Promoting the application of science and technology in agriculture is the foundation and key driving force to improve the strength of agriculture

On June 16, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh chaired a meeting of the Science and Technology Council. Attending the meeting were leaders of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development and representatives of institutes, schools, associations and journals under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In the process of international integration with the rapid development of science and technology, our Party and State have become more and more aware of the role of science and technology in the comprehensive development of the country. Science and technology (S&T) have been identified as a lever in the process of economic restructuring, growth model transformation, and improvement of productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy. The policy and guidelines on the role of science and technology have been specified in documents of the Party and State.

Opening the meeting, Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh said, in recent years, boosting the application of science and technology in agriculture is the foundation and key driver to improve productivity, quality, efficiency and strength, contribute to modernizing agriculture and rural areas, ensuring food security, social security and raising incomes for agricultural producers and traders. Up to now, science, technology and innovation have contributed over 30% of added value in agricultural production, contributing to improving efficiency in agricultural development, ensuring productivity, quality and competitiveness of agricultural products, goods and services in domestic and international markets.

 

 

Photo: Mr. Tran Cong Thang - Institute of Policy and Strategy for Rural Agriculture Development presented the report at the meeting

At the meeting, Mr. Tran Cong Thang - Director of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Rural Agriculture Development presented a report summarizing the Science and Technology Strategy for agriculture and rural development in the period of 2013 - 2020, orientation for research in the period of 2021 - 2030. During 2013-2020, the world situation has had many complicated and difficult developments. The slow recovery of the world economy has not yet gained momentum after the financial crisis and global recession 2007-2008; risks in international financial and monetary markets increase. However, science and technology are always associated with the economic development of the world. Specifically, the achievements of science and technology in agriculture and rural development, contribute 40% of agricultural added value by 2015 and 50% by 2020. High-tech agricultural products accounted for about 15% of the production value of major products by 2015 and 35% by 2020. By 2020, over 60% of public S&T organizations had facilities and human resources on par with the region, in which some fields reached the world's advanced level. Especially in the period of 2013-2020, the goal of science and technology development has been really considered by the Government as a top national policy and an important driving force to develop a modern production force, a knowledge economy, and improve productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness of the national economy.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Tin - Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment presented the draft report summarizing the National Product Program for the period of 2011 - 2020, the plan to build the National Product Program for the period of 2021 - 2030. The report emphasizes that, thanks to the contributions of science and technology to the agriculture, forestry and fishery industry in the period 2013-2020, there has been sustainable and stable growth in a positive direction. In the period of 2013-2016, agricultural production and business faced many difficulties and challenges, especially the impact of marine environmental pollution incidents in 4 central provinces, but the agricultural industry still maintained its growth, GDP growth rate averaged 2.55%/year.  In the 2016-2020 period, on the basis of the potential of the previous period, although facing more severe challenges in terms of epidemics, climate change, international integration, GDP growth rate of the whole agricultural, forestry and fisheries sector is estimated at 2.71%/year, exceeding the set target. For the whole period of 2013-2020, the GDP growth rate of the whole industry reached an average of 2.65%/year. Particularly in 2020, GDP of agriculture, forestry and fishery increased by 2.68%, of which agriculture reached 2.55%, forestry increased 2.82%, fishery increased 3.08%. Growth quality is improving day by day.

At the meeting, many leaders and representatives of schools, institutes, associations and journals under the Ministry participated in enthusiastic speeches with many opinions and views to solve difficulties and unsolved shortcomings.

At the end of the meeting, Deputy Minister Le Quoc Doanh once again affirmed the achievements of the agricultural sector thanks to the contribution of science and technology, through encouraging the development of large-scale production, cooperation and linkage in production, export value chain; application of high technology, clean agriculture and organic agriculture for production. However, the responsibility of the science and technology field is still difficult in terms of resources, facilities and scientific management are still complicated. In the coming time, our Ministry needs to change the way of managing to minimize procedures and mechanisms and build a more professional team, more open policies to achieve better efficiency.

Nguồn: mard.gov.vn