Improve the operational efficiency of the agricultural association model

(GLO)- The western region of Gia Lai province currently maintains more than 160 agricultural association models with about 4,900 members. Reality shows that although there are still certain limitations, these models contribute significantly to improving income, raising living standards and promoting linkages in agricultural production.

Promoting the role of the agricultural association model

In the agricultural association model, there are 43 agricultural associations in the field of growing vegetables, flowers and fruit trees; 36 agricultural associations in the field of growing coffee, cashew, macadamia, tobacco; 32 agricultural associations in the field of livestock (fish, goats, rabbits, cows, bamboo rats, birds); 48 agricultural associations in growing rice, corn, sugarcane, cassava, durian...

The farmer association model has created a practical professional living space where farmers exchange experiences, share techniques, update new knowledge and together solve production challenges.

Members of the Fruit Tree Association of Thanh Binh village (Ia Grai commune) exchange experiences in agricultural production. Photo: Ha Duy

In Ia Grai commune, Thanh Binh village fruit tree association is a bright spot. The association was established in 2020 with 22 members, the total production area of ​​coffee, durian, avocado, Thai jackfruit, guava... is about 70 hectares; the output reaches nearly 1,000 tons/year.

Mr. Le Van Luc, Chairman of the Farmers' Association, said: The Farmers' Association maintains regular monthly activities to update techniques and share experiences, and at the same time connects businesses and engineers to organize training courses.

The association also proactively contacts reputable agricultural material suppliers to ensure quality and reasonable prices for members. In particular, the association has established two durian growing area codes with nearly 100 hectares, opening up stable export opportunities.

Joining the Vegetable Growing Association since 2020, Mr. Pham Tam (village 4, An Phu ward) said: Thanks to joining the association, I have more opportunities to access sustainable linkage methods in growing and caring for vegetables; experience in selecting varieties, determining seasons, and preventing pests and diseases.

Thanks to that, my family's vegetable garden of more than 1.2 hectares growing green beans, cabbage, cucumbers, etc. has achieved high productivity, bringing in stable income and creating more jobs for local workers.

According to Mr. Y Kham - Vice Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association: The model of the agricultural association has made an important contribution in moving agricultural production from small scale to commodity economic thinking, forming products with clear output and high economic value. Many members have become more aware of the role of farmers as the main subject in the development of modern agriculture.

Improve operational efficiency

However, the agricultural association is an organization of farmers with the criteria of "3 no, 3 self, 3 together" (no apparatus, no budget, no facilities; voluntary, self-management, self-decision of work; thinking together, doing together, enjoying together). This makes the agricultural association's executive board mainly farmers who directly produce, lack management knowledge, lack operational skills, have little experience in linking, finding output and promoting cooperation.

Members of the Thanh Binh village fruit tree association meet once a month to exchange experiences in agricultural production. Photo: Ha Duy

Mr. Le Van Luc said that the biggest difficulty for the members of the executive board is the limitation in management skills and network. Due to the lack of relationship with enterprises and markets, the agricultural association has not yet found a stable outlet for its products.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Thieu Viet Doan, Chairman of the Coffee and Macadamia Association of Son Lang Commune, said that most of the association's staff have not been properly trained; their experience is mainly accumulated through practice, so it is difficult to avoid confusion when mobilizing members or implementing professional content.

Faced with this situation, the Provincial Farmers' Association is implementing many solutions to improve the capacity of the association's executive board. Mr. Y Kham said that the model of the association being implemented in the communes and wards in the West of the province has the characteristic that the executive board as well as the members are all farmers and members of the Farmers' Association.

Training programs, seminars, and technology transfer programs organized by the Association all include content to foster management skills, agricultural organization skills, innovative production thinking, and technology application for members.

Topics of focus include application of advanced technology in production; improving the quality of preliminary processing and post-harvest preservation; developing OCOP products; production according to VietGAP, GlobalGAP, 4C standards; application of 4.0 technology in production management and product consumption...

These are contents that help farmers gradually approach modern agricultural standards, serving the goal of developing sustainable commodity agriculture.

In addition, the Provincial Farmers' Association also coordinates to organize study tours and learn from experiences at branches and professional associations in and outside the province. Through successful models, members have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, approach advanced production organization methods, and then apply them to the conditions of their own agricultural associations.

“Improving the capacity of the management team not only helps the agricultural association model operate more effectively but also creates a foundation to promote value chain linkages, form concentrated production areas, and improve the competitiveness of agricultural products,” said Mr. Kham.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/nang-cao-hieu-qua-hoat-dong-cua-mo-hinh-nong-hoi-post574123.html