Seminar participants check out facilities used in smart agriculture. (Photo: VNA)
Tra Vinh (VNA) - The embrace of digitisation is necessary to copewith saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta, experts have said.
The delta, the country’s largest rice, fruit and seafood producer, is affectedby saltwater intrusion from the sea up rivers every year in the dry season.
Nguyen Hieu Trung, deputy rector of Can Tho University, said the delta has beenaffected by climate change in recent years, especially by drought and worseningsaltwater intrusion which cause severe damage to agriculture.
Speaking at a seminar in Tra Vinh Province earlier this week, he said it shouldtake advantage of the fourth industrial revolution to create new value foragricultural production.
This would reduce the risks and improve the value of agricultural produce andfarmers’ incomes, he added.
Experts at the seminar analysed and presented solutions for using informationtechnology to cope with droughts and saltwater, increasing the efficiency offarmlands and reducing labour costs.
Nguyen Thanh My, chairman of the My Lan Group in Tra Vinh province, unveiledhis company’s invention of a digital agriculture eco-system to be used withsmartphones to develop a digital farm economy.
It also has many other apps that are used in the delta such as smart stationsfor monitoring brown plant hoppers and buoys for inspecting saltwater intrusionautomatically, he said.
With the use of smart phones, farmers can stay at home and monitor brown planthoppers in their fields and the salinity of water used for irrigation, he said.
Brown plant hoppers are the main rice pests in the region.
The company also sells smart fertilisers for rice cultivation and this helpsreduce labour. It also applies digital technology in super-intensive shrimpfarming and manufactures smart machines for feeding shrimp, he said.
Tran Trong Khiem, deputy director of the Soc Trang Province Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development, said relevant agencies should strengthenadvocacy about digitisation to change farmers’ mindsets and practices.
He hoped scientists would do research that could be applied in agriculture./.
The Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau plans to convert this year nearly 2,000ha of unproductive rice paddies into fields where rice and aquatic species are rotated or perennial crops are grown.
The Mekong Delta is seeing increasing saltwater intrusion caused by high tides this week, with salinity boundary of 4 g/l likely to penetrate up to 65km upstream, according the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Directorate of Water Resources.
In recent years, residents in the Mekong Delta, one of the world’s three largest deltas, have seen growing climate change impacts on local water resources and their livelihoods.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoRE) has called on provinces and cities nationwide to step up the conservation of groundwater resources.
ANTARA and VNA can design global-scale cooperation programmes or joint media campaigns, demonstrating the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as the cooperation between the two national news agencies.
As Vietnam’s digital transformation accelerates, both the frequency and severity of cyberattacks are growing. The National Cybersecurity Association (NCA) reported that in 2024 alone, there were some 659,000 separate cybersecurity incidents, impacting around 46.15% of government agencies and businesses.
A key highlight will be the technology cluster pavilion, showcasing top enterprises selected for their innovation, market potential, and practical applications. These firms will display flagship products and solutions, supported by government policies to strengthen the tech sector.
Since 2022, more than 500 Vietnamese startups have engaged in Google’s Startup Academy, Google for Startups Accelerator, and Google Startup Masterclass. Nearly 100 of these firms received support to develop and improve their products, benefiting more than 300,000 customers and creating over 300 new jobs through successful fundraising and team expansion amidst Vietnam’s competitive economy.
Over the past three decades, Binh Duong has cemented its status as one of Vietnam’s most dynamic industrial hubs, building a robust foundation in manufacturing, exports, and investment. The province now has 30 operational industrial parks spanning over 13,000 hectares, with an occupancy rate exceeding 90%.
The diplomat emphasised that Vietnam places the highest priority on the development of science, technology, and innovation, viewing them as critical drivers for the country’s advancement in the new development era.
The PM revealed Vietnam’s plan to develop nuclear power in the near future, and called on the Swedish side to assist Vietnam in developing and refining legal and policy frameworks for the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes; training and developing human resources; ensuring nuclear safety; and conducting training and drills to improve incident management capabilities.
More than an art showcase, the second “Technology with heart” contest seeks to inspire innovation and spotlight the humanistic values that technology can bring into daily life, expected to contribute to a sustainable digital future.
The average speed of the national mobile broadband network remained stable, with download speeds reaching 76.86 Mbps and upload speeds reaching 26.98 Mbps.
Under the MoU, AMD will support several key initiatives spearheaded by HCM City’s authorities, including piloting policies, co-hosting innovation events, and evaluating the investment environment within the Saigon Hi-Tech Park.
The centre is a joint initiative between Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology, with PTIT and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) serving as co-leads, and global telecommunications giant Nokia as founding industry partner.
The new centre, staffed by a team of scientists, researchers, and AI specialists working in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, forms part of Qualcomm’s global AI research group.
As a flagship initiative of the community project “Digital Literacy for All”, the programme forms part of a national scheme to equip 20 million young people with digital business skills.
The organisers hope the competition will help shape a generation of exceptional engineers who will make significant contributions to Vietnam’s scientific and technological progress in this era of transformation.
In the digital age and amidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution, IP plays an increasingly critical role, not only in safeguarding inventions but also in reducing copyright infringement and curbing piracy.
Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu laid stress on the significance of the Hanoi Convention, particularly to the Asia – Pacific, to handling legal gaps in international cooperation against rapidly increasing global cybercrime.
The week features a rich lineup of activities, including a plenary conference on blockchain and AI development, thematic seminars on future technology trends and investment visions, applications of blockchain and AI in business, the Super Vietnam PitchFest, as well as forums for blockchain and AI.
According to the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, dated December 22, 2024, on making breakthroughs in the development of science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation, this is considered a decisive factor in the development of nations. It is seen as a prerequisite and the best opportunity for Vietnam to become prosperous and powerful in the new era of the nation’s rise.
Seminar participants check out facilities used in smart agriculture. (Photo: VNA) 
