Farmers are passionate about high-quality rice.

Transform your mindset.

These days, Mr. Le Thanh Tra, a farmer from Hung Thuan hamlet, happily heads to the fields. During the winter-spring crop season, he participated in the 1 million hectare high-quality rice cultivation project along with 13 other farmers, cultivating 50 hectares. For Mr. Tra, cultivating high-quality rice is essential due to increasingly stringent market demands. “I participated in planting 2.2 hectares of high-quality rice, using the OM 18 variety. This rice variety is well-received by the market, so I feel quite confident. Moreover, I received guidance on cultivation techniques according to the process, ensuring the criteria for producing clean rice grains. If I continued to grow rice using the old methods, I certainly wouldn't be able to meet the requirements of a demanding market. Besides, the rice market is very competitive now, so farmers have to adapt to keep up,” Mr. Tra explained.

Farmers in Thanh My Tay commune visit rice fields participating in the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project in Hung Thuan hamlet. Photo: THANH TIEN

According to Mr. Tra, farmers in Hung Thuan hamlet have gradually changed their rice production mindset in recent years. First, they adopted sparse sowing, with a density of 15-16 kg of seeds per hectare (1,296 ^m² ), and then proceeded to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. Although they did not meet the criteria of the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project, they did reduce investment costs. "Farmers in the hamlet now sow less densely than before, but the yield is not much lower. Rice prices are volatile, so to make a profit, we must first reduce investment costs. Agricultural supplies are increasing in price, so reducing fertilizer and pesticides by a few applications has helped a lot!" Mr. Tra calculated.

Joining the project with Mr. Tra, Mr. Mai Hong Tam was delighted to see his 55 acres of rice growing well. When the agricultural sector introduced the cluster seeding machine for sowing rice on the land, he had some concerns. Now, seeing the rice growing evenly in straight rows, he beamed with joy. “The sown rice is as uniform as transplanted rice, it’s a feast for the eyes! I’ll probably do it this way again in the next few seasons. I don’t know what the price of rice will be at the end of the season, but just reducing the amount of seeds by 50% will save a considerable amount,” Mr. Tam said sincerely.

This farmer also said that he will strictly follow the technicians' instructions to reduce watering, fertilizer use, and pesticide use. With favorable weather conditions during the winter-spring season, Mr. Tam is confident that he will achieve positive results. "My neighbors who have land nearby are very impressed by what I'm doing. Farmers are always cautious and reliable; if they see results, they will naturally follow suit! Next season, many farmers will apply the criteria of the project just like I did," Mr. Tam affirmed.

It needs to be replicated.

According to the People's Committee of Thanh My Tay commune, in 2025, the total area for implementing the project throughout the commune will reach over 3,531 hectares, with 1,323 participating households. Regarding pilot models, the commune has 4 models covering 180 hectares, attracting 57 farmers. Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh My Tay commune, Nguyen Ngoc Day, stated that in 2026, the commune will implement the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project with a total area of 4,900 hectares. To achieve this goal, the locality will intensify efforts to educate and encourage farmers to change their production mindset, and coordinate with specialized agencies to provide technical support so that farmers can confidently apply the cultivation process according to the project.

Furthermore, the People's Committee of the commune is accelerating the construction progress of irrigation works; regularly inspecting, maintaining, and repairing them promptly to ensure effective service for farmers' production, especially in the project implementation area. Along with that, it continues to build new rural areas, implement the OCOP program associated with the development of cooperatives, cooperative groups, and product consumption models; and support organizations and individuals in accessing capital and applying science and technology to production…

Despite achieving positive results, farmers in Thanh My Tay commune still face difficulties in implementing the criteria according to the project's procedures, especially in the handling of straw after harvest. "In fields with three crops per year, where the planting schedules are spaced about 18-20 days apart, there isn't enough time for the straw to decompose, causing difficulties for farmers," said Nguyen Van Teo, head of the Hung Thuan hamlet Farmers' Association.

In fact, An Giang's agricultural sector frankly acknowledges that the rate of collection, processing, and reuse of rice straw after harvest under the project is still low. The province has not yet formed a value chain for rice straw linked to processing, reuse, or bioenergy production, leading to resource waste and increased greenhouse gas emissions. To address this difficulty, the province plans to develop the An Giang 1 Biomass Power Plant in Vinh Gia commune and the Nui To 1 Biomass Power Plant in Tri Ton commune, with a total investment of over 4,000 billion VND. This is a suitable direction, helping the province promote industrial development and increase the proportion of industry in the economic structure. At the same time, it will effectively implement the project of 1 million hectares of high-quality rice and reduce emissions.

“Although certain difficulties remain, we will continue to encourage farmers to participate in the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project in the coming time. This is a suitable direction that helps increase profits for farmers and meet market demands. In particular, participating in the project helps farmers move towards green and sustainable agriculture in the future,” Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Day emphasized.

THANH TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/nong-dan-me-lua-chat-luong-cao-a472421.html