President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (second from left) ploughes the field at the 2022 Tich Dien festival. (Photo: VNA)

The event is held every year on the seventh day of the first lunar month to pray for a year of bumper harvests and prosperity.

The festival dates back to the 10th century when King Le Dai Hanh decided to plough a field in Ha Nam to encourage rice cultivation.

President Phuc said the Tich Dien festival pays tribute to agriculture which has served as a foundation for national stability. He noted that given natural disasters and diseases, particularly COVID-19 last year, the agricultural sector has helped ensure food security and contribute to Vietnam’s international integration, export, and prestige. 

All resources should be mobilized for farming and rural growth, while greater attention should be paid to the application and transfer of scientific and technological advances toward the formation of a smart agricultural sector, said Mr. Phuc.