These spiky animals help people develop their economy and rise out of poverty.

Carefully cleaning each hedgehog cage in his farm, Mr. Nguyen Tien Ai (born in 1966, residing in Dung town, Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province ) said that for hedgehogs to grow healthy and free from disease, the first thing is to keep the cages clean and well-ventilated.

"If we eat clean and live clean, then hedgehogs must also live clean; only then will they be healthy and not get sick," Mr. Ai said, adding that hedgehogs, despite their spiky appearance, are not as difficult to raise as people often think. Thanks to hedgehogs, his family has gradually achieved a more stable economic situation than before.

Animals with sharp spines help people develop their economy and rise out of poverty (image 1).

Mr. Nguyen Tien Ai invested in a livestock farm system covering more than 500 square meters.

Mr. Ai recounted that in 2011, after reading an article about a highly effective porcupine farming model in Northern Vietnam, he immediately researched the porcupines' characteristics, care methods, and market demand. Realizing that porcupines could thrive in his hometown, and that no one had tried it before, Mr. Ai took a gamble and bought some to raise.

“That day I bought two breeding pairs to raise. Many people said I was reckless because it was a new species, no one had raised them before. Seeing the hedgehogs with their bristly fur and sharp spines, everyone was scared. I thought it was a gamble, but now I see its value and it has brought about a good direction for economic development,” Mr. Ai said.

The spiky animal helps people develop their economy and rise out of poverty (image 2).

The spiky animal helps people develop their economy and rise out of poverty (image 3).

Despite their sharp spines, hedgehogs are easy to care for and have low breeding costs.

Mr. Ai said that hedgehogs are omnivorous, eating various agricultural products such as corn, potatoes, and vegetables. In addition, the cost of caring for hedgehogs is very low, less than 1,000 VND per animal per day, making them very easy to raise.

Furthermore, hedgehogs are less prone to disease if their enclosures are kept clean and well-ventilated. To increase hedgehog breeding, Mr. Ai independently researched mating methods. "I usually put the male hedgehog in a metal cage and then place it in the female's cage to observe. If after a day the female hedgehog doesn't bite the male, then it's considered compatible and they can be mated," Mr. Ai shared about his unique mating method.

Thanks to his diligence and good care techniques, after more than 10 years, Mr. Ai's farm has developed steadily with over 300 porcupines, including dozens of breeding pairs. Porcupines from Mr. Ai's farm are widely consumed in Nghe An, Hanoi , and Ho Chi Minh City at a stable price of 300,000-350,000 VND/kg.

Each year, Mr. Ai sells over 1 ton of porcupine meat and many breeding pairs, bringing in a revenue of about 400 million VND. "Breeding porcupines can be sold from 1.5kg, each pair costs 3 million VND. Porcupines for meat must weigh over 10kg," Mr. Ai said.

The spiky animal helps people develop their economy and rise out of poverty (image 4).

The spiky animal helps people develop their economy and rise out of poverty (image 5).

Mr. Ai invested in a sturdy, solid, and well-ventilated livestock pen system.

Not only is Mr. Ai a successful farmer, but he is also trusted by his neighbors and has held the position of neighborhood leader for the past 10 years. Whenever someone wants to learn about porcupine farming, Mr. Ai is always ready and enthusiastic to guide them, helping them find new ways to develop their economy.

After a long period of raising porcupines, Mr. Nguyen Tien Ai assessed that the model is stable and can completely help people develop their economy and escape poverty. However, porcupines are wild animals that require specific conditions for breeding, so support policies from local authorities and organizations are needed to give people peace of mind and a foundation to continue raising them and escape poverty.

Mr. Phan Van Hoang, Head of the Thanh Chuong District Forest Protection Department, confirmed that in the district, there are a number of households raising animals such as civets, porcupines, and hedgehogs, and they have all been guided by specialized agencies to register their keeping in captivity in accordance with the law.

Mr. Tran Phi Hung, Head of the Agriculture and Environment Department of Thanh Chuong district, commented: "Mr. Nguyen Tien Ai is a typical farmer in innovating production thinking. His porcupine farming model brings high efficiency, creating inspiration and motivation for people in the region to develop the economy together."