A high-tech agricultural production farm was launched this week in Hanoi's Long Bien District to provide safe vegetables for the city's school canteens.

According to Nguyen Manh Ha, Chairman of the Long Bien District People's Committee, the project will be carried out on an area of more than two hectares in Giang Bien Ward.

"The aim of the farm is to set a new direction in producing safe vegetables and fruits with high economic efficiency, ensuring food hygiene and safety, and improving the health of the community," Ha said.

He added that Long Bien District has more than 1,100 hectares of agricultural and riparian land, accounting for 18.3% of the district's natural land area. In particular, the area of agricultural and riparian land under the jurisdiction of Giang Bien and Phuc Loi wards has great potential for agricultural development combined with eco-tourism and experiential tourism.

Groundbreaking ceremony of the high-tech agricultural production farm in Long Bien District. Photo: Linh Anh

"However, this area is currently lying fallow. The district People's Committee has approved a plan to develop public agricultural and riparian land in some wards for agricultural production combined with ecotourism. The district authorities have encouraged businesses to build safe food chains (from production to processing to consumption of agricultural products) to improve the yield of these lands," Ha stressed.

Doan Van Tinh, Vice Chairman of Giang Bien Ward People's Committee, emphasized that the use of high technology in agricultural development is an inevitable trend for local economic development.

"The plan to apply high technology in agricultural production in Giang Bien Ward will not only lay the foundation for building closed agricultural value chains, but also apply high technology in the production, preservation, and trade of products, and create new ways for safe vegetable and fruit farming towards high economic efficiency, food hygiene and safety, and improve the health of the community," Tinh said.

He stressed that the move would also contribute to the development of the local agricultural economy, create a green, clean, and beautiful landscape, and provide jobs for local workers.

"Through the use of membrane house, net house, drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and high-quality seeds, the project will improve land use value by growing vegetables and mushrooms," Tinh said.

He added that the farm's safe vegetable production adheres to the principles of not using pesticides, genetically modified seeds, or stimulants. The farm's fruit and vegetable production process will ensure compliance with  VietGAP (Good Agricultural Practices).

Boosting high-tech agricultural production in Hanoi

According to Nguyen Ngoc Son, Deputy Director of Hanoi's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), Hanoi has set a target for hi-tech agricultural production to account for 70% of total agricultural products by 2025. 

One of the VietGAP vegetable areas in Hanoi's Dong Anh District. Photo: Lam Nguyen/The Hanoi Times

"Therefore, the city is implementing solutions to develop sustainable high-tech agriculture to export agricultural products," Son said.

Currently, some of the city's high-quality agricultural products have been shipped abroad, including Dai Thanh late-ripening longan in Quoc Oai District, which has been exported to Australia and the US; Van Duc safe vegetables in Gia Lam District, which have been exported to Taiwan (China) and South Korea.

In addition, Chuong My District has 24 hectares of rice certified as organic according to US standards, while another 42 hectares are certified organic according to Vietnamese standards. "Chuong My's organic rice has been exported to Germany and other countries," Son added.

"Gia Lam District has consolidated a production area of more than 250 hectares for farmers to apply scientific and technological advances in production. The district's products meet the requirements for export to Taiwan (China) and South Korea, with an annual output of 300-500 tons," the official said.

He stressed that high-tech agricultural production is the right direction, which is not only suitable for world economic integration but also helps farmers ensure sustainable agricultural development and environmental protection.