Decision No. 1895/QD-TTg Approving the Program on Developing High-Tech Agriculture under the National Program on Developing High Technology until 2020

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the approval of the Program on developing high-tech agriculture

under the National Program on Developing High Technology until 2020

Approve the Program on developing high-tech agriculture under the National Program on Developing High Technology until 2020 (hereinafter referred to as the Program) with the main contents as follows:

PRIME MINISTER

Based on the Law on the Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Pursuant to the High Technology Law dated November 13, 2008;

Pursuant to Decision No. 2457/QĐ-TTg dated December 31, 2010 of the Prime Minister approving the National Program on High-Tech Development until 2020;

Considering the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,

DECISION:

Article 1. 1. Promote the development and effective application of high technology in the agricultural sector, contributing to building a comprehensive modern agricultural foundation oriented towards large-scale production, with high productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness, achieving an annual growth rate of over 3.5%; ensuring national food security both in the short term and long term.

I. OBJECTIVES

2. By 2015

- Initially develop high technologies listed in the Priority Investment Development Catalogue and advanced technologies in agriculture to create and put into production 1-2 new varieties for each type of major crop, livestock, and aquatic species, with high yield, good quality, and superior resistance; 2-3 advanced technological processes in each field; 2-3 types of bio-products; 2-3 types of animal feed; 1-2 sets; 1-2 types of vaccines; 1-2 types of new agricultural production materials, machinery, and equipment;

- Gradually apply high technology and advanced technology to produce some agricultural products with high productivity, quality, economic efficiency, and safety; bring the proportion of value added from high-tech agriculture to about 15% of the total value added from agriculture nationwide;

- Form and develop at least 80 high-tech agricultural enterprises in key economic regions; build 3-5 high-tech agricultural zones in some agricultural ecological areas and 1-2 high-tech agricultural areas in each key economic region.

3. The period 2016-2020

- Vigorously develop high technologies listed in the Priority Investment Development Catalogue and advanced technologies in agriculture to create and put into production 2-3 new varieties for each type of major crop, livestock, and aquatic species, with high yield, good quality, and superior resistance; 3-4 advanced technological processes in each field; 3-4 types of bio-products, 3-4 types of animal feed, 2-3 sets, 2-3 types of vaccines, 2-3 types of new agricultural production materials, machinery, and equipment;

- Vigorously apply high technology and advanced technology to produce agricultural products with high productivity, good quality, safety, and high competitiveness; bring the proportion of value added from high-tech agriculture to about 35% of the total value added from agriculture nationwide;

- Form and develop approximately 200 high-tech agricultural enterprises in key economic regions; build additional 1-2 high-tech agricultural zones in each agricultural ecological area and 2-3 high-tech agricultural areas in each key economic region.

II. MAJOR TASKS

1. Creating and developing high technology in agriculture

Implement research tasks to create and develop high technologies in agriculture listed in the Priority Investment Development Catalogue and advanced technologies to produce products listed in the Encouraged Development High Technology Product Catalogue, including:

a) Technology in breeding and selecting high-yield and high-quality crop, livestock, and aquatic species

- For crops in agriculture and forestry: Focus on researching and applying hybrid advantage technology, experimental mutation technology, and biotechnology to create new crop varieties with excellent agronomic traits (high yield, good quality, disease and adverse condition resistance), suitable for market requirements; propagation technology to meet the demand for high-quality, disease-free seedlings;

- For livestock breeds: Research to improve reproductive technology, especially animal cell technology in semen, embryo, and zygote freezing and transfer, sex determination, in vitro fertilization, focusing on dairy and beef cattle; apply traditional methods combined with biotechnology in breeding and rapidly propagating new livestock breeds with high yield and quality;

- For aquatic species: Focus on researching traditional methods combined with genetic technology to breed some clean, fast-growing, and highly resistant aquatic species; develop advanced technology to produce high-quality seedlings for major aquaculture species.

b) Technology in preventing and controlling plant, livestock, and aquatic diseases

- For crops in agriculture and forestry: Research to apply microbial, enzyme, and protein technology to produce industrial-scale biological products for plant protection; research to develop diagnostic kits for plant diseases; research to apply biotechnology and remote sensing technology in managing and controlling plant pests and diseases;

