In recent years, Binh Duong has enhanced the application of science and technology (ST) in all fields and has achieved good results. However, the ST development at grassroots level still has many difficulties and has not been fully exploited.
Good changes
According to the assessment of Department of Science and Technology, in recent years, in addition to the performance of ST projects at provincial level, the department has implemented projects at grassroots level according to proposals from localities; and approved projects of ST application into the production of organizations, enterprises and individuals. Nguyen Quoc Cuong, Director of Department of Science and Technology, said that from 2016, the number ST tasks proposed by localities increases every year. The tasks were ordered mainly linked to the socio-economic development of the locality.
A specialized unit of Department of Science and Technology inspect the project of intensive farming of Taiwanese guava trees in Bau Bang district.
On the side of localities, ST research and application into production has also been strengthened. Truong Cong Thach, Deputy Head of Economic Chamber of Thuan An Town, said that many scientific projects had been approved, and there were more and more collectives and individuals that registered to take part in projects of ST application in many fields such as agriculture, environment, education ... and initially brought good results.
According to Le Hieu Liem, Deputy Director of North Tan Uyen District Economic Department, to promote agricultural development, in recent time, in addition to the project "Building, managing and developing collective trademark of oranges, pomelos in North Tan Uyen district", the district also implemented basic ST tasks, including the project "Building ST applying model of citrus production (oranges, tangerines, pomelos) in the direction of enhancing the production value chain in North Tan Uyen District" and the project "Constructing, managing and developing collective trademark of tangerines in North Tan Uyen District".
Since the deployment of tST projects, production activities of localities in the province have seen significant changes, increased income for the people. In North Tan Uyen district, applying VietGAP to agricultural production, the revenue of 1 ha of citrus trees averages from VND600 million to 1 billion per year. "With 12 ha of VietGAP pomelo plantation, after deducting expenses, my family owns a profit of nearly VND10 billion a year," said Le Van Xe, owner of Phuong Uyen Farm in Hieu Liem commune, North Tan Uyen district.
Le Van Dat, owner of orchid garden in Dinh Hoa ward, Thu Dau Mot City, said, taking advantage of nearly 1.000m2 of land at home, he grew orchids. Due to the effective ST application, orchids in the garden grow well, less disease, regular and beautiful, every month after deducting costs he has about VND12 million.
To enhance association
At present, the difficulty in ST development at the grassroots level is that in addition to the shortage of human resources specialized in science and technology, the cooperation between management agencies, scientists, ST transfer organizations and enterprises is limited. Mr. Thach said that the capacity of the apparatus, ST researchers and managers in Thuan An Township was thin and limited. In addition, there are few units operating in ST field, so the cooperation between the State and the units faces many difficulties in applying and improving new technologies into production and consumption of products.
In addition, the result of scientific researches needs the initial support of the State to have good conditions for widespread application into production. However, investment support policies are not really timely, lack solutions with positive impacts on ST to become a driving force for development.
Therefore, in order to develop ST at the grassroots level, in addition to providing province-level ST research results in order to expand models, it is necessary to enhance cooperation between universities, colleges, ST organizations to ensure that the research results would have immediate application. Mr. Thach proposed that in order to enhance and improve the efficiency of ST activities at the grassroots level, functional agencies should conduct surveys on ST application at local enterprises and businesses to timely detect and direct units to apply, improve new production technologies. This will help promote the connection between the State and enterprises as well as support from universities and institutes to complete the technology if needed.
"The Department of Science and Technology will attach importance to the implementation ST tasks in the direction of linking orders with research institutes, universities, ST organizations as proposed by localities, especially those with high practicality. Besides, provincial People's Committee promulgated policies to support enterprises and individuals to renovate their technology and apply high technologies into production...", said Mr. Cuong.
Reported by Hoang Pham – Translated by Ngoc Huynh
