November 24, 2017

Experts urge Vietnam aquaculture sector to employ advanced technologies
 

During a conference in Can Tho, Vietnam, experts highlighted the importance of advanced technologies to help the aquaculture sector cope with climate change as well as boosting competitiveness, Viet Nam News reported.  

The event was organised by an EU-funded project for sustainable and equitable shrimp production and value chain development in the country. The initiative seeks to share information about high-end technologies in aquaculture and promote their use to enhance production efficiency.

According to Dinh Xuan Lap, deputy director of the International Collaborating Centre for Aquaculture and Fisheries Sustainability, the use of technologies, which are part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, is being expedited in agriculture and aquaculture sectors of several countries including Israel, South Korea, Thailand and European nations. Producers enjoy a better production value due to labour liberalisation, mitigation of risks and costs, product traceability and adaptation to climate change, he said. 

Research and employment of these technologies have been promoted in Vietnam's aquaculture industry in recent years, with the sector now contributing more than 60% to the country's overall fisheries output, along with more than one million jobs created. 

Phạm Anh Tuan, deputy director of the Viet Nam Fisheries Society, noted that "Revolution 4.0" applications will ensure breakthroughs and stronger competitiveness for Vietnam's fisheries' products, especially given the critical issues the industry faces such as diseases, high production costs and difficulty in tracing products' origins.

He called for farmers and technology developers to work together and bring up-to-date applications into increasing the efficiency of aquaculture production.

Meanwhile, the People's Committee in the southern province of An Giang will issue incentive policies for firms investing in hi-tech aquaculture, according to its recent sustainable aquaculture development plan for 2020 to 2025.

The plan aims to improve the quality of fisheries products to fulfill requirements of both domestic and foreign markets while also developing the value chain with these markets.

The province plans for local aquaculture to contribute more than 30% to the GDP of the domestic agriculture sector.

- Viet Nam News