Dongnai province to launch 44 scientific and technological information centers

Farmers are searching for information at the center of Long An commune

These websites have beautiful interface and use Vietnamese and English languages to post general information of each commune such as current socio-economic situation, development orientation, the People’s Council and social, political organizations as well as to inform latest news on agricultural product market, product advertisement, economy, culture, education, healthcare, advances in scientific and technology information in the country and foreign countries, weather forecast, disease…The significant thing of these centers is that each has an e-library.

These first 12 centers are part of a project “to build up scientific and technological information center with the aim of speeding up the socio-economic development of all communes in the province” carried out by the Department of Science and Technology in the end of 2003. The project aims at providing useful information in a quick and practical way as to help farmers to change their traditional farming methods into modern ones by applying scientific and technological advance into their farm works and animal husbandry. It also targets to help farmers in mountainous and remote areas in accessing to into world in term of culture, knowledge, technique and to make the youth realize that they can become rich in their own homeland.

These scientific and technological centers are installed at the office building of People’s Committee of each commune. Each one is equipped two powerful computers connected to internet, one printer and 1 digital camera. These two computers are also integrated with e-library which stores many useful databases such as documents and films on agricultural production techniques, Vietnam customs, historical documents, scientific knowledge, and general knowledge…Three state employees of each commune are trained to know how to search for information in e-library and internet and to post latest news into commune’s website as well as to help farmers to look up information they need. These centers are connected with the Department of Science and Technology of Dongnai province through m-office application and the Scientific and Technological information center of the Science and Technology Ministry via internet. Technicians of each commune use m-office to report on the center’s operation and difficulties to Science and Technology Department. The Department will quickly solve these problem and searches for new information that farmers require.

After two years of operation, these centers have become better and better. In 2005, these twelve centers provide 269 scientific and technological films on animal husbandry, disease precaution and prevention, farming, famous landscape or tourist places… and broadcast 254 films on methods to raise ship, tortoise, frog or techniques to plant flower, mushroom, corn, bamboo. In early-2006, these centers have supplied 204 agricultural technologies to farmers, present 173 scientific and technological films and radically settle the demand of information about: raising frog, eel, porcupine…etc.

“At the beginning, farmers rarely come to this center because they don’t know how to use computer. With the help of some organizations such as Farmer Association in introducing the usefulness of the center, farmers gradually come to this center to search for information. Presently, there are about 5 people come here to look for documents and films they need for their farm work in a day.” said Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chuong, a technician of scientific and technological center in Song Trau commune. He unveiled that basing on useful information on commune’s website many local farmers had directly buy their products to trader with high price.

Website of Song Trau commune

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Chin, manager of Computer, Scientific and Technological Information Center of Dongnai Department of Science and Technology said that the project to build up scientific and technological information centers in the province has actually closed the gap between rural and urban area and set up a new relation on demanding and supplying scientific and technological information in enhancing the socio-economic situation of rural areas in the Dongnai province.

With the aim of ‘bringing’ scientific and technological information to rural areas in a fastest way and the success of these twelve centers, the project will be expanded in the end of 2006. Forty four centers will be installed in the province. Unlike the old centers, 44 new centers will be placed at the Community Education Center of each commune as to create a friendly environment and comfortable place for farmer. In addition, all databases will be updated and supplemented as to keep pace with socio-economic development.

(Translated by THKC)