Drones spraying pesticides on rice field. Photo nongnghiep.vn

HÀ NỘI – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced standards for spraying pesticides by unmanned aerial vehicles on fields.

According to the ministry’s Plant Protection Department, the standards can be considered as the first document guiding the registration and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles in agricultural and plant protection activities.

This is also the official legal basis for the registration of pesticide products used by unmanned aerial vehicles as well as for the expansion and widespread application of new spraying technologies in Việt Nam that have helped improve the efficiency and safety for sprayers and the quality of agricultural products, the department said in a meeting in Hà Nội on Wednesday.

The department’s deputy director, Huỳnh Tấn Đạt, said that the promulgation of the standards was based on the results of conducting test models, research, evaluations and consultations with a wide range of related parties.

Over 2021-2022, the department has coordinated with qualified testing organisations, domestic aircraft suppliers, member companies of the CropLife Việt Nam Association and companies under the Việt Nam Pesticide Association (VIPA) to conduct a number of experimental models of spraying pesticides using unmanned aerial vehicles.

This trial was conducted on seven main crop groups with eight types of pesticides to prevent 15 types of harmful organisms in many different agricultural production areas across the country.

The results showed that the potential for the application of drone technology to spray pesticides to prevent pests was very large, especially on crops such as rice, maize and fruit trees with control levels equivalent or higher than conventional spraying.

In addition, the application of unmanned aerial vehicle technology also significantly saved the amount of water used and labour.

Farmers participating in the trial also noted that they were exposed to less pesticides than with conventional spraying.

Based on the test results, the department developed a draft basic standard for testing pesticide spray by unmanned aerial vehicles.

“In the coming time, we will continue to improve the standards to make them Vietnamese standards and a common regulation for all fields related to agricultural production,” Đạt said.

Nguyễn Văn Sơn, VIPA president, said that in Việt Nam, some businesses of the association have used unmanned aerial vehicles to spray pesticides in fields of rice, maize, vegetables and fruits.

The initial results showed that the efficiency was equivalent or higher than conventional spray devices, said Sơn.

“Businesses applied the method in 2020-2021. At that time, the basic standards had not been issued. Therefore, the promulgation of the standard is an important basis for businesses to register pesticide products used with drones in the future," Sơn said.

Meanwhile, Đào Thu Vinh from CropLife Việt Nam Association recommended that the Plant Protection Department should continue to develop and guide standardised operating procedures so that farmers can access effective and safe drone spraying technology. VNS