Bechamp Dak Nong Cooperative pioneers in organic farming

Starting from passion and responsibility

Bechamp Dak Nong Cooperative is the first unit in Dak Nong province to have a coffee area certified organic. Established in 2021, Bechamp Cooperative appeared in the context that most farmers in the Central Highlands still cultivate in the traditional way, depending on chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

From the beginning, the cooperative has determined a different direction: organic coffee production associated with environmental protection and human health.

Members of Bechamp Dak Nong Cooperative are happy because their coffee garden is certified organic.

The concept of “organic” was still quite strange to most farmers in the area at that time. How could we not use chemical fertilizers and still have healthy plants?

How to control pests without using industrial pesticides. These questions have made many people skeptical about the viability of this model.

However, with the determination of the founders, the cooperative gradually entered reality by working persistently and scientifically . From the very beginning, the cooperative advocated not to expand the area massively, but to focus on converting the available coffee areas into organic ones.

Members are thoroughly trained in composting techniques and how to create biological pesticides from available materials such as garlic, ginger, chili, coffee husks, etc.

Production logs are also strictly kept to control the process and achieve quality certification.

The methodical and transparent nature of each production stage has helped the cooperative quickly build trust from farmers as well as market partners.

Mr. Ha Cong Xa, Director of Bechamp Dak Nong Cooperative, is the one who leads farmers to develop organic coffee.

After just over 4 years of operation, the cooperative has developed a raw material area with 70 hectares of organically grown coffee, of which more than 18 hectares are nationally certified organic (October 2024), with an output of about 42 tons per crop.

This is also the only cooperative in the system of 311 cooperatives in Dak Nong that has a coffee factory certified for organic products.

Farmers in cooperatives are not only production members, but also companions in the journey of changing agricultural thinking.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hau, one of the first members, shared: “Before, I used chemicals like everyone else. After receiving technical guidance from the cooperative, I tried to switch to organic on 3 hectares of coffee. Now the garden has been certified organic.”

Not stopping there, Mr. Hau also applies the method of producing fertilizers and biological pesticides from bananas, molasses, garlic, ginger, fish, coffee husks, and even yogurt...

This method helps him save 13-15 million VND per hectare, the soil becomes more and more porous, the plants are healthier and the living environment is cleaner.

Bechamp Cooperative determines to do clean agriculture for sustainable development, increasing product value.

“Now my family lives right in the field, clearly seeing the changes from the soil to the air. Organic farming is harder, but seeing green plants and healthy soil makes me happier,” Mr. Hau confided.

The cooperative organized dozens of technical training courses, attracting thousands of farmers to participate. More and more people came to learn the Bechamp model, creating a strong wave of change in the community.

Change new agricultural thinking

Behind the success of Bechamp Cooperative is Mr. Ha Cong Xa, the founder and current Director of the Cooperative. A former officer of the Provincial Cooperative Union, Mr. Xa has a background in pedagogy, understands the sustainable agricultural linkage model and has taught for many international organizations.

Starting from his own concerns when farming at home and experience from practical models, Mr. Xa realized that chemical farming is an unsustainable path.

Dak Nong Cooperative Alliance cooperates with scientists to research solutions for manufacturing organic and biological fertilizers for plant care.

With a group of intellectuals, engineers, PhDs... he founded Bechamp Cooperative with a capital of only 24 million VND and 8 members. Up to now, the Cooperative has 40 members with more than 120 hectares of agricultural land, of which 70 hectares are organically grown coffee, the rest are pepper, durian, avocado... also following strict organic processes.

Mr. Xa shared: "The biggest difficulty is not lack of capital, but lack of confidence. But I believe in the path of honest farming, doing it with all my heart will go a long way."

To increase efficiency, the cooperative has established a scientific council of leading experts, self-researched and produced indigenous microbial products, helping to improve soil and care for crops effectively at low cost.

The name HTX is named after French scientist Antoine Béchamp, who pioneered the theory of antagonistic microorganisms, which argued that sustainable life can only exist if beneficial bacteria dominate the ecological environment.

Bechamp Dak Nong Cooperative has invested over 7 billion VND to build a factory and equipment to process organic coffee powder.

This ideology has become the theoretical foundation for the cooperative's organic production orientation: respecting nature and minimizing harsh chemical intervention.

“Microorganisms are not only farming tools, but also partners of farmers. Balancing the ecosystem is the root of sustainable development,” Mr. Xa emphasized.

Not only stopping at the production stage, Bechamp Cooperative invested more than 7 billion VND to build a factory to process organic coffee powder, creating stable output and increasing product value. In 2024, the Cooperative's coffee powder products will be certified with 3-star OCOP at the provincial level, opening up opportunities to access a wider market.

“We don’t just sell coffee, we also tell the story of farmers, of change and aspiration. Today’s consumers buy both quality and trust,” Mr. Xa shared.

Bechamp Dak Nong Cooperative's ground coffee products achieve 3-star OCOP

Bechamp Cooperative is not only a place to produce organic coffee, but also a model of mindset transformation - from chemical agriculture to clean agriculture, from individual production to a joint model, from chasing productivity to focusing on quality and the environment.

In an age where safe food is a priority, the Bechamp Cooperative model exemplifies the value of kindness, knowledge and aspiration.

Their journey also shows that farmers do not need theoretical lectures, they need to see green trees, sweet fruits, increased income and Bechamp Cooperative is proving that every day.

Bechamp Cooperative is the first unit in Dak Nong to have a coffee area that has achieved national organic certification, with 18 hectares. The Cooperative invested 7 billion VND to build a factory and equipment to process organic coffee powder products.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/htx-bechamp-dak-nong-tien-phong-lam-nong-nghiep-huu-co-251331.html