Nghe An has 82 cooperatives applying high technology, OCOP products of 3 stars or higher.

On the morning of September 23, Comrade Pham Minh Chinh - Prime Minister chaired the 2022 Cooperative Economic Forum with the theme: "Digital transformation - the driving force for cooperative economic development in the new era associated with the implementation of Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW dated June 16, 2022".

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairs the 2022 Cooperative Economic Forum. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN COOPERATIVE ECONOMY AND COOPERATIVES IS STILL SLOW

Opening the Forum, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pointed out the shortcomings and limitations in the collective economic sector and said that the reason for the slow development of this sector is due to the slow digital transformation and lack of specific strategies and actions. Therefore, the cooperative economy and cooperatives must proactively change their production and business methods, and digital transformation to adapt to the new development situation is an urgent and irreversible requirement.

Reporting on the difficulties and obstacles of cooperative economic organizations in digital transformation, Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance Nguyen Ngoc Bao said that digital transformation in cooperatives is still slow and faces many difficulties because three important resources in production and business activities, which are also the fundamental conditions for implementing digital transformation and applying information technology in agricultural cooperatives, including finance, infrastructure and human resources, are all limited.

Overview of Nghe An province's bridge. Comrades: Nguyen Duc Trung - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Hoang Nghia Hieu - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee chaired. Photo: Pham Bang

Most agricultural cooperatives are facing difficulties in capital for business, difficulty in arranging financial resources to invest in innovation, technology and engineering application; the readiness and ability to access technology of managers and cooperative members are below average.

Facilities from factories to equipment serving digital transformation are still outdated. There is still a lack of regulations and mechanisms to implement specific support and incentive policies applicable to specific cooperatives related to digital transformation. Cooperatives have difficulty accessing development investment capital and information related to digital transformation.

"To successfully transform digitally, the core issue is to change the awareness of cooperative members. When cooperatives properly recognize the role and significance of applying 4.0 technology to production management and product consumption, there will be proper attention, investment, and change in governance model", said the Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and proposed to strengthen training, improve governance capacity for cooperative leaders, build a big data system of the agricultural sector, have mechanisms, policies, and support programs on human resources and finance for cooperatives...

NGHE AN HAS 35 COOPERATIVES APPLYING HIGH TECHNOLOGY

At the forum, a number of cooperatives reported on the status of digital transformation, difficulties and obstacles; representatives of international organizations and experts shared experiences and methods of implementing digital transformation in cooperatives in developed countries; localities reported on the status and solutions to promote digital transformation in the cooperative economic sector; ministries and branches reported on challenges and opportunities for digital transformation in the cooperative economic sector and cooperatives and responded to and accepted policies.

Speaking at the forum, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung said that Nghe An currently has 864 cooperatives. The number of cooperatives with good and fair results is about 57%, contributing to the collective economic zone, cooperatives and GRDP of the province accounting for 4.62%, higher than the national average of 3.62%.

Regarding the situation of digital transformation in the cooperative economy and cooperatives, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee reported that in the trend of digital transformation, a number of cooperatives have proactively invested in infrastructure, applied technologies to create a premise for digital transformation, and initially achieved some specific results.

Comrade Nguyen Duc Trung - Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke at the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

Currently, the province has 35 agricultural cooperatives applying high technology; 47 cooperatives have OCOP products with 3 stars or more, the cooperatives have applied digital technology to serve production and business activities, expand the market, and connect supply and demand. Along with that, building and operating information pages for units to introduce and promote products and services of cooperatives; Deploying and putting into operation the Agricultural Cooperative Data Management System deployed by the Department of Cooperative Economics and Rural Development for localities.

Pointing out the shortcomings and limitations in digital transformation at cooperatives in the province, in the coming time, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said that Nghe An will continue to focus on promoting and transforming awareness about the role and importance of digital transformation for the development of cooperatives; improve the quality of human resources in the cooperative sector; focus on building plans for production organization, management and administration, production processes, and application of high science and technology in production; continue to mobilize financial resources to implement digital transformation.

Leaders of the Department of Planning and Investment; Cooperative Union of Nghe An province attended the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

In addition, cooperatives also need to proactively innovate, improve operational efficiency, mobilize financial resources of cooperatives and other resources for digital transformation. Promote digital transformation in state management of collective economy and cooperatives to reduce administrative procedures, costs and time.

Nghe An province recommends that the Ministry of Planning and Investment promptly complete and submit to the Prime Minister for approval the Project to support digital transformation in the enterprise and cooperative sectors; prioritize the allocation of sufficient resources to implement policies according to the approved Project. In addition, promptly upgrade and complete the National Information System on cooperative registration in the direction of standardization...

BUILDING MECHANISMS AND POLICIES TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLLECTIVE ECONOMIC SECTOR

Concluding the forum, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that digital transformation is an inevitable trend, an objective requirement of development and is identified as a mandatory requirement. Digital transformation is a major policy and orientation of the Party and State, a task that must be regularly and continuously monitored, evaluated, urged, closely directed and resolutely implemented. Digital transformation is public, transparent, equal, reduces administrative procedures, and reduces inconvenience for people and businesses.

Reiterating the goals in Resolution 20, the Prime Minister said that these are lofty goals, requiring high determination, great efforts, drastic and strong implementation from all levels, sectors, units and individuals. Digital transformation will help effectively resolve the relationship between the State, the market and society; promote economic growth, improve labor productivity, competitiveness, production and business efficiency, and reduce production costs.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh concluded at the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

The Head of Government said that the development of cooperative economy and cooperatives has not yet reached its potential, not because this sector has not developed but because other sectors have developed faster and the risk of the gap is increasing. To create conditions for this sector to develop, the Prime Minister requested ministries, branches and localities to urgently and fully grasp and effectively implement the key tasks of Resolution 20.

In addition, the Prime Minister requested to renew thinking and awareness, promote the application of science and technology, information technology, promote innovative startups, and build a digital transformation ecosystem in the cooperative and cooperative economic sectors. Digital transformation is continuous and uninterrupted, avoiding saying things that do not go hand in hand with doing, choosing work, avoiding spreading out, and importantly, creating practical and effective results. Digital transformation is a job that requires the cooperation of all people.

Leaders of departments, agencies and sectors attended the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

On the other hand, it is necessary to build good planning, have a long-term vision, focus on key points in investment; closely follow reality, start from reality, take reality as a measure in digital transformation. Promote the construction of information systems and digital platforms to serve digital transformation, use information with connectivity, interconnectivity, build a shared database in a comprehensive, comprehensive, and modern way.

The Prime Minister also requested ministries, branches, localities, the National Steering Committee for Digital Transformation, and localities to urgently and strictly implement the tasks in the Resolutions, Plans, Projects, and Directives on digital transformation. In addition, build and perfect institutions, creating a favorable environment for cooperatives to develop. The Ministry of Planning and Investment is studying to amend the 2012 Law on Cooperatives and related legal documents.

Representatives of cooperatives in the province attended the forum. Photo: Pham Bang

In order to remove difficulties and obstacles for this sector, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Planning and Investment to promptly complete and submit to the Prime Minister for approval the Project to support digital transformation in the cooperative economic sector and cooperatives; build models and develop basic digital platforms that can be shared and used for free, and improve the capacity of cooperative management staff.

As autonomous economic organizations, the Prime Minister also requested that cooperatives proactively adjust their production and business methods to survive and develop, without relying on the State./.