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Short abstract:

This study examines how the rapid diffusion of drones in agriculture has changed the nature of cooperatives as rural socio-economic organizations in Vietnam. The cooperatives’ introduction of drones has revitalized them, but also undermines farmers’ independence.

Long abstract:

Agricultural drones have diffused rapidly in Vietnam since 2020, particularly in the Mekong Delta region, the country's main rice producing area. This study examines how the introduction of drones in agriculture has changed the nature of cooperatives as rural socio-economic organizations in Vietnam.

Vietnamese cooperatives have purchased the, still expensive, drones with government subsidies, to provide pesticide spraying services to their member farmers. Interestingly, the introduction of capital- and technology-intensive agriculture, as represented by the use of drones, has revitalized cooperatives as their membership has increased in this region, where the organization rate had been low due to the antipathy towards communist organizations since the unification of Vietnam as a communist state.

At the same time, cooperatives seem to transform into quasi-corporate entities. This study argues that the use of digital technologies allows cooperatives, as owners of the technologies, to reap an increasing share of farm income through a ‘farming as a service’ model. Moreover, through the commodification of farm data collected by the drones, cooperatives might generate additional revenue in the near future. This may further alter power relations between cooperatives and member farmers to the detriment of the latter. The proliferation of drones, thanks to large government subsidies, has drastically reduced the burden (labor) on farmers, but contrary to the government’s intentions, cooperatives seem to be losing their role as the embodiment of a cooperative/collectivist ideology.