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| An expert presents his presentation at the workshop |
The workshop brought together experts, scientists, lecturers, and students to discuss solutions to modernize agricultural production, reduce post-harvest losses, improve the quality and value of agricultural products, and promote the practical application of science and technology.
Through a plenary discussion and three specialized sessions, scientists highlighted the need to integrate every stage of the production chain, from mechanization, preservation, and processing to traceability and market development.
Synchronized Mechanization and Mastery of Production Technologies
In the paper titled ‘Restructuring Vietnam’s Agricultural Engineering for Smart Agriculture’, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huy Bich from Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry pointed to uneven levels of mechanization across production stages, especially the disconnect between harvesting and post-harvest preservation.
In the Mekong Delta, mechanization has reached 100% for land preparation, 90 -100% for water pumping, over 95% for harvesting with combine harvesters, and around 96% for drying. However, storage capacity remains limited, meeting only about 13 - 15% of demand. This disparity highlights how limitations in post-harvest handling continue to affect the efficiency of the entire production chain significantly.
For fruit crops, harvesting, transportation within orchards, and some cultivation tasks still rely heavily on manual labor or semi-mechanized methods. The lack of sorting and packaging systems and cold storage facilities also makes it difficult to maintain product quality, scale up production, and meet market requirements.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huy Bich noted that domestic agricultural machinery production remains insufficient to meet demand in terms of variety, output, and quality. Therefore, he called for policies to support the development of the agricultural machinery industry, advance materials research, enhance quality, and lower manufacturing costs.
Alongside investment in machinery, the application of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), positioning technology, and monitoring systems will expand the potential for smart production management. However, technology delivers results only when it is suited to local farming conditions and users’ ability to invest in, operate, and maintain equipment. Strengthening cooperation among farmers, research institutions, machinery manufacturers, and businesses is therefore essential to putting technical solutions into practice.
Prof. Dr. Le Van Tan, from Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry, highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary research in his presentation titled ‘Interdisciplinary Research in Food Technology and Post-Harvest: From Quality Chemistry to Smart Systems and STEM-Oriented Teaching’.
Accordingly, food chemistry, post-harvest technology, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering, sensors, and AI need to be integrated to develop systems that can operate reliably under real-world production conditions.
For example, in fruit grading, parameters such as sweetness, firmness, color, and ripeness need to be integrated with sensor technology, data processing, machine vision, and automated sorting equipment. However, laboratory test results alone are not enough to ensure effective performance in production, as factors such as lighting, temperature, dust, and conveyor belt speed can all affect accuracy.
Prof. Dr. Le Van Tan noted that technological effectiveness should be assessed in terms of product quality, operational stability, as well as investment and operating costs. Research should be geared toward the need for practical transfer, while training should provide students with opportunities to tackle real-world problems, from problem identification and experimental design to testing and evaluation.
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| Thanh tra pomelo is one of the agricultural products for which experts proposed solutions to enhance its value |
Linking Agricultural Value Chains with Tourism
Beyond mechanization and post-harvest technologies, scientists also proposed ways to enhance the value of Hue’s signature agricultural products through advanced processing, traceability, and links with tourism activities.
In the presentation, ‘Applying Science and Technology to Upgrade Value Chains for Hue’s Specialty Agricultural Products Linked to Tourism: From Post-Harvest Handling and Advanced Processing to Traceability and Data’, Associate Professors Dr. Nguyen Van Hue and Nguyen Van Toan, along with Ho Sy Vuong, MSc, from the University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue University, examined shortcomings in preservation, processing, raw material quality, and traceability that limit opportunities to increase product value.
According to the authors, to become more integrated into the restaurant, hotel, and tourism service sectors, agricultural products must meet requirements for quality, food safety, packaging, and traceability. These standards also provide a foundation for developing value-added products that meet consumer needs and enhance visitors’ experiences.
For products such as thanh tra pomelo, lotus and roselle, sorting raw materials by quality, characteristics, and intended use can help diversify product lines. Thanh tra pomelo can be graded for fresh consumption or processed into juice and preserves. Lotus can be used to produce lotus seeds, lotus tea, and gift items, while roselle can be made into dried calyces, preserves, syrup, and beverages.
This approach can not only maximize the use of raw materials but also reduce waste and diversify consumer markets. The authors proposed linking six stages, including raw materials, post-harvest handling, processing, traceability, markets, and tourism and experiential activities. Data should be integrated across these stages to ensure transparency in information on product origin, storage, processing, and quality.
Building an effective value chain requires coordination among producers, processing facilities, scientists, businesses, and tourism operators. Technology choices should be driven by practical needs and take into account costs, product quality, food safety, and environmental impacts. This would help avoid investing in advanced equipment that cannot be properly integrated or fully utilized.
The presentations presented at the workshop underscored the need to better align research outcomes with production needs and market demands. Synchronized mechanization and the application of smart technologies in preservation, processing, and value chain management can not only improve production efficiency and reduce post-harvest losses but also increase the value of agricultural products, paving the way for modern, green, and sustainable agriculture.