Promote agricultural growth, improve rural people's lives

In 2022, despite the unusual impact of weather, climate change, complicated developments of diseases on crops and livestock, the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic..., but with the spirit of solidarity and high consensus, under the close direction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, the effective coordination of departments, branches, localities, units and especially the efforts of farmers, cooperatives, enterprises, the Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has completed and exceeded the assigned plan targets, contributing significantly to promoting growth and successfully implementing the province's planning tasks, ensuring social security and improving the lives of rural residents.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and provincial leaders, departments and branches inspected the high-tech shrimp farming model in Nghi Quang, Nghi Loc. Photo: TL

Highest growth rate (GRDP) in the North Central region

Based on the development orientation and tasks assigned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council and the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has actively, proactively and well coordinated with provincial departments, branches, districts, cities, towns, relevant agencies and units to well perform the function of advising on specialized state management, which has been highly appreciated by the Provincial People's Committee, departments, branches and localities.

The basic targets for agricultural production and rural development were all completed and exceeded the assigned plan, the winter-spring and summer-autumn crops were quite good in all aspects, the productivity and output of many crops and livestock increased sharply; the output of wood and aquatic products increased quite a bit..., so the total value of agricultural, forestry and fishery products (GRDP) for the whole year of 2022 reached 20,380.33 billion VND, the GRDP growth rate reached 4.78%/plan 4.5-5.0% (highest in the North Central region), in which agriculture increased by 4.16%; forestry: 9.07%; fishery: 5.22%; the number of communes meeting new rural standards (NTM) was 10/plan 10 communes, meeting advanced new rural standards was 22/plan 20 communes, achieving model new rural areas was 4/plan 4 communes and 2/plan 2 districts meeting NTM standards; Accumulated to December 31, 2022, 309/411 new rural communes, reaching 75.18%, 42 communes meeting advanced new rural standards, 6 model new rural communes and 9 district-level units completing tasks, meeting new rural standards; the rate of rural population using hygienic domestic water (according to Standard 4826/QD-BNN) reached 87/plan 87%; forest cover rate reached 58.41/plan 58.0%.

Doi Choi farm model applies high technology for effective production in Do Luong. Photo: PV

In 2022, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was assigned 24 tasks by the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee; the Department has focused on directing implementation to ensure time and quality, and has so far completed: 8 resolutions of the Provincial People's Council, 6 projects and 6 other tasks (4 remaining tasks due to objective conditions and agreed by the Provincial People's Committee to be transferred to 2023).

The work of forecasting, detecting and preventing pests and diseases has been well implemented, combined with promoting mechanization in production... so the crop industry has successfully completed the set plan: The total annual crop planting area reached 349,726 hectares, of which food crop production (the total planting area for the whole year reached 218,913 hectares and the total output of grain crops for the whole year is estimated at 1,209,369 tons).

According to the restructuring orientation of the agricultural sector, in 2022, the rice variety structure will continue to strongly transform and focus on producing high-quality, high-value, easy-to-sell rice (over 85,000 hectares), increasing the income value per unit area of ​​varieties such as: AC5, QJ1, DT52, BTE1, NA6 materials, 87 glutinous rice, herbal rice... The rice planting area is 173,149 hectares, the annual rice yield is estimated at 57.72 quintals/ha, the output is estimated at 995,931/plan 991,000 tons, an increase of 0.50% compared to the plan. Corn is planted on 45,764 hectares, the annual yield is estimated at 46.64 quintals/ha, an increase of 1.00% over the same period; the output is 213,438 tons.

Spring rice in Yen Thanh has high yield. Photo: TL Hoang Ha

For industrial crops: Peanuts are produced on 11,789 hectares, with an estimated annual yield of 27.11 quintals/ha; output is estimated at 31,964 tons; cassava is 10,000 hectares, with a yield of 385 quintals/ha, and an estimated output of over 385 thousand tons (the current cassava area of ​​the province is about 14,000 hectares); sugarcane is 22,560 hectares and has a yield of 720 quintals/ha, with an output of 1,625 thousand tons/plan. Perennial industrial crops and fruit trees such as tea, rubber, oranges, and pineapples are invested in high technology by people, so the productivity and quality are good and the value of the products is increased.

In the field of livestock and veterinary medicine, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development focused on directing and implementing drastic measures to prevent and control epidemics, so that timely control and damage were limited; well implemented policies to support and encourage livestock development; quarantine work, slaughter control, inspection of livestock breed quality, quality of feed, veterinary drugs, and banned substances used in livestock; attention was paid to livestock environmental treatment... Therefore, livestock production basically maintained the total herd size and increased product output; total output of fresh meat for slaughter in the year is estimated at 282/plan 282 thousand tons, up 4.44% over the same period last year; cow's milk output is estimated at 285/plan 250 million liters.

