In recent years, Kinh Mon town has promoted digital transformation and the application of science and technology in agricultural production, focusing on three groups of tasks including building an agricultural database, promoting smart production and promoting e-commerce.

Increase value, expand market

Localities in the town actively support digital skills training for farmers, cooperatives, and cooperative groups, while connecting with technology businesses, developing software to manage growing areas, and using IoT devices in farming and preserving agricultural products.

Up to now, Kinh Mon town has more than 70% of the onion and garlic production area in large fields that have digitized information about varieties, cultivation processes, fertilizers, and field diaries.

Notably, many cooperatives in the town have applied automatic drip irrigation systems, greenhouses, and net houses according to VietGAP and GlobalGAP standards, helping to save 30-40% of input costs, while increasing productivity by 15-20% compared to traditional farming methods.

One of the typical models in applying science and technology to production in the district is That Hung Agricultural Service Cooperative (That Hung Ward). Established in 2017, That Hung Cooperative has quickly applied digital technology in production management and product consumption.

To improve efficiency, the cooperative proactively coordinates with local authorities to deploy QR codes for each batch of onion and garlic products, and at the same time connects with major e-commerce platforms such as Postmart, Voso, Shopee... to increase competitiveness and expand output.

The cooperative has also boldly invested in a cold storage system to preserve onions and garlic after harvest and used traceability software to increase customer confidence. Thanks to that, the cooperative's Kinh Mon onion products have now been successfully exported to the Korean and Japanese markets with selling prices 1.5 - 2 times higher than traditional wholesale prices.

With stable production activities, in 2024, That Hung Cooperative's revenue will reach tens of billions of VND, creating regular jobs for more than 120 workers with an average income of 7 - 8 million VND/person/month. The Cooperative is also cooperating with research institutes to continue crossbreeding new onion and garlic varieties, suitable for local soil conditions and sustainable consumption trends.

Breakthrough with technology

Similarly, the model of An Phu Safe Vegetable Production and Consumption Cooperative (An Phu Ward) is also a bright spot in the application of digital transformation in Kinh Mon. Specifically, An Phu Cooperative invested in a system of greenhouses and net houses on an area of ​​over 20 hectares, applying fully automated temperature and humidity sensors in the process of caring for clean vegetables.

Thanks to the application of high technology and strict process control from planting to harvesting, An Phu Cooperative's vegetables meet GlobalGAP standards and are ordered long-term by large supermarket chains such as Winmart, Aeon, etc.

The cooperative currently supplies about 10 tons of clean vegetables per day to the markets of Hanoi, Hai Phong and Quang Ninh. In 2024, the cooperative's revenue will reach tens of billions of VND, creating stable jobs for 80 local workers.

One of the most outstanding results from the digital transformation process in Kinh Mon is the strong change in the production mindset of cooperatives and farmers. From fragmented and spontaneous production, many households have shifted to production according to orders, according to the value chain, with the market as the center.

The current success of cooperatives in Kinh Mon comes from the right support policies of departments, branches and localities, especially the companionship of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and the Hai Duong Provincial Cooperative Alliance.

Programs of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and the Hai Duong Provincial Cooperative Alliance focus on providing preferential capital, supporting the application of science and technology and building brands for cooperatives.

Since 2020, about 30 cooperatives in Hai Duong province, including Kinh Mon town, have had access to preferential capital with a total amount of more than 70 billion VND from funds such as the National Employment Fund, the Provincial Cooperative Development Support Fund and the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance. Thanks to that, many cooperatives have expanded production, creating stable jobs for local workers.

Unlocking development resources

The Vietnam Cooperative Alliance also supports cooperatives in Kinh Mon in applying science and technology to production. A typical example is the Kinh Mon Forest Beekeeping Cooperative, which is supported with a water separation system under the project to support the development of value chain-linked production. This device helps filter impurities and water during the honey collection process, improving product quality. In addition, the cooperative is also supported with stamps, labels, and packaging for forest honey products.

The Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and the Hai Duong Provincial Cooperative Alliance also support cooperatives in Kinh Mon in building brands and expanding product consumption markets.

Typically, Bach Dang Clean Agricultural Products Production and Trading Cooperative (Bach Dang commune) with an area of ​​dragon fruit growing over 60 hectares, productivity reaches 45 tons/ha/year. Thanks to the application of science, technology and support in brand building, the cooperative has improved product quality and expanded the consumption market.

Not only cooperatives, many young farmers in Kinh Mon are also proactive in applying technology to production. A typical example is Mr. Pham Van Hung (An Luu ward), the owner of a melon farm of more than 1 hectare grown in a greenhouse, controlling irrigation and temperature by smartphone.

Thanks to methodical investment, Mr. Hung earns nearly 2 billion VND each year, and at the same time expands cooperation to purchase products for neighboring households.

Sharing his successful experience, Mr. Hung said: “The most important thing is to change the way of thinking and doing. Technology not only helps us reduce costs but also improves quality, thereby selling at better prices and expanding the market more easily.”

With a solid foundation, by 2025, Kinh Mon town strives to have 100% of its key products digitized in production information, traceable in origin, and have export-standard growing area codes. At the same time, the town continues to support cooperatives, cooperative groups and small-scale producers in accessing digital technology and e-commerce, contributing to building smart and sustainable agriculture.

To realize the set goals, Kinh Mon has been promoting the connection of "4 houses" (state - farmers - scientists - enterprises), while prioritizing resources for investing in digital infrastructure in concentrated production areas, and enhancing digital skills training for the rural workforce.