- For livestock: Research to apply molecular biology technology for disease diagnosis at the molecular level; research to produce rapid diagnostic kits for livestock diseases; research to produce veterinary vaccines, particularly avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, blue ear disease vaccines for livestock, and other dangerous diseases;

- For aquatic species: Research to produce some rapid diagnostic kits for aquatic species diseases; research to apply molecular biology and immunology, microbiology in preventing and treating some dangerous aquatic diseases.

c) Technology in achieving high-efficiency crop cultivation, livestock breeding, and aquaculture

c) Technology in crop cultivation, animal husbandry, and aquaculture achieves high efficiency

- Regarding crop cultivation: Research and develop integrated and automated technological processes for planting and harvesting crops in greenhouses and glasshouses, such as: growing media, hydroponic technology, water-saving irrigation, automatic nutrient regulation, light control, care, and harvesting; research and develop intensive crop management and integrated crop management (ICM) processes; safe crop production processes according to VietGAP standards.

- Regarding afforestation: Research and develop integrated technological processes for intensive afforestation.

- Regarding animal husbandry: Research and develop integrated and automated technological processes for industrial-scale animal husbandry using closed housing systems, temperature and humidity control systems, feed distribution and quantification systems within the housing.

- Regarding aquaculture and marine product exploitation: Research and develop intensive and super-intensive aquaculture processes, environmental treatment technologies for certain key aquatic species; advanced technologies for efficient and sustainable marine resource exploitation.

d) Create new types of materials, machinery, and equipment for use in agriculture.

- Research and develop various types of materials, machinery, and equipment for crop production, post-harvest handling, and processing, particularly for crops grown in greenhouses and glasshouses, such as: specialized fertilizers, growing media, biological preparations, growth regulators, greenhouse frames, covering nets, irrigation systems, care and harvest equipment, ventilation systems.

- Research and develop various types of materials, machinery, and equipment for animal husbandry and aquaculture, such as: feed, biological preparations; housing frames, lighting systems, feed distribution systems, harvest systems in animal husbandry; automatic control systems in feed production; wastewater and solid waste treatment systems, circulating water regulation systems, floating canal systems, artificial pond systems in aquaculture.

đ) Technologies in agricultural product preservation and processing:

- For agricultural products: Research and develop irradiation technology, hot air treatment technology, hot water treatment technology, cold drying technology, quick drying technology for agricultural product preservation; technology for centralized pre-processing, preservation of fresh vegetables, flowers, fruits; controlled atmosphere packaging technology; rapid cold storage technology combined with ethylene absorbers for preserving fresh vegetables, flowers, fruits; film-forming technology for preserving vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs; fermentation technology, deep processing technology, biotechnology for producing biological preparations and natural colorants and additives in agricultural product preservation and processing.

- For forestry products: Research and apply information technology and automation technology to save raw materials, time, and improve wood utilization efficiency; wood modification technology, eco-drying technology, soaking and impregnation technology for wood preservation; biotechnology for producing new generation preservatives and termite repellents; technology for producing environmentally friendly coatings.

- For aquatic products: Research and develop long-term preservation technology for marine products on distant fishing vessels; biotechnology for producing additives in seafood processing; deep processing technology for high-value-added aquatic products.

e) Technologies in water resources management.

- Research and improve technologies for water forecasting, storage, and exploitation; water storage technologies for stable and efficient multi-purpose supply; construction technologies for hydraulic works; desalination and freshwater supply technologies for saline and coastal areas, islands; wastewater treatment and rural environmental sanitation technologies.

- Research and develop water-saving irrigation technologies for agricultural and forestry crops; new material technologies, new structural solutions, and new equipment for hydraulic work construction.

- Research and apply automation, remote sensing, and geographic information system technologies to manage and operate hydraulic works.

g) Import and master high-tech in agriculture.

Select and import some high-tech in agriculture that are not yet available domestically; conduct trial research, master, and adapt imported high-tech from abroad to domestic ecological and practical conditions, especially high-tech in crop cultivation, animal husbandry, and aquaculture.

