Farmers in Dan Phuong District, Ha Noi build a biogas unit. Construction of biogas units is part of a US$110 million project to promote sustainable development in agricultural practices.

The new crops are planned to replace the current low-quality produce found to occupy about 35 per cent of the cultivation area in 16 provinces.

This plan is part of the six-year Quality and Safety Enhancement of Agricultural Products and Biogas Development project launched in Ha Noi yesterday.

Nguyen Tri Ngoc, director of the Cultivation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said the objective of the project was to promote a sustainable development in production of vegetables, fruits and teas.

“Other goals are to raise the farmers’ income, enhance productivity, and reduce cooking poisoning as well as develop biogas digesters to support agricultural practices,” said Ngoc.

Participating localities include Bac Giang, Ha Noi, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Thai Nguyen and Vinh Phuc in the north, Lam Dong in the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) and HCM City in the south.

Project director Pham Quang Toan said these areas were home to many small-scale households reliant on livestock farming, requiring proper systems to treat animal wastes. “Untreated livestock waste contributes to rising environmental pollution and thus causes a negative impact on local residents’ health,” he said.

Therefore, another aim of the project is to introduce biogas digester units to 40,000 households, which will both reduce pollution and provide an alternative energy source.

The annual revenue from selling the accredited agricultural products is expected to be US$52 million.

The total investment value of the project is over $110 million, $95 million of which is a loan from the Asian Development Bank.

VNN/VNS