Science, technology and innovation contribute to socio-economic development goals

Long An was honored by the Ministry of Science and Technology as a locality with outstanding contributions to the innovative startup ecosystem at the National Innovation Startup Festival (Techfest-Whise 2023)

Ranked 2nd in the Mekong Delta in terms of innovation index

In March 2024, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced the ranking results of the Provincial Innovation Index (PII) in 2023. Accordingly, Long An ranked 2nd in the Mekong Delta and ranked 12nd nationwide with 44.95 points. The index has 7 pillars, Long An leads the Enterprise Development Level pillar, followed by Bac Ninh province and Binh Duong province. This pillar shows the development of the market with available services, creating favorable conditions for science, technology and innovation to develop, affirming that businesses will promote productivity and good competitiveness. This represents the growth of innovative enterprises with breakthrough ideas. In addition, Long An ranked 5th with 4 out of 52 component indexes: the proportion of enterprises in industrial parks, the proportion of enterprises with ISO certificates, the number of trademark and design registration applications.

According to Director of Department of Science and Technology - Nguyen Minh Hai, 2023 is the first year the Ministry of Science and Technology deploys the Provincial Innovation Index in 63 provinces and cities. The ranking results show that Long An province is in the leading group with a strong level of enterprise development. The index helps point out strengths, weaknesses, existing problems, opportunities and challenges so that localities can adjust as well as have mechanisms and policies to promote socio-economic development based on science, technology and innovation. Based on the 5 strengths and 5 weaknesses presented, Long An province can identify issues that need attention to provide direction and administration in building and implementing solutions to promote socio - economic development based on science, technology and innovation, contributing to improving local businesses' competitiveness and innovation capabilities in the coming time.

The 5 strengths of Long An are: proportion of investment projects operating in industrial parks; foreign direct investment/GRDP; percentage of enterprises with ISO certificates/1,000 enterprises; trademark registration application/1,000 businesses; industrial design registration application/10,000 people. In which, for 4/5 indicators mentioned above, Long An province ranked 1/63 provinces and cities; The indicator Foreign direct investment/GRDP ranked 2/63 provinces and cities.

The ranking also points out 5 weaknesses of Long An such as legal institutions, security and order; number of science and technology organizations/10,000 people; environmental governance; number of enterprises in the science and technology professional services industry/1,000 enterprises; percentage of trained workers aged 15 and above.

Outstanding results

Department of Science and Technology organized drills to respond to radiation and nuclear incidents at the provincial level in December 2023

According to the Department of Science and Technology, in 2023 and the first 6 months of 2024, the department has completed 94/104 tasks assigned by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee. In 2024, the department carries out 7 key tasks according to Decision No. 204, dated January 8, 2024 of the Provincial People's Committee. Up to now, 1 task has been completed ahead of schedule, the remaining 6 tasks are on schedule.

In 2023, the Department of Science and Technology approved, managed and monitored 1 national-level, 27 provincial-level, 24 grassroots-level Science and Technology tasks, 8 model replication tasks according to the Replication Support Policy with a total cost of 18.2 billion VND.

In the field of science - engineering and technology, the Department has perfected tamanu oil extraction technology and trial production of wound healing products; designed, manufactured, and applied ventilation and cold preservation technology for rice storage modules; applied advanced technology such as AR/VR (virtual reality and augmented reality) to build and develop the image of a smart tourist destination; applied technological processes and equipment to develop high-quality grapefruit products; applied GIS technology in managing and exploiting the traffic system.

In the field of agricultural science, the department focuses on promoting research and apply of high technology and biotechnology in selecting and breeding plants, livestock and aquatic breeds with potential and advantages of the province in responding to climate change. Regarding cultivation, the department deploys tasks to research and apply technical advances in seed production (yam varieties, rice, dragon blood rice, vegetables, lotus, apricot, gac, etc); farming techniques (process of cultivating dragon fruit, producing mustard greens, bok choy, planting acacia, eucalyptus, pest management for jackfruit, etc); harvesting (tamanu oil, grapefruit essential oil, etc).