2. Application of high-tech in agriculture.

Implement projects and programs applying high-tech in agriculture based on research results or technology transfer, including experimental projects aimed at creating high-tech agricultural products; trial production projects aimed at perfecting high-tech and agricultural products, applying high-tech at small-scale production levels; building models and investing in production to create high-quality, superior-functionality, high-value-added, environmentally-friendly products that can replace imported products, specifically:

a) In crop cultivation.

- Produce and widely apply new high-yield, quality, and resistant crop varieties, focusing on key crops serving food security, export, and import substitution; gradually apply genetically modified crop seed production (corn, soybeans, cotton).

- Produce high-quality, safe, and efficient agricultural products applying integrated crop management (ICM), VietGAP standards, focusing on staple crops, food crops, fruit trees, and key industrial crops.

- Produce safe vegetables and high-end flowers in greenhouses and glasshouses.

- Propagate and produce concentrated scale edible and medicinal mushrooms.

- Produce and apply biological preparations, disease diagnostic kits, new-generation fertilizers in crop cultivation and plant protection.

b) In animal husbandry.

- Produce new high-yield, quality livestock breeds, focusing on key livestock species, such as: cattle, pigs, poultry.

- Conduct industrial-scale animal husbandry for poultry, pigs, and cattle.

- Production and application of biological products, types of animal feed, vaccines, new kits in livestock breeding and disease prevention.

c) In forestry

- Rapid propagation and industrial-scale production of seeds for some new forest tree species such as acacia and eucalyptus using tissue culture and cutting technology;

- Intensive cultivation of economic forests;

- Application of remote sensing technology, geographic information systems, and global positioning systems in forest management and protection.

d) In aquaculture

- Rapid propagation and production of high-yield and quality aquatic seedlings, focusing on major species such as black tiger shrimp, whiteleg shrimp, high-value freshwater and marine fish, and bivalves;

- Intensive and super-intensive farming, automatic environmental control and treatment using advanced technologies (chemical fog, biofloc, biological filtration) for certain aquaculture species such as fish and shrimp;

- Production of aquafeed, medicines for disease prevention and treatment in aquaculture, and rapid diagnostic kits for diseases in farmed aquatic animals;

- Application of remote sensing and geographic information systems for planning, managing, and exploiting marine resources and aquaculture areas.

đ) In irrigation

- Application of automation, remote sensing, and geographic information systems for the management, exploitation, and operation of irrigation works;

- Production of new materials, equipment, and construction of irrigation works;

- Development and expansion of models for water-saving irrigation technology for certain agricultural and forestry crops.

e) In processing and preservation

- Production and application of biological products, natural additives, and colorants for the preservation and processing of agricultural, forestry, and aquaculture products;

- Development and expansion of deep-processing models for agricultural products;

- Application of advanced technology in wood preservation and processing; nanomaterials and nanotechnology to enhance the mechanical and biological durability of fast-growing plantation timber; production of new bio-composite materials from wood and plants with fiber;

- Development and expansion of models for long-term preservation of seafood products on fishing vessels; processing of high-value-added seafood products.

g) In electromechanical, automation, production of materials, machinery, and equipment

- Application of advanced technologies, including electromechanical and electronic automation control technologies in the production of materials, machinery, and equipment for agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture;

- Development of fully or semi-automated facilities in crop cultivation (seedling production and vegetable and flower production), livestock breeding (pigs, chickens, cattle), and aquaculture (seedling production and intensive fish and shrimp farming).

3. Construction and development of high-tech agriculture

a) Construction of high-tech agricultural zones

- By 2015:

+ Implementation of comprehensive and general planning projects for high-tech agricultural zones in different ecological regions;

+ Establishment and investment in the construction of high-tech agricultural zones in advantageous agricultural ecological regions such as the Red River Delta, central coastal region and Central Highlands, Southeast region, and Mekong Delta;

+ Implementation of support projects for demonstrating and applying high-tech in agriculture in established high-tech agricultural zones.

