same time, implement the content of controlling the quality of agricultural products through technology, tracing the origin of products... to help consumers feel more secure when choosing products. We will also strengthen coordination with the Nghe An agricultural market forum to build and expand linkage models, strengthen trade promotion to effectively build product chains. Gradually expand safe production areas, build agricultural product brands, and aim to grant VietGAP certificates to agricultural products.

PV:Thank you!

Phu Huong

(Perform)