In general, other areas of the industry have achieved important results such as: Aquaculture production, focusing on solving difficulties for fishermen, developing offshore fishing, increasing aquatic product output; focusing on measures to overcome the European yellow card (IUU); aquaculture productivity is quite good. Total aquatic product output in the year is estimated at 270,477/plan 250,000 tons, up 3.01% over the same period last year; of which, aquatic product exploitation output is 203,513 tons, up 1.81%; aquaculture output is 66,964 tons, up 6.81% over the same period.

Bringing mechanization into rice harvesting. Photo: TL

Irrigation work is ensured, well serving production and people's needs, actively and proactively preventing and fighting natural disasters and searching and rescuing, minimizing damage to people; The program of domestic water and rural environmental sanitation is strongly socialized.

Developing agricultural, forestry and fishery processing, promoting mechanization in production, increasing the value of agricultural products, contributing to the transformation of the rural labor structure. Trade promotion, export, processing and consumption of agricultural products have grown strongly in the new situation after the Covid-19 pandemic, achieving many results, contributing to job creation and increasing income for farmers. New rural construction and other rural development programs continue to be effectively implemented...

Seafood exploitation in Quynh Luu. Photo: TL

Investment attraction work has achieved many good results, agricultural and rural infrastructure continues to receive investment, construction and upgrading, increasingly serving production and people's lives.

Effectiveness of the National Target Program on New Rural Construction

Although the implementation of the NTM in Nghe An encountered difficulties due to the large and complicated area and slow capital sources, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province has implemented synchronous solutions and actively participated to complete the plan. In the process of directing and implementing, the Department focused on propaganda, mobilization and maintained regularly and extensively, always innovating content and form; actively directed localities to change the structure of crops and livestock, develop production models in the direction of increasing added value per unit area, and increase income for people. Vocational training for rural workers has been given regular attention, expanding and developing craft villages, creating jobs for tens of thousands of rural workers.

The whole province focuses on investing in building and upgrading socio-economic infrastructure in rural areas. In 2022, over 350km of rural roads were built, accumulating over 10,400km, of which over 4,600km were built under the province's cement support program; over 120km of canals were built, accumulating 3,680km of canals; 600km of power lines were built and upgraded, accumulating 6,250km of power lines; it is expected that by the end of 2022, 1,095/1,452 schools will meet standards; 780 cultural houses, 330 rural markets, 410 commune health stations will meet standards...

Melon growing model in Nghi Loc. Photo: TL

Focus on developing production, innovating production organization forms, expanding production linkages, linking with agricultural product consumption; paying attention to developing culture, education, health, ensuring rural order and security... according to the requirements of the new rural criteria.

By the end of 2022, the whole province will have 10/plan 10 communes meeting NTM standards; 22/plan 20 communes meeting advanced NTM standards; 4/plan 4 communes meeting model NTM standards; 2/plan 2 districts (Dien Chau and Do Luong) meeting NTM standards, 39 more villages and hamlets meeting NTM standards, 166 NTM standard gardens; cumulatively, 309/411 communes meeting NTM standards, accounting for 75.18%; 42 communes meeting advanced NTM standards, accounting for 14.23%; 6 communes meeting model new rural areas; The average number of criteria for communes is 16.95 criteria/commune. There are 9 district-level units: Vinh City, Thai Hoa Town, Hoang Mai Town, Nam Dan, Yen Thanh, Nghi Loc, Quynh Luu, Do Luong and Dien Chau districts completing their tasks and meeting NTM standards; 223 villages and hamlets meeting NTM standards.

Nghe An effectively implements the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program. Photo: TL HV

Along with the NTM program, other rural development projects (National Target Program for Sustainable Poverty Reduction, Population Dispersion Program, Rural Industry Development, One Commune One Product Program (OCOP)...) are implemented to help people actively escape poverty sustainably.

In particular, the forms of production organization have been innovated and developed, production and business efficiency has been improved, and the policies to support agricultural and rural development of the Central and the province have been well implemented. The management of agricultural, forestry and fishery product quality and food safety and hygiene has been directed with attention, creating positive changes. Scientific and technological activities, agricultural extension work and human resource training have been actively implemented, achieving many results, serving well the goal of restructuring the agricultural sector. International cooperation activities have been strengthened and are effective in many fields...

Creating momentum for growth in the coming years

2023 is the mid-term year, which is of important significance in implementing the goals of the Resolution of the 19th Provincial Party Congress, the 5-year plan for the period 2021-2025... and according to forecasts, the Agriculture and Rural Development sector will face many difficulties and challenges. However, in the process of implementing assigned tasks, the Agriculture and Rural Development sector always receives close direction from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Council, the Provincial People's Committee, the effective coordination of departments, branches, localities, units and especially the efforts of farmers, cooperatives, enterprises, the Agriculture and Rural Development sector of Nghe An will unite, be determined, strive to fulfill assigned tasks, creating momentum for growth in the coming years.

In many localities in the province, clean water production plants have been built to meet the needs of the people and the New Rural Program. Photo: HV