The soldier and the durian dream on the border.

But former soldier To Duc Huy decided to change that. With a spirit of "never giving up," To Duc Huy was the first person to bring durian to be grown in the border region of Ea Sup.

In 1994, after completing his military service, Mr. Huy returned to Ea Bung commune, started a family, and began his entrepreneurial journey with 2 hectares of barren land. In the early days, without electricity, water, or roads, he planted rice, corn, then cashew nuts, coffee... but nothing he planted was successful, either yielding low income or resulting in total crop loss due to natural disasters.

Officers and soldiers of the Dak Rue Border Gate Border Guard Station visit Mr. Huy's (on the right) durian farming model.

Failure did not discourage Mr. Huy. In 2018, after visiting many successful models in the province, he decided to plant durian – a crop considered "fussy" and "impossible" in this sandy, arid, and frequently flooded area. "People said I was reckless, that planting durian here was like throwing money away. But I thought, if everyone is afraid, how will we know it's impossible if we don't try?" Mr. Huy recalled.

The first 60 durian trees were planted with unwavering faith. Mr. Huy dug deep wells, installed a drip irrigation system, applied organic fertilizer, and meticulously monitored and cared for each tree. In the fifth year, the trees flowered but the flowers fell off completely. The sixth year was the same. But Mr. Huy didn't give up. He learned techniques for inducing flowering, balancing nutrients, and improving the soil according to the rainy and dry seasons. By the seventh year, the first clusters of fruit lasted until ripe. "When I harvested the first fruit, my hands trembled. Ten years ago, who would have thought that durian could be grown on this land?" he said, his eyes welling up with tears.

In 2024, Mr. Huy boldly borrowed 80 million VND from the Social Policy Bank to expand his durian plantation by another 7 acres. If conditions are favorable, the next harvest will yield 4-5 tons of durian, promising hundreds of millions of VND in revenue.

Mr. Huy's family's closed-loop pig farming model.

Besides growing durian, Mr. Huy has also developed a closed-loop livestock farming model. He raises over 2,000 free-range chickens, selling over 12,000 per year in a staggered cycle. His pig herd sometimes reaches 150 animals, including 20 sows. The manure is composted and used as fertilizer for his orchards, saving costs and reducing environmental pollution.

Starting from nothing, Mr. Huy's family now has a stable income, a spacious house, and their children are receiving a good education. "Now, people come to ask about durian varieties and cultivation techniques… No one laughs at me like they used to," Mr. Huy joked.

Mr. Nguyen Van Duc, Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Ea Bung commune, commented: "Mr. Huy is a shining example of the spirit of daring to think and daring to act. This is the first effective economic model with durian trees in the border area of Ea Bung. In the future, the Farmers' Association of the commune will cooperate with Mr. Huy to share experiences with local people to learn from and replicate."

According to Mr. Huy, the secret to his success all begins with the word "soldier." "I am a soldier. Soldiers are not afraid of hardship," he asserted confidently. The story of veteran To Duc Huy is clear proof that wherever there is land and people, there will be hope.

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