Effectiveness of the Farmers Support Fund

In order to promote and improve the effectiveness of the Farmers' Support Fund, the Farmers' Associations at all levels in the province have organized the establishment, management, and operation of the Fund, achieving important results. As a result, many farmers have received capital support to develop their production and business, enabling them to build effective economic models, increase their income, and improve their lives.

With loan support from the Farmers' Support Fund, the Dong Huu Handicraft Woodworking Farmers' Association in Hai Anh commune (Hai Hau district) has boosted production and increased income for its members.

Annually, the Provincial Farmers' Association directs its branches at all levels to organize propaganda and mobilization efforts to increase the capital of the Farmers' Mutual Assistance Fund; coordinating with mass media agencies to publicize exemplary models in effectively utilizing loan capital for production and business development; with a focus on disseminating information during Association meetings and directly at the grassroots level where the Farmers' Mutual Assistance Fund projects are implemented. In addition, the Farmers' Associations at all levels in the province proactively develop programs and projects linked to the Farmers' Mutual Assistance Fund to serve production and improve the lives of farmers. To date, the Farmers' Mutual Assistance Fund has grown in terms of organizational scale, quantity, quality, and the number of households borrowing capital. The total capital of the Farmers' Mutual Assistance Fund managed by all levels in the province is over 39 billion VND, providing loans to 229 projects with 902 borrowing households (of which the Central Farmers' Mutual Assistance Fund is entrusted with 15.9 billion VND; the Provincial Farmers' Mutual Assistance Fund is 4.6 billion VND; and the district and grassroots funds are 18.565 billion VND).

To ensure the effectiveness of the Farmers' Support Fund, the Provincial Farmers' Association directed the Farmers' Associations in districts and cities to establish branches and professional associations that meet the eligibility criteria for borrowing from the Fund to develop economic models. Priority loan projects focused on cooperatives, branches, and professional associations, contributing to strengthening linkages and cooperation in agricultural production and the collective economy. As a result, the Associations at all levels provided loans from the Farmers' Support Fund to 178 cooperatives, branches, and professional associations, and 6 cooperatives (an average of 500 million VND per cooperative or professional association). Borrowers used the capital for its intended purpose, producing efficiently, thereby contributing to job creation for over 3,000 workers, increasing members' income, and promoting socio-economic development in the locality. Many models of borrowing and using capital have proven highly effective, such as: The My Thang Commune Aquaculture Professional Association (Nam Dinh City), headed by Mr. Tran Phuong Thuc, along with 16 members, established operating regulations, contributed capital for mutual support loans, and conducted economic accounting, resulting in high efficiency. The association received a loan of 400 million VND from the Central Farmers' Support Fund for a Koi fish farming project, contributing to expanding production and increasing income for its members. The My Phuc Commune Ornamental Plants Professional Association (Nam Dinh City), with 14 members, regularly exchanges market information, supports each other in ornamental plant care techniques, supplies seedlings, sells products on social media platforms like Zalo and Facebook, and participates in ornamental plant exhibitions with diverse products: Ficus microcarpa, Podocarpus macrophyllus, and orchids. The Phu Nghia Poultry Farming Professional Association in Trung Nghia commune (Y Yen district), with 14 members, has now developed into the Phu Nghia Poultry Cooperative, with its chicken eggs recognized as a 3-star OCOP product. The Thanh Loi Super-Egg Laying Chicken Farming Professional Association in Thanh Loi commune (Vu Ban district), with 15 members, has developed a super-egg laying chicken farming model, achieving annual revenue of 500-700 million VND; its chicken eggs have also been recognized as an OCOP product… These economic models, supported by the Farmers' Association Fund, have created jobs for thousands of workers, increased income, improved the lives of farmer members, and contributed positively to the development of the collective economy in rural areas and the construction of new rural areas. To date, the Farmers' Association at all levels in the province has guided and directly established 19 cooperative models with 203 members; and 210 cooperative groups with 2,979 members. There are 208 model branches and professional farmers' associations with over 2,600 participating members.

Members of the My Ha Commune Aquaculture Cooperative ( Nam Dinh City) harvest Koi fish.

In addition to prioritizing projects for collective economic models, the Farmers' Association at all levels regularly inspects and monitors loan applications from members to ensure that funds are used for the intended purpose, especially in selecting economic development directions suitable to the actual conditions of families and localities. Along with this, the Farmers' Association at all levels in the province also promotes activities such as transferring scientific and technological advancements; providing vocational training and job creation; supplying high-value crop and livestock breeds; supporting members in purchasing agricultural supplies and fertilizers on deferred payment terms; building brands, geographical indications, connecting supply and demand, and promoting product consumption... Over the past five years, the provincial Farmers' Association has organized 14 conferences guiding the application of digital transformation in agricultural production and consumption for over 2,000 Farmers' Association officials at all levels; officials and members of professional farmers' associations and farmer members in the province. The Farmers' Associations at the district and city levels have coordinated with the district post offices to support farmers in bringing nearly 500 agricultural products and goods onto the POSTMART electronic trading platform. The Associations at all levels have also directly and collaboratively organized over 2,300 training sessions and technology transfer programs for nearly 285,000 members and farmers; and supplied over 60,000 tons of fertilizer worth 205 billion VND to farmer members on a deferred payment basis. The Associations also directly organized 54 vocational training classes for 1,696 people; and collaborated in organizing 305 classes for 10,183 people, with over 85% of farmers finding employment after training; and provided job counseling and placement services for over 7,500 people. Furthermore, to improve the effectiveness of the Farmers' Support Fund, the provincial and district Farmers' Associations have focused on organizing training to enhance the professional skills and management of the Fund for Association officials at all levels.

The Farmers' Support Fund has become a "pillar" helping farmer members invest in expanding production and business, increasing income, creating jobs, contributing to economic restructuring, and building new rural areas in localities; at the same time, it creates additional resources to attract and gather members into the Association. From the Farmers' Support Fund, concentrated agricultural production areas have been formed, many value chain linkage models have been built, contributing to the creation of key products with high quality, brand, and economic value, and developing OCOP products. The entire province has built 459 "Large Field" models with a total area of ​​21,037 hectares, of which 4,000 hectares have guaranteed product sales. Farmers' association members have also contributed to the formation of over 39 new models in linking production and consumption of agricultural products along the value chain.

Text and photos: Lam Hong

Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/kinh-te/202506/hieu-qua-quy-ho-tro-nong-dan-6523e08/