Low income, heavy work caused agriculture to lose young people, posing a challenge for the capital to support economic support.
Kieu Thien Tam, 35 years old, Vinh Phong commune, An Giang, said the family had a hectare of rice land, but all four brothers refused to continue farming. Tam Tam himself turned to business, the remaining sisters went to work as workers in Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City.
Mr. Tam chose a business even though his family had an hectare of agricultural land. Image: Minh Bang
According to his calculations, two rice crops a year only profit 5-10 million dong per crop. The crop of natural shrimp depends on the weather, difficult to predict income. In order to cultivate the field, it takes at least two laborers, if the income is only 50-60 million dong per year, enough costs, basic living, unable to worry about studying for children.
“The field is over the day, not rich. Young people now have too many choices of stable jobs, good salaries. Farm is both hard and precarious, who is salty,” Tam said.
Contrary to the psychology of “boredom”, Nguyen Minh Sam, 36, from Dong Thap, once decided to return to garden after many years of being a mason. But the results were not as expected.
In 2020, Covid-19 caused the work to be delayed, he used more than 20 million VND to renovate the garden of nearly 4,000 m2. Sam planted jackfruit, guava, lemon; While waiting for harvesting, intercropping chili and mushrooms to “take short to raise long”. But due to lack of experience, investing as much as a loss. “Farm depends heavily on fertilizer, while the price is precarious.
The General Statistics Office figures show that the trend of young people leaving agriculture not only in some localities. The proportion of agricultural labor under 30 years old in the Mekong Delta plummeted, while the group over 40 years old accounted for nearly 60% and continued to increase. In the period of 2011-2021, the agricultural labor of the region decreased from 5.1 million to 3.6 million, and 40% of the labor force.
According to Dr. Tran Huu Hiep, an economist in the Mekong Delta, agricultural labor decreased and moved to industry and services as an objective law in most countries, reflecting the process of restructuring the economy. For the West, this phenomenon besides positive also leaves a large space.
Mr. Nguyen Do Dung, co -founder and General Director of Enfarm Company, said that Vietnamese agriculture is still fragmented and low productivity.
In the Northern Delta, the average farming area is only about 0.3 ha; Southwest from 0.5 to 1.4 ha. Meanwhile, the average in the US is 400 hectares, in Australia is 4,000 hectares. “With a small scale today, it is difficult to form a modern agriculture, apply technology and achieve high productivity,” Mr. Dung analyzed.
According to him, labor transfer from agriculture is not necessarily negative, because it allows the average area to expand the remaining labor – conditions for technology application. But to attract quality manpower, the government needs parallel “carrots” and “sticks”.
“Carrot” is financial support, agricultural extension, encouraging technology investment, converting the full value chain to improve productivity and sustainability. “Stick” is a mandatory regulation on agricultural products, food safety, traceability, forcing farmers to apply technology to protect consumers and increase competitiveness.
“Agriculture cannot follow the habit. Climate change has changed the season, soil and water. It is necessary to control by technology instead of experience,” Dung said.
Although machinery participating in many stages of production, agriculture is still less attractive to many young workers. Image: Ngoc Tai
According to Dr. Tran Huu Hiep, it is impossible to expect spontaneous movement. If there is no timely policy, agriculture will lack skilled manpower to lead green conversion, technology application and productivity.
Experts think that the active mechanism is needed, in which the focus is training and retraining labor, associated with business needs, towards sustainable development. Some new -style cooperatives, high -tech agricultural enterprises in An Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Can Tho have proven: When the mechanism is transparent, stable jobs, young people are still willing to stick in the long term.
In order to retain young labor, Mr. Hiep stated that the three policies synchronized. The first is the security policy and income, including agricultural insurance, preferential credit, consumption contracts. Secondly, view agriculture such as the “knowledge economy” industry, creating startup space and innovation. Thirdly, investing in digital infrastructure and logistics, helping agricultural products to the market quickly, reducing costs.
“It is impossible to retain young people with the slogan. They are only attached when agriculture is really modern, profitable, with professional prospects,” Mr. Hiep emphasized.
Mr. Tran Tri Quang, Chairman of Dong Thap People’s Committee, also acknowledged that the locality has many agricultural advantages, but is lacking in high quality human resources.
The reason is that the training institutions have not met the needs; Young workers often seek opportunities in big cities, other professions more attractive; Connecting with experts, scientists and technology startups is limited; Lack of venture capital funds or financial mechanisms are strong enough for high -tech agriculture starting.
“Although the agricultural sector has potential, it is often considered to be less attractive, because the hard work and the initial profit are not high,” Mr. Quang said.
Dong Thap in recent years has organized the Mekong Startup Forum, in order to create an open space, connect businesses, farmers, scientists and authorities. The locality also built “farmer associations” to link production, share experiences and support output.
In addition, the province promotes an attractive working environment, connected training with practice, promulgates the remuneration policies, encourages the spirit of “starting a business in the homeland”.
According to the provincial leaders, agriculture can only attract young workers when they meet the needs of livelihoods and evoke the desire to establish a career. Young people need to see the clear and sustainable career path on the homeland.
Le Tuyet – Ngoc Tai