Gov’t should promote specialized software for farmers towards digital transformation: agri exec

Policies initiated by the government to promote specialized software for farmers will facilitate digital transformation of the agriculture sector, says Tran Huy Duong, chairman of hi-tech agri firm Lang Biang.

Duong was speaking last Saturday at the National Digital Transformation Day 2024 celebrations chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in his capacity as chairman of the National Committee on Digital Transformation.

Alluding to his own firm, a high-tech agri enterprise based in the Central Highlands town of Da Lat, he said the company was in the process of developing a vision for strategic investment that would definitely facilitate digital transformation.

He noted that Lang Biang, established 20 years ago, currently employed nearly 200 people, about 60% of them members of ethnic minority communities. Their average monthly income is VND10 million ($402 million).

The company's main products are vegetables and flowers, grown hydroponically and aeroponically. It exports vegetables and flowers to several markets including South Korea and Singapore.

Since the company primarily deals with short-term vegetables and flowers, the market is very dynamic, Duong said, adding that in today’s fast-developing technological landscape, the company had to access information as quickly as possible to keep up, which necessitates digital transformation.

“To achieve this transformation, a strategic investment vision is essential. Only then can necessary changes be implemented.”

To have infrastructure supporting digital transformation, long-term use has to be planned.

Currently, Lang Biang utilizes digital mapping with 16 layers. It has also adopted electric vehicles on its farms to gradually move toward zero emissions.

On software use, Duong mentioned that there was a time when the company explored and purchased foreign software. However, this was often fragmented and lacked system integration.

To improve labor efficiency and economic viability, the company transitioned to Vietnamese software, which offered consistent functionality across various areas, including production, human resource management, finance, and market data.

“When we undergo digital transformation, all the products we offer to the market have clear origins. Customers can access product data and by scanning the QR code on the packaging, they can learn about the production batch and pesticide residue on that product.”