- Period 2016-2020:

+ Continued establishment and investment in the construction of high-tech agricultural zones in agricultural ecological regions according to approved comprehensive plans;

+ Vigorous implementation of support projects for research and application activities, demonstration, training, and production of agricultural products in high-tech agricultural zones;

+ Implementation of support projects to promote domestic and foreign investment attraction in high-tech agricultural zones.

b) Formation and development of high-tech agricultural regions

- By 2015:

+ Implementation of comprehensive planning projects for high-tech agricultural regions nationwide and general planning projects for high-tech agricultural regions at localities;

+ Initial formation of some high-tech agricultural regions in advantageous localities, initially in intensive rice production areas, quality rice production areas (Mekong Delta, Red River Delta), safe vegetable and flower production areas (Red River Delta, Central Highlands, Southeast region), fruit tree planting areas: tangerines, lychees, longans, pomelos, dragon fruits (Mekong Delta, Red River Delta, Northern midlands and mountainous region), cash crop planting areas: tea, coffee, pepper/cashew (Northern midlands and mountainous region, Central Highlands, Southeast region); aquaculture and mariculture areas (Northern mountains, Central Highlands, and Mekong Delta).

- Period 2016-2020:

+ Implementation of tasks for demonstrating and applying high-tech in agriculture and producing high-tech agricultural products in recognized high-tech agricultural regions or those included in approved plans;

+ Vigorous formation and development of high-tech agricultural regions at localities, focusing on concentrated production areas of one or a few types of high-yield, high-quality, and economically efficient agricultural products, expanding to areas with livestock and forestry products.

c) Development of high-tech agricultural enterprises

- By 2015:

+ Formation and recognition of high-tech agricultural enterprises in provinces with advantages in certain fields already having high technology, such as flower and vegetable cultivation in net houses; industrial-scale seed and seedling production; industrial-scale livestock breeding of cattle, pigs, and poultry; intensive aquaculture; industrial-scale production of fertilizers and biological products;

+ Implementation of experimental, demonstration, and application projects of new varieties and advanced technological processes to produce high-yield, high-quality, economically efficient, and safe agricultural products in some agricultural enterprises and recognized high-tech agricultural enterprises.

- Period 2016-2020:

+ Promote the development of high-tech agricultural enterprises in all fields of agricultural production in provinces; gradually expand the scale and activities of high-tech agricultural enterprises; encourage the development of high-tech agricultural enterprises in regions and high-tech agricultural zones;

+ Vigorously implement projects supporting research and application, testing, and demonstration of new technologies, imported technologies, and production of high-tech agricultural products in high-tech agricultural enterprises.

III. SOLUTIONS

1. Sources of Funding for the Program

The funding for implementing the Program will be mobilized from various sources:

a) State budget funds

- Funds for public services to support the implementation of tasks, programs, and projects aimed at creating, developing, and applying high technology in agriculture; supporting the formation and development of high-tech agricultural enterprises, information dissemination, and publicity activities; managing the Program;

- Investment development funds to support the construction of technical infrastructure in high-tech agricultural zones and regions.

b) Enterprise funds, mainly for the production of high-tech agricultural products, transferring advanced techniques to modernize technology, training staff, improving management skills within enterprises, and adopting advanced management systems in enterprises.

c) Other sources of funds as prescribed.

2. Market Development and Support Services for High-Tech Agricultural Activities

a) Establish a high-tech agricultural technology trading platform and develop intermediary, advisory, evaluation, investment, legal, financial, insurance, intellectual property, and other services to promote high-tech activities, consumption, and utilization of high-tech agricultural products;

b) Build databases on high-tech agriculture; facilitate access to, use, and exchange of information on high-tech agriculture for organizations and individuals; organize participation in national and international high-tech agricultural fairs and exhibitions;

c) Enhance information dissemination, promotion, and introduction through mass media and the Internet to enable people to access high-tech, results of high-tech applications, models of high-tech development, and high-tech agricultural products.

3. International Cooperation

a) Organize and implement bilateral and multilateral projects, especially with advanced countries in agricultural research, development, application, and transfer of high technology in agriculture;

b) Exchange experts and personnel involved in research, development, and application of high technology in agriculture between Vietnamese organizations and foreign high-tech enterprises;

c) Facilitate procedures for Vietnamese organizations and individuals to participate in international cooperation programs, associations, and organizations related to the development and application of high technology in agriculture.

