In the eyes of the people of Trieu Ai commune, the Dong Ben hilly area is not favorable for agricultural cultivation and forestry development due to its rugged terrain and numerous small ditches that easily cause flooding during the rainy season. Furthermore, the soil here is quite infertile, barren, and interspersed with rocks, so hardly anyone in the commune chooses this area for long-term economic development. However, in Mr. Duc's eyes, this is a potential area, very suitable for developing a cattle farm and raising freshwater fish.
Mr. Tran Huu Duc takes care of his breeding cows - Photo: NB
In early 2021, Mr. Dực boldly leased land and borrowed capital to invest in economic development in the Đồng Bến hilly area. In the beginning, he faced many difficulties and incurred significant costs in terms of effort and money due to the lengthy process of land reclamation, building barns, and constructing fish ponds.
After months of perseverance, Mr. Dực completed the construction of separate areas such as: barns for breeding and beef cattle, a cattle grazing area with a protective steel mesh fence, an elephant grass growing area, and a fish pond.
“When I first started the farm, this hilly area was quite wild and overgrown with weeds. It took a long and arduous process to build a thriving integrated farm of over 3 hectares like it is now. I am very happy that I have been able to pursue my passion for agriculture , improve my family's finances, and create jobs for many local workers,” Mr. Dực shared.
When putting the farm into operation, Mr. Duc did not encounter many difficulties because he already had considerable knowledge of business, animal husbandry, and crop cultivation, and had carefully planned the farm's development months in advance. In addition, he always enthusiastically participated in technical training courses on animal husbandry organized by the Agricultural Extension Center and farmers' associations at all levels; actively researched and learned from effective cattle farming models inside and outside the province to further improve his knowledge and experience. In particular, he confidently applied science , technology, and digital technology to the production, business, and consumption of agricultural products.
Mr. Dực invested over 1 billion VND to buy 25 breeding cows and 6 breeding bulls to raise according to a model combining cattle breeding with growing elephant grass for animal feed; he also dug a pond of about 2,000 m2 to raise grass carp, snakehead fish, and catfish. “After just over a year of investment, my farm model has started to develop quite successfully, saving costs by maximizing the use of manure from livestock farming to fertilize the elephant grass garden.”
In addition, the naturally growing grasses on the hills are an abundant food source for the cattle. At the same time, water can be drawn from the fish pond and small irrigation ditches in the farm area for irrigation during the dry season, and to provide drinking water for the cattle when needed. This model is quite suitable for hilly areas, ensuring environmental hygiene and bringing economic efficiency,” Mr. Dực shared.
After nearly five years of care, his initial herd of 31 cows has grown to over 100. "Raising breeding and beef cattle in this area is quite favorable because of the mild climate, water resources, and especially the abundant food supply. As a result, the cows rarely get sick, grow quickly, and the quality of the meat and breeding stock meets the stringent requirements of the market," Mr. Dực said.
Currently, Mr. Duc's integrated farm has achieved quite high and stable economic efficiency. The cattle herd can generate a profit of 180-200 million VND per year, and the freshwater fish farming model also yields a net profit of tens of millions of VND per year.
Sharing his plans for the future, Mr. Dực said: “In the coming time, I will prioritize developing and expanding my breeding cattle herd, investing in upgrading the enclosed beef cattle farm to take advantage of the existing advantages in this hilly area. At the same time, I will research more freshwater fish species with higher productivity and economic value to expand the area of my fish ponds.”
Over nearly five years, thanks to his perseverance, diligence, and hard work, Mr. Dực has built a large-scale integrated farm, opening up an effective and sustainable economic direction in the Đồng Bến hilly area. Mr. Dực's boldness and pioneering spirit in developing the economy in this hilly region have given many households in the village and throughout Triệu Ái commune more confidence and motivation to invest in developing the hilly economy, gradually escaping poverty and achieving sustainable wealth.
Phu Hai
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/guong-sang-o-vung-go-doi-dong-ben-193922.htm
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