It's time to give life back to the land!

The television documentary "Restoring Life to the Land" by reporter Tra My and her colleagues excellently won the B Prize - News, Documentary, and Feature Film (Television) at the 8th National Journalism Awards - 2023.

Network of shudders

Arriving at a remote hamlet in a mountainous commune of Thanh Son district, Tra My and a group of reporters, posing as people wanting to open an earthworm processing workshop, were warmly welcomed by a supplier of electric shock devices and earthworm cutting machines. In a small area of only a few dozen square meters, the workshop was fully equipped with electric shock devices, earthworm cutting machines, and drying facilities.

"The owner of the facility quickly plugged the electric stunner into the ground so her husband could demonstrate how to cut open the worms. In just a few dozen minutes, all the techniques were enthusiastically taught, from using the electric stunner and cutting open the worms to drying them," reporter Tra My said.

According to observations by reporters from Phu Tho Radio and Television Station, this facility has been operating for over 4 years and is one of the major hubs for buying and selling earthworms and related machinery in Phu Tho province.

The processing facilities work until dawn to ensure sufficient supply, and those who use electric shock to catch worms also scoure the land day and night. Amidst the sounds of the electric current, the worms writhe and crawl to the surface, are caught, and transported to factories that purchase and process fresh worms.

It's time to give life back to this land. — Reporter Tra My is working at the scene.

Reporter Tra My shared that, upon witnessing these images, it's clear that a huge number of naturally occurring earthworms are being electrocuted and sold to processing plants like these. Cleaned, dried, and processed, earthworms have become a sought-after commodity for profit. This business network is horrifying to behold and raises the question: what drives people to disregard the numerous risks involved in hunting this seemingly harmless creature?

"Most worryingly, in areas where earthworms are caught using electric shock, the root systems of crops are severely affected, often taking 3 to 5 years to recover. This is a very high price to pay for farmers cultivating and growing crops on this land," Tra My expressed.

The biggest concern for Tra My and her colleagues was witnessing firsthand the transformation in the traditional relationship between farmers and earthworms – creatures known as "farmers' friends" and "natural plows." Historically, farmers highly valued earthworms; generations of farming experience taught them that earthworms moisten the soil and transport nutrients from the surface to deeper layers…

"Therefore, the relationship between farmers and this creature is very strong. But nowadays, who are the ones using electric shock to catch earthworms? It's the farmers themselves. Why? Because the profit is too great and it's too easy to catch this harmless, docile creature. Looking deeper into this issue, we realize there is a danger when farmers are willing to accept the great risks of depleting the soil in order to hunt earthworms. This terrifying disregard reflects the limited thinking of a segment of farmers," reporter Tra My shared.

It's time earthworms were protected.

When Tra My and her team of reporters began working on this project, the practice of using electric shock to catch earthworms was a serious problem in Phu Tho province. Before its recent resurgence, this situation had been occurring since 2018 and had been reported by various media outlets.

Although this topic is not entirely new, its relevance remains strong because its impact on the environment, agriculture , and social life in rural areas today is very evident.

To accurately reflect these powerful impacts, Tra My and her colleagues strived to convey the most authentic and comprehensive content possible. This required considerable effort in closely monitoring the earthworm procurement activities, gathering photographic documentation of processing facilities, interviewing experts, and considering proposals from industry leaders. The relatively large volume of content meant that the project took longer than anticipated.

"The video editing process didn't take too much time, but it required many refinements to achieve the desired result. We tried to use real-life images obtained while visiting worm processing facilities and on-site interview sounds to convey the intended message," Tra My shared.

Throughout the process of creating the artwork, Tra My was constantly troubled by numerous perplexing questions, particularly regarding the practice of using electric shock to catch earthworms, which had occurred five years prior. Even now, earthworm processing facilities are still operating, and people are still buying and selling these devices, waiting for the season to profit from earthworms. Why are we so slow in implementing more thorough management measures? If we continue to be "powerless" in our management efforts, what dangers will we face? What losses will we have to accept?

"That will certainly be a very high price to pay, a belated lesson that will cause regret among officials and the people," said reporter Tra My.

The most satisfying aspect for the reporting team in creating this work is that it has truthfully and comprehensively reflected the reality of using electric shock to catch earthworms in the locality to the public. "Restoring Life to the Land" has, to some extent, contributed to positive impacts on local authorities and specialized agencies to strengthen the management of this activity and to propose to central government agencies the need for thorough management measures to eliminate the practice of using electric shock to catch earthworms.

"It's time for earthworms to be protected; earthworm farms and processing facilities should be shut down; people should strongly oppose any use of electric shock to catch earthworms. It's crucial to recognize that the activities of such places are seriously threatening current agriculture and destroying the life of the soil in the future. It would be too late to wait another five years for fundamental solutions to restore life to the land," Tra My shared.

Hoang Anh

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/da-den-luc-tra-lai-su-song-cho-dat-post302889.html