Dong Nai agriculture makes breakthroughs in development

Following the merger, the new Dong Nai province holds a large reserve of agricultural land with strong potential for agricultural and rural development. It also ranks among the nation’s leading localities in building new-style rural areas.          

Provincial Party Committee member, Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hoang (center) visits the exhibition area showcasing agricultural products and OCOP items of Dak O commune. Photo: Binh Nguyen

In the coming period, the province will continue to leverage its advantages to drive new breakthroughs in agricultural production, closely linked with the development of increasingly prosperous, modern, and cultured rural areas.

From a land of steel to prosperous new-style rural areas

Loc Ninh commune in Dong Nai province was once regarded as the nation’s “resistance capital”, home to numerous historical sites.

After liberation, Loc Ninh continued to uphold its heroic tradition, striving for development and achieving many impressive achievements across various fields. Through the New-Style Rural Development movement, Loc Ninh has undergone continuous transformation, evolving into a prosperous and vibrant countryside. During the 2020–2025 term, the commune has recorded many significant and comprehensive achievements. Its economy has maintained stable growth, with agriculture, forestry, and fishery accounting for 55% of production value; industry and construction, 21%; and trade and services, 24%. The average annual income per capita has reached 89 million VND. With economic development, both material and spiritual living standards have seen clear improvements, while local infrastructure continues to receive increased investment, becoming more spacious, cleaner, and better organized.

The former Xuan Loc district was once a “land of fire” during the war, marked by the heroic history of its military and people who opened the eastern steel gate toward the liberation of Saigon and the reunification of the country.

The heroic land of Xuan Loc has made breakthroughs in socio-economic development, becoming a leading locality in the country in the movement to build new-style rural areas. In 2014, Xuan Loc became the first district nationwide to meet the standard of a new-style rural district. In 2023, it was the first district in the former Dong Nai province and one of the first three districts in the country to achieve the standard of an advanced new-style rural district. By 2024, the district had completed the targets for a model new-style rural district, a year ahead of schedule.

Most impressively, the material and spiritual lives of rural residents have improved markedly, with the quality of life continuously rising. In 2024, the average per capita income in rural areas reached nearly 95.4 million VND, significantly higher than the provincial average. The poverty rate, according to the central government’s standard, fell to just over 0.5%.

According to Nguyen Thi Cat Tien, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairwoman of the People’s Council of Xuan Loc commune, the commune aims for comprehensive development, with a focus on tourism, trade and services, urban growth, high-tech agriculture, and agricultural processing. The commune seeks to create breakthroughs in infrastructure investment to attract investors to agriculture and rural development, moving toward building a modern, new-style rural area.

Developing modern rural areas with rich identity

Following the merger, Dong Nai province now has over 609,000 hectares of industrial and fruit crops. Among them, several key industrial crops - including rubber, cashew, and pepper- rank among the largest in the country by cultivation area, forming extensive specialized farming zones. The province also holds an advantage in expanding high-value fruit crops and is a national leader in assigning export growing area codes. To date, Dong Nai has issued 215 export growing area codes for crops such as durian and tissue-cultured banana, covering more than 15,000 hectares. Additionally, 59 packing facilities have been certified with export codes to serve international markets.

Dong Nai is also the country’s “livestock capital”, with a total pig population of nearly 4.2 million and a total poultry population of 35.9 million. The livestock sector has actively applied high-tech solutions through many of the most advanced and modern models available today, gradually shifting from small-scale farming to large-scale industrial production.

Nguyen Van Thang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated that following the merger, the province has significant potential for agricultural development. Alongside boosting production, the province has placed strong emphasis on investment aimed at continuously increasing the value and competitive edge of its agricultural products.

It has also prioritized programs that support businesses, cooperatives, and farmers in building product labels and brand identities. Notably, the “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) program has been vigorously promoted and deeply integrated, becoming a standout initiative in rural economic development. As of now, the province has 481 OCOP products, including 11 rated five-star, and 25 percent rated four-star.

Vo Thi Hien, owner of the Co Hai Clean Pepper Production Facility in Dak O commune, launched her pepper processing business in 2019. Her facility was one of the first in the former Binh Phuoc province to have products certified under the OCOP program. Currently, the facility offers four-star OCOP products, including black pepper and crispy dried Thai jackfruit. These products are supplied to supermarkets and convenience stores, and are also processed for export to multiple international markets.

Hien shared that during the startup process, her facility received extensive support from provincial and local authorities, such as access to local industrial promotion funds for machinery and equipment investment in processing, as well as support to participate in trade exhibitions and promotion activities both within and outside the province...

With the view that building new-style rural areas has a starting point but no endpoint, Dong Nai province is committed to making continued breakthroughs in developing modern and thriving rural communities. The province will maintain a strong focus on production development and steadily increasing residents’ incomes, considering this the cornerstone of new-style rural construction. Notably, the application of science and technology in the production, preservation, and processing of agricultural and food products is regarded as a critical breakthrough to drive agricultural development and boost the rural economy.

Nguyen Thi Hoang, Provincial Party Committee Member, Vice Chairwoman of the  Đồng Nai Provincial People’s Committee

After the merger, the province has 67 communes meeting the new-style rural area standard, 25 communes achieving the advanced new-style rural area standard, and 8 communes reaching the model new-style rural area standard according to the set of criteria for the 2021-2025 period. Dong Nai continues to lead the country in building new-style rural areas with the goal of achieving modern new-style rural development. Localities not only focus on economic growth but also preserve and promote the values and significance of historical relics and cultural identity...

Dieu Thi Nheo, a member of the Stieng ethnic group in Bu Gia Map commune, shared: “I am very proud to wear my traditional costume, which helps promote our cultural identity. This attire is typically worn by villagers on special occasions such as festivals, Tet, community events, and weddings. Brocade weaving is an important traditional craft that not only provides livelihoods but is also an integral part of daily life for the Stieng people in Bu Gia Map”.

By: Binh Nguyen