During a panel discussion held on October 27 in the framework of the ongoing Autumn Economic Forum 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City, experts highlighted that integrating technology and data management is key to helping Vietnamese agriculture enhance productivity, cut costs, and move up the global value chain.
Agriculture has always played a crucial role in Vietnam's economy, ensuring the supply of food and raw materials for the processing industry, while also providing livelihoods for the population.
However, as the market increasingly demands higher quality, lower costs, and sustainable standards, increasing output is no longer the sole determinant of competitiveness. The challenge is to enhance the value generated per unit of input, from production to processing and distribution.
Integrating technology and data to improve operational efficiency
During the forum, at the session "Agricultural Technology: Transparent and Sustainable Value Chains," experts recognized the application of technology and data management as a pathway to achieving these goals.
Technology enables more efficient use of irrigation water, fertilizers, and pesticides, while data supports quality control, raw material management, and market requirements. When implemented comprehensively, these solutions can reduce costs, increase productivity across the chain, and enable Vietnamese agricultural products to participate more deeply in high-value segments.
According to Dr. Truong Vinh Hai, Director of the Southern Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, smart farm models implemented by the Institute in collaboration with international partners in certain areas have shown potential to enhance productivity and quality of agricultural products while saving irrigation water, fertilizers, and pesticides.
The value of technology lies not only in introducing equipment into production but also in the ability to use resources more efficiently. Data on cultivation conditions helps producers adjust processes appropriately, control inputs, and improve product stability. For processing and exporting enterprises, consistent raw material quality and stable supply also contribute to reducing procurement costs and minimizing production risks.
However, initial investment costs remain a barrier for many small-scale producers. Therefore, the government needs to develop infrastructure, improve policies, and support international connections to promote technology application.
Enterprises need to proactively invest in management systems, traceability, and support farmers in accessing solutions suitable for actual production conditions.
Data's growing influence on market access
In addition to cultivation technology, data increasingly affects the market access of agricultural products. According to Mr. Vinod Ahuja, Representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Vietnam, competitiveness no longer relies solely on output but also on the ability to demonstrate origin, production processes, and compliance with sustainable standards.
When information about planting areas, crop varieties, input materials, and cultivation processes is recorded, managed, and verified, businesses can better control raw material quality, reduce procurement risks, and meet customer requirements. "Data also helps businesses adjust production plans according to market demand, limiting shortages or surpluses of raw materials," Mr. Vinod Ahuja emphasized.
There is a need to develop shared data infrastructure, unify land parcel identification codes, connection standards, and independent verification mechanisms. Accordingly, cooperatives and enterprises can support data management, share verification costs with farmers, and the private sector can develop traceability, financial, and technical advisory services on a common platform.
Enhancing connectivity to transform technology into value
From a business perspective, Mr. Tran Tan Viet, Board Member of AgriS and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Thanh Thanh Cong Sugarcane Research and Application Company (SRDC), stated that the company has built a value chain from investment in farmers, procurement, processing to domestic and international market operations.
According to Mr. Viet, traceability is becoming a requirement for businesses wishing to enter international markets. The data system needs to encompass information about producers, land origin, crop varieties, crop protection measures, and cultivation processes.
When integrated into management systems, data not only serves verification but also supports businesses in managing raw material areas, organizing procurement, and providing appropriate technical support to farmers. Thus, technology and data can improve operational efficiency from production to processing and distribution, rather than merely addressing traceability requirements at the final stage.
It is evident that the application of technology and data management is an important direction to enhance the value and competitiveness of agricultural products. However, the application of technology in agriculture still faces limitations such as small-scale production, dispersed data, and high investment costs. If each enterprise builds its own system, information is difficult to connect between planting areas, processing facilities, and distribution units, increasing management and verification costs.
To address these bottlenecks, Mr. Vinod Ahuja proposed developing shared data infrastructure, unifying land parcel identification codes, connection standards, and independent verification mechanisms. Accordingly, cooperatives and enterprises can support data management, share verification costs with farmers, and the private sector can develop traceability, financial, and technical advisory services on a common platform.
Nevertheless, technology investment only creates sustainable economic value when it delivers specific results such as increased productivity, reduced costs, improved quality, and expanded markets. This requires coordination between the government, enterprises, cooperatives, and research organizations, while ensuring that farmers can access technology and benefit from the transformation process.
In the long term, the competitiveness of Vietnamese agriculture cannot rely solely on expanding acreage or increasing output. When technology helps optimize inputs, data supports quality control, and enterprises invest more deeply in processing and standardizing products, Vietnamese agricultural products have the opportunity to shift from competing primarily on output and cost to competing on quality and added value.
Experts believe this is also a condition for domestic enterprises to enhance their role in the supply chain, rather than merely providing raw materials for higher-value processing and distribution stages.
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