Which look is for Vietnam rice?

“Living in the key rice production area, but the farmers who are farming the rice here are still very poor and often face a lots difficulty” – which is the words in confidence of DSc. Le Van Banh, Director of Mekong Delta Rice Research Institute, with the same innermost feelings as the organizers in the first Viet Nam Rice.

* “Ceiling threshold” breakthrough!

According to Prof., DSc. Bui Chi Buu, Director of South Vietnam Agricultural Engineering and Science Institute, until now, rice is still the basic food of 39 countries and the geographic regions in the world. The decrease in the agricultural area (1.5 billion hectares) in 2050 as forecasted as well as the irrigating water for agriculture is now the great challenge which the human has to face when the double increase in rice output required. The climatic changes will be still in the very complicated progress for the rice production in the no-longer future time. The biotechnology applied in agriculture will help us achieve the goal of poverty reduction and food security.

Green revolution has been carried out in the world since the middle of 1960s. Viet Nam is one of the pioneer countries in this movement. In 2000, the irrigated rice area was 65%, and 85% currently; that is the important premise for the increase in rice yield. IR8 rice strain entered very early in South Vietnam with the name of Agricultural God 8 (“Thần Nông 8” in Vietnamese language), and then it developed in North Vietnam with the name of Agriculture 8. The rice strain is characterized by vertical leaves, unphotosensitivity, and high yield (5-6 tons/ha and able to obtain up 8-9 tons/ha) and developed to replace gradually the local traditional rice strain. Former IRTP program (international rice testing program) and current INGER (international network for genetic evaluation of rice) of IRRI have opened the great opportunity for international and Vietnamese experts in rice selection to exploit the achievements of the green revolution. The rice strains applied popular in rice production in North Vietnam such as CR103, and South Vietnam consisting of Agricultural God 73-2, IR36, IR42, IR19660.

Viet Nam has really become the rice export country ranked second in the world for many recent years, with the output of approximately 4 million tons/year (being triple against the year when the export rice output obtained the highest formerly); in 2009, the rice export output obtains 6 million tons. According to Prof., DSc. Bui Chi Buu, the matter for Vietnamese scientists is that the objectives of: developing rice strains, satisfying the two requirements of food security and high competitive capacity for agricultural product quality, and increasing the income of the people who are farming rice. Specifically, developing the rice strains with high and stable yield, going on the lasting trend of ceiling breakthrough (>8-10 tons/ha/crop); developing the rice strains with tasty rice quality, meeting the preferred taste in home and export markets, and satisfying the consumption demand which is higher and higher currently.

In the past time, many technical advanced achievements transferred to the farmers in the Mekong Delta and applied in: row sowing, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), “three decrease and three increase”, high yield rice strains with short growth cycle, resistance to brown backed rice plant hopper (Nilaparvata lugens), harvest by conjugate threshing-reaping machine, drying rice by horizontal grate drying oven, saving water in irrigation; carrying out rice production in GAP (good agricultural practice), ..., which created the significant changes in the face of Vietnam rice.

* Method of “four houses”

To carry out agricultural and rural development, the strategic and comprehensive measures required for the farmers, in which “the regional connection and the participation of four houses ” play an very important role. To solve this problem, the project named “Measures of rice production and consumption through the regional connection and the participation of four houses”. The common goal of this idea is that performing the resolution of food security, enhancement in capacity and the co-ordination between “4 houses“ for increasing the farmers’ income in the Mekong Delta generally and the global climatic changes.

The first is the connection between scientific research units such as institutes, schools for applying scientific-technologic measures in creating and selecting rice strains in order to find out the strains with stable-high yield, good quality, resistance to pests and diseases, especially brown backed rice plant hopper (Nilaparvata lugens), yellow dwarf disease, twisted leaves dwarf disease,… and adaptability to the conditions of ecologic sub-area and the global climatic changes. Transferring technical measures in rice production for adapting to the situation of the economic integration and the climatic changes, applying scientific and technologic advanced achievements in rice production in order to obtain the high yield and the good quality and enhance the product value and the farmers’ profit. Developing co-operative economic forms in order to create the convenience in investing and producing the goods great enough, approaching the market and ensuring the output. Enhancing the producing and competitive capacity of rice in the Mekong Delta, especially the West Hau river from input services, rice producing organization, storing preservation, processing and consumption, in which organizing the connection between the farmers in the rice supply chain and building the rice trademark cared specially.

Besides investing in infrastructure, improving rural and social welfare, re-planning the land for agricultural production, getting the proper policy for the farmers, especially the people who are farming the rice, training the labour force in agriculture (in research, management and production), ... are very important. The lasting strategy for rice production and consumption is required, in which there is the regional connection and the co-operation of “4 houses”, with the role of each house assigned specific, and if all houses complete well their role, the rice production will be developed stably.

In the end of November 2009, when the Rice Festival taken place, at the same time with the rush of rice price, the farmer were heartened, and the enterprises also became optimistic for aiming at the export rice output of 6 million tons in this year. However, generally the further challenges are going on for Viet Nam rice. “Deploying and developing agriculture thoroughly in accordance with the trend of the agriculture with high technology and the rapid increase in rate of mechanization carried out in rush in not only Hau Giang but also many other provinces and cities in the whole country for helping the farmers reduce the postharvest loss”, Nguyen Phong Quang, Secretary of Hau Giang Provincial Committee of the Party, considered. Hopefully, after the Rice Festival, the portrait of Vietnam rice in the 21^st century will be outlined by scientists and managers with prospects.

The rice provides 35-59% energy source for more than 3 billion people. The average increase in the current world population is 1 billion people per 14 years. The area for crop plants per person was: 0.45 ha/year (1966); 0.25 ha/year in 1998, and the number will be 0,15 ha in 2050 as predicted. Rate of the increase in yield was low: 2,1%/year in 1980s and 1% 1990s. In Viet Nam, the current population is 86.4 million people, with the recent rate of increase is 1 million people/year; in comparison with 2001, the rice area under cultivation decreased 58,700 ha/year; the rice farming area decreased 325,000 ha.

Writing, photo: CAO PHONG

By Hau Giang Press