Hanoi (VNA) - It’s time for theVietnamese agro-forestry-fishery industry to promote the application of modernagricultural equipment and technologies to build a sustainable industry.

After more than 30 years of Doi moi (RenewalProcess), the Vietnamese agriculture sector has seen significant growth, said PhamDuc Nghiem, deputy head of the National Agency for Technology Entrepreneurshipand Commercialisation Development under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

“However, it’s time for theagro-forestry-fishery industry to shift towards enhancing added value,developing sustainably and applying new technologies to boost productivity,quality and competitiveness,” Nghiem said at the opening ceremony of the VietnamInternational Exhibition on Machineries & Technologies of Agriculture,Forestry and Fishery (Growtech 2017) in Hanoi on November 30.

Growtech 2017, the first event of its kindin Vietnam, was co-organised by the ministries of Science and Technology,Industry and Trade, and Agriculture and Rural Development.

Growtech 2017 attracted more than 100companies from countries with developed agriculture sectors, such as Israel,the UK, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Italia, India and New Zealand, toshowcase their latest equipment and technologies.

The three-day expo created opportunitiesfor firms and farmers to observe new manufacturing technology and equipment inthe agro-forestry-fishery industry all over the world. Vietnamese farmers canapply the technologies as they seek to build a sustainable industry that bringsstrong profits to Vietnam.

Statistics showed that more than 57 percentof the labour force working in the agriculture but creating only 20 percent ofthe country’s gross domestic product.

This shows that the agriculture industry ofVietnam is still fragile and vulnerable in the era of rapid internationalintegration, besides facing the impacts of climate change, according to theexpo’s organising board.

Experts said applying modern equipment andtechnologies was critical.

For example, the forestry industry of Vietnamfaces a number of challenges, such as low productivity, low forest quality, lowcompetitiveness of forestry products and low income, according to the StateSteering Committee on Forest Sustainable Development.

A representative from the steeringcommittee said at the conference that applying high technologies wouldcontribute to tackling these problems and promoting forestry protection andexpansion.

Experts said the case of Israel illustratedthat technological innovation could also help the agriculture industry overcomenatural challenges.

During the expo, a number of agrotechnologies and pieces of equipment were introduced, such as hydroponics, urbanfarming, irrigation solutions, greenhouses, rice planting machines and a sowingrobot that received significant attention.

Today, two more conferences will be held aspart of Growtech 2017. The conferences will discuss the commercialisation oftechnology in the agriculture sector of Vietnam and strategies to develop theprocessing and preservation of agriculture products.

In addition, ideas and solutions for smartagriculture will receive funding of 75,000 USD at the expo, provided by the VietnamClimate Innovation Centre.

Statistics of the Ministry of Agricultureand Rural Development showed that the agro, fishery and forestry exportturnover reached 33.14 billion USD during January-November, representing a riseof 13.8 percent over the same period last year.

The 11-month period export value exceeded 2016full-year revenue of 32.1 billion USD, setting a new high and on track to reach35 billion USD - 36 billion USD this year.-VNA