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Bold plan to lift crop, animal genetics
An Agricultural-and-Rural-Development-Ministry-plan to produce better quality, higher-yield seeds and livestock at an estimated cost of between VND6-9 trillion ($337-506 million) will go to the Government for approval before the end of June.
The plan is based on the import of advanced varieties combined with the collection and preservation of genes for study and diversification of the domestic gene pool.
Investment for the project will be sought from individuals and organisations both within and beyond Viet Nam.
The plan is titled "Development of seedlings for agro - forestry-fisheries and breeds for livestock production by 2020" and Agricultural and Rural Development Minister Bui Ba Bong says individuals and organisations wanting land for research or trial new varieties will be supported.
"No charge will be levied on the land user as provided by the Land Law," he says.
The ministry will also pay up to 50 per cent of the cost of producing a new variety.
Spending
The ministry’s Finance Department deputy director Bui Tat Tiep says Viet Nam’s scientists researched 118 new plant varieties at a total investment of VND 309.6 billion – a yearly average of about VND 28 billion – in the eight years to 2008.
The government supplemented the effort with more than VND 1 trillion to demonstrate the new varieties.
The minister says he is very happy with the returns for the money.
"Rice yield in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta alone increased by about 160,000 tonnes over the 1 million hectares (about 0.16 tonne per ha) during the past two years," says Bui Ba Bong.
The value added from the new varieties totalled about VND21.6 billion.
The increase in the yields of rice, maize, cassava, soybeans, peanuts have made a major contribution to the national poverty-reduction programme.
Modest gains
Although initial gains have been made in the introduction of new varieties and technology to the country’s primary industries, progress remains modest.
Now Viet Nam wants to supply 70 per cent of the rice seedlings for the 1 million hectares it has under hybrid rice by next year.
The task is daunting
Ministry figures show that about 30,000 tonnes of rice seed is imported each year against 4,000 domestic tonnes.
For aquaculture production, the minister concedes a lack of technological development.
"The import of giant tiger or white tiger prawn breeds without proper quarantine has made the industry disease prone," he says.
Failure
The ministry’s Plant Cultivation Department Director Nguyen Tri Ngoc says Viet Nam’s scientists have not been able to successfully develop new plant varieties or livestock breeds through the cross of suitable indigenous plants and animals with the exotic.
"Although scientists have developed numerous new plant varieties many have failed to meet expectations," he says.
The director argues that it is now imperative that Viet Nam gains a niche in global agricultural technology development.
"If it does so, it will save money from not having to import seeds or livestock for breeding," he says.
The director complains that poor liaison between researchers and farmers has also hampered the development of agriculture.
"Many suitable seeds have been developed, but poor monitoring and evaluating have resulted in their slow application," he says.
The poor result has discouraged both State-owned and private companies from doing research.
The director says development of agricultural technology is too dependent on central government funding because provincial administrations do not spend enough to provide the necessary scientific and technological infrastructure.
Thai Binh Seedling Joint Stock Company Chairman Nguyen Van Bau complains:
"The authorities have not given most seed companies, especially the private, sufficient attention.
"Not one private company has received public funding for agricultural research in the past few years."
Cumbersome procedures in obtaining licences for the production of new plant varieties and animal breeds and then marketing them have dissuaded many businesses from investing in technological research.
Quang Ninh Seedlings Joint Stock Company Chairman Nguyen Ngoc Tien says the four-tier system of management - from the centre to the grass roots - has hampered performance.
He suggests just two tiers of management - State supervision of the original super pure or pure seedlings with business responsible for the rest.
vietnamnet, vietnamplus
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