Many benefits when Ia Phi farmers cultivate organically

(GLO)- In recent years, with the direction of the government and the dynamism of farmers, Ia Phi commune (Gia Lai province) is shifting to organic production. This is considered a sustainable direction, both increasing the value of agricultural products, protecting the environment and improving people's lives.

Pioneering models

More than 10 years ago, Mr. Nguyen Van Thien's family (village 1) was one of the pioneers in applying organic production on an area of ​​2 hectares of coffee mixed with durian. Instead of relying entirely on chemical fertilizers, Mr. Thien composted organic fertilizer from fish protein, soybeans and agricultural by-products, combined with indigenous microorganisms (IMO) to improve the soil.

Mr. Thien shared: “The average cost of fertilizer for 1 hectare of coffee when using inorganic fertilizer is about 60 million VND/year. Meanwhile, if you compost organic fertilizer yourself, it only costs 6-7 million VND/year. In addition, I also apply the method of controlling the moisture retention of grass to protect the soil.”

Thanks to the use of IMO, Mr. Nguyen Van Thien's family's coffee garden has grown green and productive. Photo: Le Nam

On an area of ​​2 hectares, Mr. Thien planted about 1,600 coffee trees interspersed with 400 durian trees. In 2024, with only 60 durian trees for harvest, his family harvested more than 11 tons of fruit; the coffee also achieved an average yield of 20 - 25 tons of fresh fruit/ha; earning nearly 2 billion VND in profit, much higher than before. This effective model has become a tourist attraction for many households wanting to learn about organic production techniques. Especially thanks to the active role of the Ia Phi Organic Agriculture Cooperative (Mrong Ngo 3 village), this sustainable production direction has spread widely in Ia Phi.

5-6 years ago, Mr. Nguyen Van Duong - Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ia Phi Organic Agriculture Cooperative, along with some members of the Cooperative, started experimenting with organic coffee, pepper, and durian cultivation. Positive results have convinced many households to participate. Up to now, the Cooperative has cooperated with nearly 100 households with an area of ​​about 150 hectares, all of whom limit the use of inorganic fertilizers, actively use microbial fertilizers, biological products, fish protein, and soybeans to improve the soil and care for plants. "If the soil is healthy, the plants will be healthy, and if the plants are healthy, the yield will be stable and the products will be safe," Mr. Duong shared.

Towards organic agricultural production areas

According to calculations by Ia Phi Organic Agriculture Cooperative, organic production helps reduce costs significantly. Previously, 1 hectare of coffee required an investment of about 100 million VND/year. When switching to organic farming, the cost is only 60 - 70 million VND/year. After 2 - 3 years of application, the savings reached 30 - 40% compared to traditional farming, while productivity remained at 25 - 30 tons of fresh fruit/ha.

In particular, organically produced coffee has a high rate of ripeness and good quality, and is sold at a price about 1,000 - 2,000 VND/kg higher than the market price of fresh coffee. Not only does it bring economic benefits, the model also contributes to reducing environmental pollution and limiting negative impacts on workers' health.

People compost coffee husks to make bio-fertilizer for plants. Photo: Le Nam

“The cooperative is currently completing the application for organic certification. This is an important step to increase product value, expand the consumption market and build the Ia Phi clean coffee brand. We hope that the product will be recognized and have a stable purchasing partner so that people can feel secure in long-term investment. At that time, the cooperative will not only stop at production but also move towards deep processing, participating more deeply in the value chain,” Mr. Duong informed.

Together with the efforts of farmers, Ia Phi commune has established and maintained the operation of 9 cooperatives, many cooperative groups and production-linked household groups. Cooperatives play an important role in connecting product consumption and providing technical guidance to people.

Up to now, the locality has had more than 200 hectares of industrial crops and fruit trees applying advanced techniques; in which, many areas are gradually shifting to organic direction such as coffee trees, melons, lingzhi mushrooms under the forest canopy... In particular, Ia Phi now has 5 OCOP products meeting 3-star standards, demonstrating the efforts to improve local agricultural products, creating a foundation to move towards building an organic brand associated with a sustainable value chain.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Son - Chairman of Ia Phi Commune People's Committee - affirmed: "Developing organic agriculture is a suitable direction in the context of consumers increasingly paying attention to health and quality of agricultural products. In the coming time, the commune will coordinate with specialized agencies to support cooperatives and farming households to complete organic certification, while strengthening market connections so that people can feel secure in production. With the strong spread of effective models, Ia Phi promises to gradually form an organic agricultural production area, bringing high economic value and sustainable development to the people".

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/nhieu-loi-ich-khi-nong-dan-ia-phi-canh-tac-theo-huong-huu-co-post566699.html