OCOP star - sustainable agricultural regeneration

On the journey of building new rural areas, Gia Lai province is making its own mark with a “green revolution” in production thinking. Not only focusing on infrastructure, this locality...

On the journey of building new rural areas, Gia Lai province is making its own mark with a “green revolution” in production thinking. Not only focusing on infrastructure, this locality also arouses the spirit of innovation in each cooperative, aiming to develop organic agriculture , increase the value of agricultural products and protect the environment.

In the old Chu Pah district, Ia Phi Organic Agriculture Cooperative (now in Ia Ka commune) is considered a typical bright spot. The success story started with Mr. Nguyen Van Thien, the pioneer who converted 2 hectares of coffee mixed with durian to organic farming more than 10 years ago. Instead of using chemical fertilizers, he took advantage of local resources - composting fish, soybeans and microorganisms to improve the soil. Investment costs were reduced to 1/10 compared to conventional farming, while the profit in 2024 reached nearly 2 billion VND from only 2 hectares of cultivated land.

From that pioneering spirit, Ia Phi Cooperative was born, gathering nearly 100 households with 150 hectares of organic coffee, pepper, and durian production. Cooperative Director Nguyen Van Duong shared: “Organic production requires more care, but saves costs, the plants are healthy, and the yield is stable. Importantly, the products are always sold at a price 1,000 - 2,000 VND/kg higher than the market price”. This difference is not only an economic reward but also a spiritual value for farmers who are determined to follow the “clean” path.

Along with Ia Phi, Phuoc Hung Cooperative (Tuy Phuoc Bac commune) has demonstrated another direction in sustainable development. With the "Large Field" model, the Cooperative organizes the production of high-quality rice seeds, ensuring output through consumption contracts with businesses. In particular, the Cooperative has invested 8 billion VND to build a rice drying and processing factory, bringing the 3-star OCOP brand "Phuoc Hung Countryside Rice" to the market.

Whether organic or large-scale production, the common point of these models is the central role of cooperatives - the bridge between farmers, businesses and the market. Cooperatives not only help ensure stable output, but also support farmers in completing processes, certifying products, aiming to build agricultural brands that are typical of the locality.

According to the leaders of Ia Phi commune, in the coming time, the locality will focus on expanding organic production areas, supporting the connection between processing and consumption enterprises. With these steady steps, Gia Lai is affirming that "green living" is not only a trend, but a long-term development strategy - where farmers get rich with their own hands and love for their homeland.

The fact that Gia Lai has 5 OCOP products meeting 3-star standards is clear proof of the right direction: Developing green agriculture, linking production with brands and sustainable values.

South

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/gan-sao-ocop-tai-sinh-nong-nghiep-ben-vung-395360.html