Those who work hard will not be let down by the land.

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - Determined not to succumb to poverty, two farmers, Le Hung Kiem (70 years old), residing in Dong Thuan residential area, Pho Vinh ward (Duc Pho town), and Tran Van Truc (55 years old), residing in An Phu village, Hanh Thuan commune (Nghia Hanh district), have worked diligently and reaped the "sweet fruits" of their labor on their homeland's land.

Let barren land bloom

Visiting Mr. Le Hung Kiem's home, we were quite surprised to see a pepper and custard apple orchard spanning over 0.5 hectares on sandy coastal land. Nearly 30 years ago, this elderly farmer decided to change traditional farming methods to escape poverty. Mr. Kiem traveled to the Central Highlands to learn about cultivation techniques. After researching and finding the soil suitable, he decided to invest in pepper cultivation. Thanks to his focus on investing in seedlings, an automatic irrigation system, and diligent care, his pepper garden yields very high productivity. From a small initial area, Mr. Kiem has now expanded his pepper garden to 700 plants. During each cultivation and harvesting season, this elderly farmer also provides seasonal employment for nearly 10 local laborers.

Mr. Le Hung Kiem, residing in Dong Thuan residential area, Pho Vinh ward (Duc Pho town), earns a considerable income from his farming models. Photo: Hai Chau

“Previously, even with favorable conditions like abundant land, no matter how hard we cultivated, we only had enough to eat, not enough to make ends meet. That's why I thought I had to boldly plant new crops that would yield higher economic returns. So, I went to new areas, learned from the experiences of those who came before me, and applied that knowledge to develop my family's economy. Thanks to my decisiveness and willingness to think outside the box and take action, I was one of the pioneers in the locality to bring pepper plants to this sandy land, inspiring many other farmers to learn from and follow suit,” Mr. Kiem said.

Besides growing pepper, Mr. Kiem also cultivates 120 custard apple trees on his family's sandy land. Custard apple trees are sun-loving and well-suited to the local soil and weather. Furthermore, custard apple trees are very prolific, yielding two harvests per year. The price of custard apples is consistently high, starting from 40,000 VND/kg and above, providing growers with a substantial income. Mr. Kiem shared, "Thanks to this integrated farming model, I have been able to change my life and raise my children successfully. Therefore, I realize that for farmers to become wealthy from agriculture, hard work and diligence alone are not enough; they must be dynamic, bold in investing, and apply science and technology to reap the rewards."

With his farming model, on average, after deducting all expenses, Mr. Kiem earns nearly 200 million VND per year.

Chairman of the Pho Vinh Ward Farmers' Association, Le Duc An, commented that Mr. Le Hung Kiem is a dynamic farmer. Despite having a comfortable life, he doesn't rest but remains dedicated to developing his family's economy. In addition, Mr. Kiem enthusiastically shares his experience and seeds, helping local farmers increase their income. Mr. Kiem has been recognized as a successful farmer and businessman for many years in the area.

Actively pursue wealth creation.

Born into a farming family, Mr. Tran Van Truc was familiar with farm work from a young age. After getting married, Mr. Truc worked many jobs to make ends meet, but his income was meager, and poverty continued to plague him. Driven by a desire to become wealthy on his homeland, Mr. Truc actively researched, visited, and learned from successful and economically viable livestock farming models.

Recognizing that cattle farming offered a stable market, was less susceptible to disease, and that his family's land was suitable for growing grass for cattle, Mr. Truc decided to invest capital and build barns for cattle farming. From the initial two breeding cows, Mr. Truc's cattle farm now has about 25 cows (at times reaching 40 cows). In addition, on an area of nearly 1,000 square meters, Mr. Truc built over 500 square meters of pig pens and over 400 square meters of chicken coops.

Mr. Tran Van Truc's pig farm in An Phu village, Hanh Thuan commune (Nghia Hanh district). Photo: Kim Trang

"To raise livestock effectively, first and foremost, you need to choose good, high-quality breeding stock. During the rearing process, you must fully vaccinate the livestock and poultry against diseases. At the same time, you must regularly clean and disinfect the barns and surrounding environment; and provide adequate care and nutrition," Mr. Truc explained.

Currently, Mr. Truc's farm has 25 cows, including 10 breeding cows; about 150 pigs for meat and over 100 chickens. Each year, this integrated farming model brings Mr. Truc's family hundreds of millions of VND.

Besides developing his family's economy, Mr. Truc is also the head of the local Cattle Fattening Professional Association. He actively participates in the activities and movements organized by the association. For many years, Mr. Truc has been honored as an outstanding farmer and businessman, and has received commendations and awards from the district and commune authorities.

Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Hanh Thuan commune, Nguyen Minh, assessed that Mr. Tran Van Truc's integrated livestock farm model is the most effective in the locality. In the future, the commune will continue to promote visits and learning experiences from households with effective livestock and crop farming models to jointly develop the economy and strive for prosperity.

H. CHAU - K. TRANG

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