According to economic experts, in next five to 10 years, the region will become the country’s key agricultural development region. However, the agricultural industry in the Can Tho province is developing in a scattered manner and some fields are even developing slower than in other provinces in the region. To manifest the area as the region’s agricultural centre, Can Tho is developing the urban agricultural industry to raise farmers’ incomes, helping the city develop rapidly and sustainably.

So far, the agricultural sector of Can Tho and the whole Mekong Delta region has focused production on rice, shrimp, fish, and fruit. These farming products have low value and production efficiency, therefore, farmers’ lives are still difficult. Shifting towards an urban agricultural industry means creating products with high economic value such as ornamental trees, flowers and ornamental fish to supply cities at home and abroad. The real results of urban agricultural industries in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat have showed that they have brought much higher value than normal agricultural production. However, urban agricultural production needs much more capital and requires the application of advanced technologies. It is difficult for farmers who are familiar with cultivating rice now to turn to growing orchids to yield a higher value.

In fact, Can Tho has favourable conditions such as nature and population for urban agricultural development. Farmers in Can Tho and the whole Mekong Delta region are industrious and eager to gain experiences to improve productivity and the quality of products to raise their incomes.

In recent times, the Rice Institute in the Mekong Delta region has co-operated with the Mekong Company to help hundreds of farmer households in Co Do district to produce rice varieties to supply the company’s material zones. They earned high profits and have applied advanced technology in production fluently.

In the past, Can Tho was considered a remote province and its infrastructure was poor. Currently, some weaknesses have been removed. Highway No1 was enlarged, My Thuan and Can Tho bridges were built and Cai Cui International Seaport and Can Tho International Airport are being built. These projects will shorten the distance gap between Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as regions across the country and international markets. Provincial products such as orchids, ornamental trees and fish will be easily shipped abroad through the airport and seaport. However, Can Tho farmers themselves cannot increase their incomes without assistance from the cities authorities.

Urban agricultural development has not only helped create high value products but also helped exploit tourism potentials to improve incomes for farmers. When the income of 70 percent of urban farmers increases, other sectors such as industry, trade, services and constructions will develop. If farmers’ lives are difficult they will rush to the city to earn a living, causing a number of social issues, including accommodation shortages and social evils. To help the urban agricultural industry form and develop, Can Tho authorities should make proper plans and issue procedures and policies early to mobilise all sources for development.