4. Mechanisms and Policies

a) Support Policies for Creating, Developing, and Applying High Technology in Agriculture

- Organizations and individuals researching, developing, and applying high technology in agriculture, producing high-tech agricultural products shall enjoy the highest incentives and support as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 12 of the High Technology Law; Section 1, 2, and 4, Part III, Article 1 of Decision No. 2457/QĐ-TTg dated December 31, 2010 of the Prime Minister, and relevant laws;

- Develop mechanisms and policies to provide state budget funding support for equipment investment in laboratories and research facilities serving the development of high technology in agriculture according to approved investment projects; import certain high technologies, machinery, and high-tech equipment in agriculture that have not yet been produced domestically to implement approved high-tech application and demonstration projects.

b) Support Policies for Developing High-Tech Agricultural Enterprises

High-tech agricultural enterprises as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 19, and Clause 2, Article 20 of the High Technology Law shall enjoy development support policies as prescribed by the State and additional benefits decided by provincial People's Committees within their authority.

c) Support Policies for High-Tech Agricultural Zones

- Organizations and individuals investing in technical infrastructure in high-tech agricultural zones shall enjoy the highest state incentives and support as stipulated in Clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5, Article 33 of the High Technology Law and relevant laws;

- Enterprises operating in high-tech agricultural zones shall enjoy the same preferential policies as high-tech agricultural enterprises.

d) Support Policies for High-Tech Agricultural Regions

- Organizations and individuals investing in high-tech agricultural regions shall enjoy the highest land use incentives under the Land Law for high-tech agricultural production land and the construction of service facilities for the development of high-tech agriculture in the region;

- High-tech agricultural regions recognized by competent authorities shall be supported up to a maximum of 70% of state budget funding for technical infrastructure construction (transportation systems, irrigation and drainage systems, and waste treatment systems) in the region according to approved investment projects and enjoy other benefits prescribed by provincial People's Committees within their authority.

e) Policies for Attracting and Utilizing High-Tech Human Resources in Agriculture

Establish and implement special incentive policies to attract and utilize high-tech human resources in agriculture both domestically and internationally for activities related to the development of high-tech agriculture as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 29 of the High Technology Law and relevant legal provisions.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION

To take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and relevant ministries and sectors to urge, inspect, supervise, and resolve issues arising during the implementation of this Decree.

- Take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology and other ministries, sectors, and localities involved to organize the implementation of the Program.

- Guide, inspect, and periodically compile the situation of the Program's implementation, report to the Chairman of the National Steering Committee for High-Tech Development up to 2020; organize mid-term and final evaluations of the Program's results.

- Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to develop guiding documents for the Program's implementation; build and submit mechanisms and policies to support the Program's implementation to the Prime Minister.

- Coordinate the implementation of the Program with other component programs under the National High-Tech Development Program up to 2020, which are led by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

- Compile and report to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision on amending, adjusting, and supplementing the Program's content when necessary.

2. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in building and implementing the Program's tasks.

3. The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant ministries and sectors to allocate budget estimates for investment to implement the Program's contents, and submit them to competent authorities for decision according to regulations.

4. The Ministry of Finance shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant ministries and sectors to allocate budget estimates for regular expenses to implement the Program's contents, and submit them to competent authorities for decision according to regulations.

5. Ministries, sectors, and localities

- Based on the Program's content and assigned functions and authorities, cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement the Program.

- Create favorable conditions for land allocation and utilization to develop high-tech agriculture; implement preferential mechanisms and policies for the implementation of component program tasks at the local level.

- Integrate Program tasks with sectoral and local development tasks, national target programs, and socio-economic development programs.

Article 2. This Decision replaces Decision No. 176/QĐ-TTg dated January 29, 2012, of the Prime Minister approving the Project on Developing High-Tech Agriculture up to 2020 and takes effect from the date of issuance.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government agencies, and Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees and Municipal People's Committees directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for enforcing this Decision.