Rice has a particularly important role in the agricultural production of our country. In 2007, rice planting area accounts for 45% of total agricultural land of the country. Rice is the staple food crop as well as the main source of income of farmers. Besides, rice contributes a substantial part to the export.

Hybrid rice was first experimentally planted in northern Vietnam since 1991, and soon the area of hybrid rice was brought into cultivation on a large scale due to their advantages in productivity. With the aim to increase rice productivity and ensure food security, the Government has enforced several investment policies to expand the area of hybrid rice such as investing in imported rice variety, researching and developing domestic hybrid rice variety and subsidizing the seeds for farmers. At the moment, hybrid rice has been planted in 40/64 provinces in the country, with the total hybrid rice area of 700,000 ha in 2009.

However, the number of research on the sustainability of hybrid rice is still limited. In other words, there have been very few studies focusing on the adaptability of farmers, especially the poor and the people in remote, mountainous areas, in the production and effects of hybrid rice. Therefore, quickly expanding the area of hybrid rice to replace the area of pure rice without careful consideration can lead to the risks to people’s livelihood, especially the poor farmers.

Since May-June 2010, the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) has conducted a research on the impacts of hybrid rice and pure rice on sustainable agriculture in Bac Kan province. The aim of this research is to collect experience in hybrid rice and pure rice and analyze the impacts of expanding the area of hybrid rice in Vietnam and discuss some strategies to maintain pure rice varieties in order to alleviate poverty and develop sustainable community.

The specific goal of the research is to carry out a survey on the situations of producing hybrid rice and pure rice in Bac Kan in order to analyze the impacts of hybrid rice on sustainable development, including those on environment, economy and society, examine the role and position of pure rice varieties in the community and in local rice variety system. The research also studies the conditions and opportunities of farmers, especially those who grow hybrid rice and bring out strategies to preserve and maintain pure rice varieties in the near future.

The research was carried out in 2 communes in Ba Be District, and 2 communes in Bach Thong District, Bac Kan province. These areas are inhibited mostly by Tay and Nung ethnic groups.  Their education level is quite low (those who stop at secondary schools and high schools account for 90%). Most of the households own rice threshing machines, 50% of them have ploughs, means of transportation and pesticide spray-guns, and a few also have water pumps for agricultural purposes. About one-fifth of the households do not have any tools to cultivate the land.

The results of the research indicate that hybrid rice has been cultivated with miscellaneous varieties since 1998. At the early stages, rice productivity was high but unstable because of pestilent insects and the plants collapsing for being too high. Hybrid seeds were too expensive and could not be self-produced; the sources of seeds were not stable. As a result, the households had to change the rice varieties each year. On the average, each variety was grown one or two crops, then being switched to another hybrid variety. Since 2003, the area of rice cultivation decreased. Until 2008, the area of hybrid rice increased with new varieties which gave high productivity and nice rice: Q uu 1, Syn 6.

In general, although hybrid rice has higher productivity than pure rice, it is unstable because of vulnerability to diseases and insects. The ability to resist droughts, cold weather and the ability to adapt to local conditions are less than those of pure rice. Notably, the paddy from hybrid rice is more difficult to sell than pure rice and is used mainly for breeding industry. The techniques of intensive cultivation of pure rice is easier compared with hybrid rice while using less fertilizers, pesticides and at the same time being more resistant to pests and weather conditions than hybrid rice.

About knowledge and skills of farmers, the research shows the percentage of farmers participating in training courses on rice cultivation is still low. Among those, classes about IPM, revigorating pure rice seeds and rice caring organized by SRD held a majority.

Moreover, farmers’ use of chemicals is unmethodical, not following the rule of “4 Right”: “ Right time, Right medication, Right dose and Right way.” The percentage of households mobilizing credit capital into rice farming is very limited.

From these findings, the research proposes that policies on research and technology transfer are needed to preserve local rice varieties with high productivity and high quality. Especially, there are needs for deeper studies on value chain of Bao Thai rice which should pay more attention to the issues of connecting production and consumption of Bao Thai rice for farmers.

Besides, the areas should have policies on research and developing local rice varieties with high productivity and quality for Spring harvest, assist with supply sources and information about hybrid rice and pure rice, provide more training courses on epidemic diseases prevention and rice care for farmers (IPM, SRI) in order to ensure safe and efficient use of pesticide and chemical fertilizers.