Boosting Rural Economy with High-Tech Agriculture

Gia Lam is rapidly urbanizing, becoming a bustling and modern district

Diversifying high-tech agricultural models

The Gia Lam Advanced New Rural Development Program has delivered important outcomes, with all annual socioeconomic indicators reaching or exceeding those of previous years. The average production value of key economic sectors managed by the district has grown 11.63%. Residents have enjoyed better material and spiritual life, with average per capita income projected at VND85.3 million in 2025 (an increase of VND30 million from 2019). No households in the district are in poverty territory. Gia Lam district has managed to mobilize resources for guaranteed investment, with the total planned medium-term public investment fund of VND9,300 billion for 477 projects in 2020-2025, aimed at upgrading urban infrastructure and backbone infrastructure systems across the district.

To date, the district has developed various effective models for crop and livestock restructuring, production linkages, and scientific and technological application to achieve high economic efficiency and good incomes for people. Typical models include hydroponic vegetable cultivation and greenhouse-based fruit and vegetable production according to VietGAP standards. These models yield an average annual economic return of VND350-400 million per hectare, with some boasting VND1-1.2 billion per hectare.

Production and consumption model of new high-quality Gladiolus varieties in Le Chi commune, Gia Lam district

Dang Thi Huyen, Chairwoman of the Gia Lam People's Committee, said: Agriculture, farmers and rural areas play a crucial role in the district’s industrialization and modernization process. They are also a solid basis and important forces for the district to boost socioeconomic development and ensure political stability and security, which are the strong foundation for Gia Lam to realize advanced new rural development goals and transform into a prosperous, civilized, modern and sustainable urban district.

Based on this foundation, Gia Lam has focused on developing the rural economy like the urban economy associated with integrating agricultural restructuring, increasing added values and raising incomes for people. The district has promoted rural economic development in planned agricultural areas and applies high technology to create high-value, quality products. A notable example is the organic mustard green production model in Yen Thuong commune, implemented by the Gia Lam Agricultural Service Center, aiming to produce nutrient-rich agricultural products while reducing the use of harmful chemicals, minimizing environmental pollution and protecting soil, water and air resources.

The adoption of the organic mustard green production process has yielded good results. Mustard greens are well-suited to soil in Yen Thuong, ensuring a stable productivity of clean organic vegetables and ensuring safe quality, thereby increasing incomes for farmers. Specifically, winter-season mustard greens yield 600-700 kg per sao (an area measurement unit equal to 360 square meters), sold at an average price of VND13,000 per kilogram. After deducting expenses, farmers earn a net profit of VND6.5-7.5 million per sao (approximately VND180-200 million per hectare). According to the Gia Lam Agricultural Service Center, this model supports the development of commercial agriculture linked with value-chains to move toward forming organic safe vegetable production areas and raising the value of agricultural products in the district.

Hydroponic vegetable production at Da Ton Cooperative in Gia Lam district utilizes techniques to improve both yield and quality

In Phu Dong commune, local people have focused on growing flowers and ornamental plants, mainly bougainvillea, on a total area of 139.23 ha in Phu Dong 1, Phu Dong 2 and Phu Dong 3 villages. This approach has helped raise its average per capita income to VND74 million a year. Additionally, a hydroponic vegetable cultivation model on 9,546.5 square meters in Thuy Pagoda, Da Ton commune generates over VND1 billion in income a year.

Gia Lam’s rural economy has undergone dramatic development. Crop and livestock structures have shifted in a positive direction, with rice cultivation area downsized to around 1,000 ha while the areas for flowers, ornamental plants, and fruit trees have expanded. VietGAP-compliant vegetable and fruit cultivation area is now 420.73 ha, and safe agricultural production is maintained at 1,693.5 ha.

Toward a modern, civilized urban area

Utterly grasping directions of General Secretary To Lam from the mindset and actions for the "New era, an ascending era of the Vietnamese people,” with its highest political will, in 2025, the Party Committee and local government of Gia Lam district will continue to lead the implementation and issuance of resolutions, plans and projects to sustain its advanced new rural development status, which is seen as a core and regular task, a premise and momentum for realizing the goal of improving people’s lives. Visiting Gia Lam today, it is hard to believe that this was once a purely rural area but is now transformed into a civilized and modern urban area.

To successfully accomplish its political tasks in 2025 and continue its advanced new rural development and model new rural development, linked with urban development and environmental protection, and create necessary conditions to be upgraded into an urban district in 2025, the District Party Committee, the District People's Council, the District People's Committee and the Vietnam Fatherland Front launched a district-wide emulation campaign for the year. This campaign aims to promote patriotic movements and the “All people unite to build new rural areas and civilized urban areas” campaign; intensified their leadership; effectively continued to carry out solutions to tackle existing difficulties and boost production and business development; focused on mobilizing and efficiently using investment capital sources; and effectively harnessed local potential advantages to accelerate economic restructuring; enhanced the leadership capacity and combat strength of Party organizations, and built a clean, strong political system.