The report of the National Agricultural Extension Center shows that the Project of 1 million hectares of high-quality rice has been implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in coordination with localities, organizations and enterprises to deploy 7 pilot models in 5 provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta (MD), including Dong Thap, Kien Giang, Can Tho, Soc Trang and Tra Vinh.

Summary in 5 pilot provinces shows that the yield of the 2024 Summer-Autumn crop reached 6.3 - 6.6 tons/ha, 0.2 - 0.7 tons/ha higher than the model. The yield of the Autumn-Winter crop reached 6.2 - 6.5 tons/ha, 0.4 tons/ha higher than the control model.

Total input costs are reduced by 10 - 15% compared to the control; the amount of seeds sown is reduced by 40 - 50%; the number of pesticide sprays is reduced by 3 - 4 times; the amount of irrigation water is reduced by about 30 - 40%. Economic efficiency increases by 2.3 - 7.6 million VND/ha compared to outside the model; greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by an average of 5.0 - 6.0 tons of CO2 equivalent/ha.

Mr. Le Quoc Thanh - Director of the National Agricultural Extension Center, commented: To expand the project's implementation area, participating localities need to unify and properly implement the farming process that has been applied by localities and farmers in implementing recent pilot models and the participation of businesses and rice consumption orientation.

According to Mr. Le Quoc Thanh, the connection between the parties involved in implementing the 1 million hectares of high-quality rice project plays an important role in implementing and achieving the criteria, increasing the value and brand of rice in the Mekong Delta and the whole country. Therefore, in the coming time, it is necessary to form specific connections between the parties involved in implementing the project; localities need to focus on training to improve the capacity and professional qualifications of staff of community agricultural extension groups; at the same time, there should be appropriate financial support policies so that they can work with peace of mind, and support farmers in cultivating with the highest efficiency.

“ Localities should strengthen information and propaganda work so that farmers can actively participate. Because, when farmers actively participate with the cooperation of businesses and authorities at all levels, projects in particular, the project of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta in general, can be effectively implemented,” said Mr. Le Quoc Thanh.

Mr. Nguyen Van Nghia - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Kien Giang province, said: With the province's rice growing area of ​​about 395,000 hectares, accounting for 62% of the natural area, rice has long been the province's main crop. The annual output is over 4.4 million tons, with rice production reaching about 4.6 million tons in 2024 alone (accounting for nearly 20% of the rice output in the Mekong Delta region). However, in recent years, the situation of natural disasters, climate change, rising sea levels, and saline intrusion has been complicated and unpredictable, along with the shortcomings and limitations in agricultural production linkages, causing the refrain "good harvest, low price; good price, bad harvest" to occur frequently, becoming a burden for people and localities.

Decision No. 1490 of the Prime Minister approving the Project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030" will help reorganize the production system according to the value chain, apply sustainable farming processes to increase value, sustainable development of the rice industry, improve production and business efficiency, income and life of rice growers, protect the environment, adapt to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Implementing the 1 million ha project, Kien Giang deployed 2 pilot models in 2 different ecological zones (under the direction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development); 1 model in Tan Hiep district has yielded with encouraging results. The yield of the row sowing + fertilization model reached 5.43 tons/ha, cluster sowing + fertilization reached 5.26 tons/ha, Drone sowing reached 5.0 tons/ha and the control 4.89 tons/ha, the yield difference between the demonstration and the control was 340 kg/ha.

The cost of the demonstration site decreased by more than 3.3 million VND and the profit was over 25 million VND/ha, an increase of more than 6 million VND/ha compared to the control and an increase of 32% compared to outside the model. The emission reduction result in the pilot model was from 7.56 to 8.11 tons of CO2 equivalent/ha. The remaining 10-hectare model on the shrimp-rice land in Dong Thanh commune, An Minh district, the rice is currently in the stage of heading, flowering, and growing well.

Kien Giang province strives to implement the Project "Sustainable development of 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta region" by 2025, reaching 100,000 hectares, reaching 200,000 hectares by 2030, the province strives to achieve this 1 year earlier.

In implementing the pilot models in the province, there are still some difficulties due to the lack of machinery and equipment for concentrated sowing; some farmers are not yet bold enough to change their production and cultivation thinking. In the face of this situation, the province has stepped up propaganda and mobilized support from localities and businesses to ensure the implementation of the pilot project.

As one of the units coordinating with the National Agricultural Extension Center to implement projects, Mr. Ho The Huy - Deputy Marketing Director of Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, said that in order to expand the specialized area of ​​high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta, it is necessary to strengthen the activities of summarizing and evaluating the implementation of replicating the high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation model in localities to propose appropriate solutions.

“At the same time, strengthen the direction of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the provinces for the affiliated units in implementing the activities in the localities; the agricultural extension system, especially the grassroots agricultural extension system, needs to promote its role as the core force in the process of implementing the Project; strengthen the coordination and cooperation between agricultural extension, localities and enterprises,” said Mr. Ho The Huy.