Identifying mechanization as a crucial task for improving agricultural production efficiency, the province has issued many policies and support programs for people, cooperatives, and businesses to invest in machinery and equipment for production. As a result, the rate of mechanization has expanded across production stages, especially in land preparation and harvesting. Currently, the mechanization rate for land preparation is about 85%; harvesting is 54.1%; and planting is 3.5%. Additionally, the application of high technology in processing and preserving agricultural products has reached 15.2% of the area.

Land preparation is the most developed area of mechanization in Điện Biên. In highland areas, people use small, compact tilling machines. In the large field areas of the lowlands like Thanh Yên, Thanh Nưa, Sam Mứn, Mường Ảng, and Tuần Giáo, many farming households have boldly invested in plows and harrows to improve production efficiency. In the Điện Biên basin, the mechanization rate for land preparation is up to 90%. Previously, one hectare of land required 6-7 labor days for preparation; now, with a tractor, it only takes 1-2 days, and costs are reduced by 20-30%.

The development of agricultural services has helped accelerate mechanization. Many cooperative groups and agricultural service cooperatives have been established, specializing in supplying machinery for tilling, harvesting, and drying. This model helps farmers save on investment costs and increases equipment efficiency. A typical example is the Bản Mé High-Tech Cooperative. In 2018, the cooperative received VND 150 million in support to buy a seedling-raising machine and a rice transplanter. Applying mechanization and technology helped the cooperative increase rice yield by 10% and reduce pesticide costs by 40-50%. Today, dozens of hectares of the cooperative’s high-quality rice production are fully mechanized, from land preparation and seedling raising to planting, harvesting, and processing.

In harvesting and processing, mechanization has made clear strides. While most farmers harvested manually a few years ago, many now use combine harvesters. The province’s mechanization rate for harvesting is now 54.1%. In concentrated rice production areas like Mường Thanh, Mường Luân, Mường Ảng, and Tủa Chùa, combine harvesters help reduce post-harvest losses by 5-7% and improve rice quality. In processing, the high-tech application rate is 15.2% of the area. Many businesses and cooperatives have invested in rice drying systems, color sorters, and packaging machines, helping products meet quality standards and increase added value.

The Tâm Thiện Cooperative is a pioneer in applying mechanization to the rice production and processing chain in Điện Biên. The cooperative links with hundreds of rice-farming households in various communes, covering an area of about 400ha. By using machinery for land preparation and harvesting, and employing a modern processing and packaging line, their rice products achieve uniform quality and ensure food safety. Each year, the cooperative supplies 300-500 tons of rice to markets in provinces and cities like Hà Nội, Sơn La, Hưng Yên, Hồ Chí Minh City, and Lai Châu.

Despite positive results, agricultural mechanization in Điện Biên still faces many barriers. The mechanization rate for planting is only 3.5%. The reason is that the fragmented, terraced terrain and small field sizes make it difficult to use machines. In many highland communes, transporting machinery to the fields is not easy, and rental costs are high, so people still use manual methods. Another difficulty is that most existing machinery is small-scale with low capacity, while modern harvesters, transplanters, and dryers are expensive. Therefore, despite the demand, many farming households have not yet dared to apply comprehensive mechanization.

In recent years, Điện Biên province has issued and implemented many policies to support and encourage the development of cooperatives and agricultural cooperative groups. It provides interest rate support for loans to invest in machinery and supports technology transfer and training for operating agricultural machinery. The Department of Agriculture and Environment coordinates with localities to open training classes, guiding farmers on the proper use and maintenance of machinery. Many machinery suppliers also participate in this support chain, both selling machines and providing maintenance services, building user confidence.

The province is now focused on promoting mechanization linked with agricultural digital transformation. Applying digital technology in production management, traceability, and market connection is seen as a key solution for forming a smart agriculture that adapts to climate change. The province encourages organizations and individuals to invest in agricultural engineering and product processing, and to expand machinery supply services in remote areas. At the same time, it continues to improve infrastructure for mechanization, such as in-field roads, irrigation, and the power grid. The agriculture sector and local authorities are focusing on directing the implementation of land accumulation, concentration, and field improvement... to facilitate mechanization and meet the demands of commodity-based agricultural development.

Agricultural mechanization not only saves labor and increases productivity but also helps change the production mindset of farmers, from fragmented production to commodity production, from manual labor to skilled labor. As machines replace human labor and high technology is gradually applied to every stage, Điện Biên’s agriculture will achieve modern, sustainable commodity production.