Biotechnology improves crop productivity and quality
According to farmer Ngo Van Tung (Van Ho commune, Van Ho district, Son La province), since 2015, he has been planting insect-resistant corn varieties that can withstand the cold in winter. The new corn variety produces high yields and ensures nutritional content. Thanks to that, he can proactively feed his herd of 100 cows throughout the year. Each dairy cow needs about 50kg of food per day, of which 90% is silaged, finely chopped green forage.
Following Mr. Tung’s example, many other households have also grown genetically modified corn to produce biomass for animal feed. Currently, farmers in many provinces and cities across the country have grown genetically modified corn to improve livestock productivity and quality.
All GM corn varieties in cultivation have insect resistance traits, specifically control corn borer and protect against fall armyworm.
A recent study found that genetically modified varieties have higher yields than conventional varieties of the same genotype because they retain the yield potential of the original variety and effectively control pests.
Typically yields are +30.4% higher and production costs are reduced from $26.47/ha to $31.30/ha.
On the morning of October 5, 2024, at the forum "Achievements and orientations for applying biotechnology to serve sustainable agricultural development in the context of international integration" organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Dr. Cao Duc Phat - former Minister of MARD, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Rice Research Institute - IRRI said: The results of biotechnology have helped the agricultural sector achieve many breakthrough achievements in the past 30 years. In particular, outstanding technologies with tissue culture help the crop sector, especially products such as corn, soybeans, cotton... have outstanding productivity, contributing to ensuring global food security, reducing the amount of pesticides, improving soil quality and the environment.
Accelerating biotechnology in Vietnam
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the world has about 200 million hectares of genetically modified crops. The largest proportion is soybeans, up to nearly 80% of the area.
In addition, the corn growing area is also up to more than 25%. Besides corn cultivation, biotechnology helps promote the use of biological products, helping to ensure crops and increase income for people.
“Unfortunately, the application of biotechnology in Vietnam is still slow, the gap with the world tends to increase and the goals set by the Party and State have not been achieved. The main obstacle is awareness,” said Mr. Cao Duc Phat.
Therefore, it is necessary to remove the bottlenecks for genetically modified plants in Vietnam, because according to statistics from the International Organization for the Application of Biotechnology in Agriculture (ISAAA), up to now, 73 countries worldwide have accepted genetically modified plants, because they play an important role in increasing farmers' income, saving time and labor in the fields, and significantly reducing the amount of pesticides used each crop.
Presenting a picture of genetically modified plants in the world, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Huu Ninh - Deputy Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) - also raised the issue that the advantages of genetically modified plants are undeniable and should be deployed more quickly in the current context of integration.
Ms. Sonny Tababa - Director of CropLife Biotechnology Asia - assessed that Vietnam is currently one of the countries with the most advanced legal framework for genetically modified crops in the world in the context that the world's agricultural industry is facing major challenges of climate change and rising sea levels.
