Awakening the impoverished land

QTO - Diligent, hardworking, and astute in production, Mr. Nguyen Cong Xuan, from Xuan Bac 2 village, Le Ninh commune, has boldly invested in building a model of aquaculture integrated with agriculture and ecotourism, earning hundreds of millions of dong in profit each year.

Dare to think, dare to act.

While fishing has been a traditional occupation for generations of residents along the Hac Hai lagoon, brackish water shrimp and fish farming has only emerged in the last few decades. And the person who created this "revolution" in rice cultivation and aquaculture in the Hac Hai lagoon is Mr. Nguyen Cong Xuan.

Mr. Xuan said that his childhood was a series of days spent enduring rain and sun to make a living on the Hac Hai lagoon, so later in life, he still longed to "start a business" on this land. In 2003, he began building dikes to block water for rice cultivation and shrimp farming. The early days of establishing his business were full of difficulties and hardships in an area where after just one rain, the land is flooded and roads are impassable, but Mr. Xuan and his wife did not lose heart.

The aquaculture model provides a stable income for Mr. Nguyen Cong Xuan - Photo: LC

“Back then, dike construction was mostly done manually, relying mainly on human labor. With limited capital, we couldn't afford to hire workers, so day after day, month after month, my wife and I diligently tilled the land to clear and cultivate rice,” Mr. Xuan shared.

Following the principle of "using short-term gains to support long-term growth," initially, Mr. Xuan only cultivated a few rice paddies and raised shrimp and fish in two ponds to stabilize his life. Due to a lack of experience, his family's farming and livestock raising faced many difficulties.

Undeterred, he actively participated in training courses on livestock and crop farming techniques organized by the local authorities; he learned from experienced people in neighboring areas to apply to his family's production. Working diligently day and night, regardless of the weather, his aquaculture model integrated with agricultural production has yielded encouraging results. Currently, he maintains 6 hectares of rice fields, raises 1,000 wild ducks, and over 1 ton of shrimp and various fish, bringing in a stable income of over 700 million VND per year.

Determined to get rich

To improve production efficiency, Mr. Xuan spent a lot of time learning from practical models inside and outside the province, and researching books and newspapers to try his hand at new crops and livestock. One day, he accidentally learned about the ST25 rice variety and contacted a supplier to buy seeds for experimental cultivation on his plot of land near the Hac Hai lagoon.

“The results exceeded expectations. The ST25 rice variety is well-suited to the soil conditions, and its yield is comparable to other rice varieties here. As a result, all the pilot plots have high yields, with sticky, sweet rice grains and a distinctive aroma. Furthermore, this is a rice variety that has already been recognized as the best-tasting in the world , so the market is quite favorable. Currently, I have expanded the area to 3 hectares of ST25 rice with a focus on clean production,” Mr. Xuan said.

With his keen insight and daring spirit, Mr. Xuan has combined aquaculture and ecotourism on Hac Hai Lagoon. Although not formally trained, his knowledge of the area has made him an experienced tour guide with fluent and insightful instruction. Along with delicious local cuisine , the "specialties" of Hac Hai Lagoon have attracted an increasing number of tourists to visit and experience the area. On average, over 100 tour groups visit annually to explore and experience the lagoon.

When asked about his experience in developing his family's economy, Mr. Xuan said that, in addition to diligence and hard work, farmers need to change their mindset, boldly switch crops and livestock, and introduce new plant varieties into production. Another important factor is knowing how to apply science and technology correctly to achieve high economic efficiency.

Thanks to his efforts in economic development, Mr. Nguyen Cong Xuan has been commended by the Farmers' Association at all levels for many years in a row for his positive contributions to the movement of farmers competing in excellent production and business.

According to Nguyen Van Hieu, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Le Ninh commune: “Mr. Xuan's model of aquaculture combined with agriculture and ecotourism is currently developing well and bringing high economic efficiency. In the future, the association will actively encourage members to learn from and replicate the model; support members in accessing preferential loan sources for production development; coordinate with relevant agencies in managing, providing technical guidance, connecting product consumption, and ensuring the model develops in accordance with regulations, safely and sustainably.”

Lan Chi

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202602/danh-thuc-vung-dat-kho-46b4bcf/