The drip irrigation system of Ngoc Chien Vegetable and Fruit Cooperative, Ngoc Chien commune, Muong La district.

Mr. Do Danh Nhat's family, residing in sub-district 7, Na Bo commune, Mai Son district, and a member of the Ngoc Hoang Agricultural Service Cooperative, has a nearly 1-hectare dragon fruit orchard that yields over 30 tons of fruit annually thanks to the application of an automatic irrigation system. The average selling price ranges from 18,000 to 25,000 VND per kilogram. Mr. Nhat explained: "Previously, with manual production, watering 1 hectare required about 5 people working all day. Since investing in the drip irrigation system with rotary valves and sprinklers, I only need a few simple steps to open the valves or use my smartphone to start the irrigation system from anywhere."

Besides Mr. Nhat's family, members of the Ngoc Hoang Agricultural Service Cooperative are also gradually applying mechanization to dragon fruit cultivation. Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung, Deputy Director of the Cooperative, shared: Since 2019, some cooperative members have invested in automatic irrigation systems, applying sensors to control and monitor environmental and soil indicators 24/7, and connecting via a smartphone app. This allows them to adjust cultivation practices, helping to increase the yield and quality of dragon fruit by about 30% compared to before. The cooperative currently has two export-oriented dragon fruit growing areas, and has invested in installing cameras connected online to the monitoring system of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, monitoring the entire production process of its members through electronic records.

The apple orchards of farmers in Muong Bu commune, Muong La district, have invested in a sprinkler irrigation system.

The Phuong Nam Cooperative in Long Phieng commune, Yen Chau district, has 10 members and has partnered with 30 households to cultivate over 300 hectares of longan, mango, and custard apple. Of this, 60 hectares of mango and longan are subject to traceability, ensuring product export to markets in the US, UK, and China. In the 2024 longan harvest, the cooperative achieved a yield of over 4,200 tons.

Mr. Tran Nhu Kien, Director of Phuong Nam Cooperative, informed: Currently, 100% of cooperative members are using machines in land preparation and have installed automatic irrigation systems. At the end of 2024, some cooperative members even invested 500 million VND to purchase drones for monitoring and spraying pesticides on crops, thereby reducing labor costs, increasing productivity, and ensuring the health of farmers.

Over the years, our province has integrated many policies, programs, and projects to support businesses and cooperatives in purchasing machinery and applying high technology to production. According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Environment, mechanization in land preparation has now basically reached 100% for sugarcane, rubber, and tea; and over 50% for rice, cassava, corn, and coffee.

Farmers in Na Bo commune, Mai Son district, harvest dragon fruit.

The application of technology in plant care and protection for rice and other crops has reached over 40%; in tea harvesting, it has reached over 80%. Water-saving irrigation systems are applied to various crops: flowers, mushrooms, coffee, tea, sugarcane, vegetables, and fruit trees. Greenhouses and net houses are used in the production of flowers and vegetables. Mechanization in feed and water supply and environmental treatment for pig farming has reached over 80%; 100% of dairy farmers use milking machines…

The entire province has established 9 high-tech agricultural zones, including: 1 tea zone and 1 dairy farming zone in Moc Chau district; 2 coffee zones, 1 custard apple zone, and 1 mango zone in Mai Son district; and 3 longan, mango, and plum zones in Yen Chau district. Besides the benefits of reduced labor and cost savings, the use of mechanized machinery increases profits by 15-20% compared to manual labor.

However, the application of mechanization at the local level still faces many difficulties. Up to 70% of the work is still done manually. This is because many agricultural production areas are mainly hilly and mountainous, with scattered and far-flung farmland. In addition, transportation in remote villages and hamlets is still challenging, making the installation and use of machinery difficult. Investing in mechanization requires significant costs and certain knowledge, limiting access to digital technology for some farmers.

Mr. Vu Tien Dinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, informed: The department has advised the province to direct localities to accelerate the consolidation and concentration of agricultural land to serve the development of large-scale commercial agricultural production. This includes strengthening investment resources for development and modernization of agricultural and rural infrastructure, especially infrastructure that creates momentum for growth, promotes regional and sectoral linkages, facilitates the introduction of mechanization into production, and promotes the development of concentrated commercial production areas.

Aiming to build a modern agricultural sector, Son La province continues to develop mechanisms and policies to support businesses, cooperatives, and farmers in investing in machinery and equipment for production; mechanizing from production to harvesting, preservation, and processing of products, thereby improving productivity, quality, and value of products.