Dak Lak, long recognised for its extensive agricultural production base, is well positioned to evolve into a regional hub for high-tech agriculture as well as coordination of agricultural value chains.

A novel growth driver

Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW offers the province an opportunity to fundamentally modernise its agricultural sector. Dak Lak currently has about 826,000 hectares of agricultural land, including 217,000 hectares of coffee, 41,800 hectares of durian, 28,400 hectares of pepper, alongside tens of thousands of hectares devoted to other crops. During 2021-2025, agriculture, forestry combined with fisheries recorded average annual growth of 5.33%, contributing 38.47% to provincial Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich's organic Ruby guava along with green-skinned pomelo farm in Ea Sup Commune integrating science and technology to develop deep-processing value chains for leaves, fruit and agricultural by-products.

According to Master Nguyen Phan Huy Khoi, Director of the Vietnamese Youth Startup Support Centre, harnessing big data, smart logistics and e-commerce could enable Dak Lak to evolve from a major agricultural production base into Vietnam's agri-value chain coordination hub while gradually connecting with Southeast Asian markets.

Digital transformation is already extending across agriculture through crop-area databases, electronic farming diaries, product traceability systems, AI for pest along with disease forecasting, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies supporting irrigation and crop nutrition management. These innovations are laying the foundation for a transition from volume-driven production to smart, value-added agriculture.

PPC Vice Chairman, comrade Nguyen Thien Van stressed that agriculture must shift from output-driven growth towards higher quality, stronger traceability combined with lower greenhouse gas emissions in response to increasingly demanding international market standards. He noted that establishing standards for key agricultural products, particularly Robusta coffee and durian, will be critical to raising export value in coming years.

Advancing green agriculture

Dak Lak currently has around 15,000 hectares under high-tech agricultural production, nearly 20,000 hectares certified under VietGAP, alongside tens of thousands of hectares of coffee meeting international certification standards. Numerous enterprises have invested in drip irrigation systems, greenhouses, biotechnology, with production complying with VietGAP, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade and European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). During the H1 of 2026, the province approved investment policy for eight high-tech livestock projects with combined registered capital of approximately 1.235 trillion VND, lifting the share of high-tech farm-based livestock production to 60% of total livestock.

Farmers applying advanced technologies for pesticide spraying and fertiliser application in durian orchards.

According to experts, however, the greatest challenge no longer lies in technology but in production organisation. Dak Lak's agricultural sector remains highly fragmented, with smallholder farming continuing to dominate. Value chain linkages remain weak, while innovation capacity among enterprises and cooperatives has yet to meet development requirements.

According to comrade Mai Dinh Tho, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Krong Pac Clean Agricultural Services Cooperative, digitalisation of agricultural products has significantly strengthened product traceability, yet digital skills among the rural workforce remain limited. He proposed that the State develop a shared, user-friendly digital platform while providing digital skills training alongside initial technology infrastructure for cooperatives.

Department of Agriculture and Environment has identified high-tech agriculture developed along integrated value chains from production areas through processing to market distribution as a strategic priority. The department is also assisting enterprises coupled with farmers in establishing standardised growing areas while expanding application of advanced technologies to increase agricultural value.

Supported by abundant raw-material production areas, expanded development space following administrative restructuring, an increasingly integrated logistics network, together with strategic direction under Resolution No. 57, Dak Lak is well positioned to realise its ambition of becoming a regional hub for high-tech agriculture, agricultural processing, as well as agri-value chain coordination.

Translated by HAI LOAN