In 2024, the department continues to deploy, review, manage and monitor a national science and technology mission; 38 provincial-level (including 2 tasks under the Quality Productivity Program, and 4 tasks under the Intellectual Property Program), 20 grassroots-level Science and Technology tasks, 10 model replication tasks with a total budget of more than 29 billion VND.

Intellectual property activities, creative labor movements, initiatives and technical improvements are also focused on by the Department. To date, the Department has completed 3 collective trademark registration dossiers for 3 cooperatives including: An Vinh Ngai Cooperative, Phuoc Lai Cooperative, Tan Hiep Cooperative for orchids, dragon fruit, jackfruit and rice seeds at the Department of Intellectual Property; guide organizations and individuals in the province on registration procedures for 135 trademarks and renew 25 trademarks. There have been 3 geographical indications, 4 certification marks, 90 collective marks have been granted certificates by the National Office of Intellectual Property; 1 geographical indication waiting to be granted (Nang Thom Cho Dao Rice); registering certification  for 7 brands: Go Den wine, Can Giuoc vegetable, Thu Thua yellow apricot, Tan Tay yellow apricot, Can Duoc sausage, Can Giuoc sausage, Long An tourism and waiting to certify 7 collective trademarks.

At the same time, the Department is implementing the Intellectual Property Development Program, organizing contracts to implement 3 tasks under the Program "Building Long An province tourism brand identity through establishing, management of intellectual property rights”; “Building, managing and developing certification brands Can Duoc fresh sausage and Can Giuoc fresh sausage”; "Establishing and protecting collective trademark ownership for a number of cooperatives in Long An province in 2023". In addition, the Department submitted to the Provincial People's Committee for approval a list of 4 science and technology tasks under the 2024 Intellectual Property Development Program.

In the fields of standards, measurement, and quality, the Department is implementing the provincial science and technology task of the project "Supporting businesses to improve productivity and quality of products in 2023", supporting 30 businesses in buiding, applying quality management system, developing facility standards; certifying the above quality management system and certification according to Vietnam and foreign standards for products and goods. The Department also deploys and carries out the science and technology task at the grassroots level "Building an information management system to trace the origin of products and goods in Long An province". The system has been basically completed, ensuring connection to the National Origin Traceability Portal and conforming to national standards on origin traceability; was piloted at 22 enterprises, cooperatives, and cooperative groups; etc.

Implementing the project "Supporting the National innovation startup ecosystem until 2025" in Long An province, period 2022-2025, the Department of Science and Technology deploys activities to support the innovation startup ecosystem in 2023; promulgate regulations on operation and use of the Long An Province Innovation Startup Space on the 2nd floor of the Department of Science and Technology as a common working space in innovation startup activities; maintain support for the STEM team of Long An University of Industrial Economics with about 10-15 students, operating hours from Monday to Saturday every week, welcoming nearly 500 students of Tan An High School and Long An Gifted School to visit and experience.

The Department also organized the 2023 Long An Province Innovation Startup Festival with the theme "Innovation Startup - Creating the Future". The event was jointly organized by the Department of Science and Technology, Song Han Startup Incubation Center and Tan Tao University with the goal of connecting a network of resources from departments, branches, institutes, schools, businesses and startup support organizations, advisors, investors, corporations, Techfest villages, etc, building a dynamic, quality and sustainable innovation startup ecosystem in Long An province. In 2023, Long An and 20 other localities were honored by the Ministry of Science and Technology as having outstanding contributions to the innovation startup ecosystem at the National Innovation Startup Festival (Techfest-Whise 2023)./.

By Mai Huong - Translated by Q. Thien

Source: https://baolongan.vn/khoa-hoc-cong-nghe-va-doi-moi-sang-tao-dong-gop-cho-muc-tieu-phat-trien-kinh-te-xa-hoi-a176236.html