The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development today held a conference to deploy the project ‘Improving soil health and plant nutrition management to 2030, vision to 2050’ in Hanoi. This is an important step after the project was officially approved on October 11, 2024.
Chairman Phung Ha of the Vietnam Fertilizer Association has raised concerns about the detrimental effects of excessive inorganic fertilizer use in Vietnamese agriculture, particularly rice cultivation. He emphasized the urgent need for the project to address the declining soil fertility caused by overuse of fertilizers.
Recent studies highlight the problem of using fertilizer in the Mekong Delta. Farmers use up to 700 kilograms of inorganic fertilizer per hectare of rice, while in the Red River Delta, the figure is 600 kilograms. This consumption is significantly higher than in China, where farmers typically use only 293 kilograms per hectare. This stark contrast underscores the overreliance on inorganic fertilizers in Vietnam.
Chairman Ha outlined a key objective of the project to decrease reliance on inorganic fertilizers and promote the use of organic alternatives. However, he cautioned that this transition must be carefully managed to avoid compromising crop yields.
Associate Professor Nguyen Van Bo, former director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, underscored the need for close collaboration between government agencies and the creation of a comprehensive database on soil and fertilizer quality for major crops. He also stressed the importance of developing rapid soil and fertilizer testing technologies and enhancing public awareness about soil health.
The initiative not only emphasizes the management of fertilizers but also seeks to avert soil degradation, promote the advancement of organic agriculture, and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Vu Thang, a representative from the Plant Protection Department, stated that the project's objective is to establish a comprehensive database system regarding the quality of primary soil types and fertilizers, while simultaneously refining the cultivation processes to minimize nutrient loss in soils for key crop production.
Additionally, the project necessitates the creation of a set of indicators to evaluate soil health in accordance with international and regional standards, encompassing well-defined physical, chemical, and biological parameters. This approach aims to enhance land use efficiency and contribute to the preservation of the soil ecosystem.
In a recent statement, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Trung highlighted the significance of soil as a crucial element for agricultural production. He stressed the need to preserve and enhance soil quality to better support the cultivation industry.
Additionally, he underscored the pivotal role of local management agencies in the project's implementation and urged related bodies to develop specific implementation plans, noticing the avoidance of a general approach.
According to Deputy Minister Hoang Trung, the overall goal of the project is not only to improve soil health and manage plant nutrition but also to restructure the agricultural sector, develop new rural areas and contribute to green growth and sustainable development.
Therefore, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung requested that participating units closely coordinate with research institutes and relevant agencies to successfully implement the project, contributing to environmental protection and sustainable development for the future.
