When agricultural extension "goes online"

From seminars, direct training in villages and handouts, agricultural extension work has changed with websites, fanpages, zalo groups, technical consulting applications and e-commerce platforms being added to the “tool bag” of agricultural extension officers. This shift not only keeps up with the digitalization trend, but also improves the efficiency of technical transmission, diversifies market connection channels and shortens the gap between experts - managers - farmers.

Early in the morning in Chop Du village, Yen Binh commune, Mrs. Tran Thi Hien still had some soil in her hand after tending the garden, opened her old phone - where the videos of instructions on planting new corn varieties by agricultural extension officers uploaded on the fanpage of the Lao Cai Provincial Agricultural Extension and Agricultural Services Center were still there, easy to find like an electronic notebook.

Ms. Hien shared: Before, when listening to agricultural extension, I had to wait for a meeting. Now, on the "network" of the Lao Cai Provincial Agricultural Extension and Agricultural Services Center, I can watch it over and over again. During the process, if there is something I don't remember, I can look it up "on the network" and look it up, very convenient.

Previously, the common agricultural extension sessions were training classes held at communes, demonstration models on sample fields, or agricultural extension officers going directly to each household to provide technical guidance. These methods have the advantage of being close, exchanging and interacting directly, but are limited in scope, time-consuming, costly in travel costs, and highly dependent on climate and crop conditions. When the online platform was applied, agricultural extension officers in Lao Cai have made good use of Facebook, YouTube, Zalo groups, and short instructional videos on fanpages.

These changes also help agricultural extension operate flexibly in the face of adverse conditions such as natural disasters or epidemics; when direct organization is not possible, staff can still maintain technical transmission through digital content.

Agricultural extension "going online" is therefore not just an additional communication channel but has become the main method in many activities.

These days, when the impact of floods is widespread in the province, the work of recovering agricultural production areas after floods is focused on by the Lao Cai Provincial Agricultural Extension and Agricultural Services Center. On the Center's fanpage, many videos and documents instructing farmers such as: some measures to restore livestock after floods; overcome forests damaged by natural disasters; some measures to overcome the consequences of storm No. 10 to restore livestock development... attract a lot of views and shares.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha - Director of the Lao Cai Provincial Agricultural Extension and Agricultural Services Center said: In recent times, the Center has promoted digital transformation in professional work. The unit has created videos, created its own learning materials to convey knowledge, transfer science and technology and uploaded them to the Center's official fanpage, thereby providing information to people as quickly as possible. In addition, the Center also organizes digital transformation training for people, connects OCOP products in the province to bring them to agricultural extension markets or electronic trading floors.

In addition to imparting knowledge, applying digital technology also helps agricultural extension work in Lao Cai become more professional thanks to data management and analysis. Farm household information management platforms, digital farming diaries and agricultural maps help staff quickly grasp the situation of planting areas, growth progress, material needs and disease risks in each region...

Another important shift is the direct connection between farmers and businesses, buyers and consumers through digital platforms. Many households have started to apply direct sales via social networks, livestreaming to sell agricultural products, or participating in online fairs... Thanks to that, the rate of farmers accessing technical information has increased, and response time in the event of an epidemic has significantly decreased thanks to warnings via online groups. Some local products have found new consumption channels through online platforms.

Agricultural extension work in Lao Cai has changed dramatically from one-way communication to exchange, sharing and connection; from formal teaching to data-based on-demand consulting. Technology helps to expand the reach and increase the effectiveness of agricultural extension work in the province.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/khi-khuyen-nong-len-mang-post884046.html