Transforming thinking towards green and clean agricultural production

Chi Minh commune is one of the communes with the largest area of organic rice cultivation in the city, with 350 hectares. Photo: THANH CHUNG

High economic efficiency

These days, the rice paddies in An Dinh village (Chi Minh commune) are bustling with people using lamps to harvest the first batches of mudworms of the season. The holes are full of mudworms, large and pink, signaling a bountiful harvest. Two years ago, Ms. Pham Thi Hoa's family in An Dinh village invested in improving over one acre of land to grow organic rice combined with harvesting mudworms and crabs.

On the same plot of land, in previous years, her family cultivated two rice crops, resulting in unstable income. Since implementing this model, Ms. Hoa's family has switched to cultivating one organic rice crop and harvesting earthworms in the other. Rice grown in earthworm-infested fields does not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, and after harvesting, the product is guaranteed to be sold through a contract, so the farmers don't have to worry about finding buyers.

Ms. Hoa's family also sprinkles cornstarch to enrich the soil. "With the current selling price of mudworms ranging from 230,000 to 280,000 VND/kg, depending on the size of the worms, the harvest will be many times higher than simply growing rice as before," Ms. Hoa said excitedly.

Chi Minh commune is one of the communes with the largest area of organic rice cultivation in the city, with 350 hectares. In recent years, the cooperative has actively coordinated trials and encouraged farmers to expand the area for planting several high-quality rice varieties, mainly ST25, on areas used for harvesting mud crabs and other crustaceans to increase production value.

With experience in harvesting mudworms in the open fields, the locals applied the techniques to the rice paddies. Many households invested in renting excavators to build embankments, enclose areas, and improve the soil, creating a suitable environment for the mudworms to grow and develop. Although the first harvest yielded low productivity, the people were all happy because the mudworms in the rice paddies were large, red, and indistinguishable from those in the open fields.

Rice cultivation yields on land used for growing earthworms average 180 kg/sao (approximately 1000 square meters). For households that have improved their land for 2-3 years, the estimated earthworm harvest is 20-25 kg/sao. Mr. Pham Xuan Luan, Director of An Thanh Agricultural Service Cooperative (Chi Minh commune), said: "In reality, organic farming is bringing high value with stable output."

The value of organic agricultural production in the locality reaches 500-600 million VND/hectare/year. Chi Minh commune focuses on promoting the development of clean agriculture and organic agriculture with the goal of building the locality into a typical model of clean agriculture - green tourism - new rural development.

In many communes of the former districts of Vinh Bao, Kien Thuy, An Lao, and Tien Lang, approximately 1,200 hectares of rice fields have been established using organic farming methods combined with sustainable exploitation of mud crabs and other crustaceans. Farmers have changed their old farming practices, moving towards green production and saying no to pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

The rice produced is not only clean and safe for health, but also maintains a clean production environment and increases economic value. Ms. Bui Thi Ha (An Quang commune) said: “Compared to conventional rice cultivation, the model of raising earthworms combined with rice production and linked product consumption is much more effective. It not only protects the environment and expands organic production but also contributes to increasing people's income and changing previous farming practices.”

To ensure market access for farmers, the local authorities also facilitate connections between farmers and businesses and cooperatives, notably Hai Au Viet Company, Thuy Huong Agricultural Cooperative, and New Generation Agriculture Joint Stock Company. Rice grown in the mudflats, mainly high-quality varieties, is also purchased and distributed nationwide by these companies.

Residents of An Thanh commune (now Chi Minh commune) begin harvesting the main season's mudworm crop. Photo: THANH CHUNG

Many potentials

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Director of New Generation Agriculture Joint Stock Company, approximately 700 hectares of rice are produced organically in the western part of Hai Phong each year, while the eastern part of the city has over 1,000 hectares. The area of rice paddies outside the riverbanks could be used for cultivating mud crabs and other crustaceans in combination with organic rice farming.

Many areas in the fields can also produce rice using this method. "The city still has a lot of room for developing organic rice production areas, while the increasing demand for clean products is a great opportunity to expand this model. Businesses propose that the City Tourism Association pay attention to organizing programs to promote organic rice and related products such as mud crabs and other crustaceans in promising areas," said Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan.

Organic products such as rice, mud crabs, and freshwater crabs, in addition to their practical agricultural value, also bring intangible benefits, contributing to attracting locals and tourists to visit, experience, and learn about rural life, and providing additional income for people in the communes. Local OCOP products also have the unique characteristics of organic agriculture.

Ms. Luong Thi Kiem, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, affirmed: "Hai Phong has sufficient potential to expand the growing area, build and develop organic rice into one of the famous agricultural brands, bringing high economic value to both farmers and businesses. Growing organic rice combined with harvesting mud crabs and other crustaceans not only brings high economic efficiency to producers but also opens up many potentials for ecotourism."

HONG ANH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/chuyen-doi-tu-duy-san-xuat-nong-nghiep-xanh-sach-526925.html