Farmers in Thuong Hong learn from experience and welcome a bountiful harvest of sweet melons.

HAIPHONG: The bountiful melon harvests in Thuong Hong commune are telling the story of a farmer's transformation: a thirst for knowledge, a willingness to seek out information, and the ability to apply that knowledge.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thuan (Thuong Hong commune) shared that the cantaloupe farming model has brought her family about 300 million VND per year on an area of ​​3,000 m². Photo: Lan Chi.

In Thuong Hong commune (Hai Phong city), each watermelon is not only the result of hard work but also proof that farmers are accessing new knowledge through various information channels, from training courses and agricultural workshops to visiting model farms and learning from the experiences of more established households.

As reported by the reporters of the Agriculture and Environment Newspaper, if in the article "Knowledge from the fields 'enters' the greenhouses of cantaloupe," knowledge was the source, then today, the " economic fruits" are the well-deserved reward for the daring to think, daring to act, and the ability to access information of the people of Thuong Hong commune.

The economic benefits are clearly visible from each row of melons.

Ms. Le Thi Ly is one of the pioneers who boldly switched to growing cantaloupe. In 2023, she decided to build a greenhouse system covering more than 1.4 hectares (approximately 4 acres). The large scale required boldness, and she chose a path many were hesitant to take at the time: borrowing 6 billion VND from the bank to invest.

“I was very nervous at the time, but thinking back, if I didn't do it, I would never get ahead. Luckily, I had previously learned from the experience and technical procedures in Pham Tran commune, Gia Loc district, former Hai Duong province; and with the guidance and encouragement of the leaders of Binh Giang district, former Hai Duong province, and updated market information, I felt confident enough to borrow capital for investment,” Ms. Ly shared.

In the early days, the cantaloupe farming model yielded economic results far exceeding expectations. Thanks to access to official technical information from training courses, guidance sessions from the cooperative and agricultural officials, she earned approximately 1.2 billion VND in profit each year (after deducting all expenses). This success impressed the local people, and many households sought her out to exchange experiences.

However, agriculture has never been a bed of roses. Ms. Ly shared: “After a successful first year, in the second year, natural disasters and diseases struck, severely impacting the business, and profits dropped to only about 400 million VND per year. That's when I realized that continuously updating information on weather forecasts, pest control, and farming techniques is extremely important to minimize losses.”

The worst was Typhoon Yagi in 2024, which swept away almost all of her greenhouses, causing billions of dong in damage in just one night. “If it weren’t for information channels like weather forecasts from the Agricultural Service Center, or the experience-sharing groups via phone and social media established by the cooperative, the damage would certainly have been even greater,” Ms. Ly said.

In Thuong Hong commune, Hai Phong city, each watermelon is not only the result of hard work but also proof that farmers are accessing new knowledge through various information channels. Photo: Xuan Phuong.

To operate her large greenhouse complex, in addition to family members, Ms. Ly hires 10 regular workers, paying them 200,000 VND per person per day, year-round. Thanks to this, her model not only generates income for her family but also contributes to job creation in the local area. Furthermore, the hired workers receive basic technical training and access to knowledge about high-tech agriculture, helping to bridge the information gap in rural communities.

Ms. Hoang Thi Thuan, who also independently researched models from other localities, said that cantaloupe cultivation has brought her family about 300 million VND per year on an area of ​​3,000 m². She cultivates four crops a year, with profits varying depending on many factors such as weather and diseases. According to her, access to guidance sessions, reading technical documents, and exchanging information through the farmers' internal network has helped her reduce risks, apply the correct procedures, and thus maximize profits.

Her son, who directly learned the techniques from his uncle's model in Da Lat, now handles most of the care and technical aspects, helping to make the melon crops more stable and efficient. "I didn't think I'd still be learning new things at this age. But doing it the right way, the melons are beautiful, they sell well, and I feel very happy. Thanks to access to information and knowledge, we are confident in experimenting and minimizing risks," Mrs. Thuan shared.

Households like Mrs. Thuan's and Mrs. Ly's are clear examples of reducing information poverty in agriculture: self-learning, self-doing, accessing knowledge from multiple sources, and spreading that knowledge back to the community.

Cantaloupe is suitable for socio-economic goals.

Mr. Nguyen Van An, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of Thai Hoa Agricultural Service Cooperative (Thuong Hong commune), said that the cooperative aims to expand production, build a VietGAP-certified area, and apply digitalization for traceability. More importantly, the cooperative is also establishing an information group, an online communication channel, and organizing regular technical training to help poor households, those with limited education, or those with limited internet access to still acquire knowledge and market information.

The cooperative is planning to expand the area of ​​greenhouses for growing cantaloupe by an additional 2-3 hectares in the next few years, strengthening management along the entire supply chain from materials to production to consumption, creating a network of households to share experiences with each other, and enhancing training in high-tech agriculture. This will not only increase productivity but also help narrow the information gap among farmers in the commune, especially poor and less educated households, creating opportunities for everyone to access knowledge.

Mr. An affirmed: "No one can get rich alone. Only with shared knowledge, common models, and clear information channels can we create shared value and reduce the information gap within the community."

According to the Resolution on socio-economic development for the period 2025-2030, Thuong Hong commune aims for: an average economic growth rate of 9.82% per year; an average per capita income of 74.86 million VND per year; the development of high-quality agriculture – applying science and technology; and the formation of concentrated production areas to create marketable goods. At the same time, the commune prioritizes strengthening technical communication, providing guidance on technology use and market information to the people, especially those households facing difficulties in accessing knowledge, in order to help them achieve sustainable development.

The commune leaders believe that the cantaloupe farming model, although originating from the people's own research, is very suitable for the direction of agricultural economic restructuring. Cantaloupe is proof of a new production mindset, and is the core of high-value agriculture that the commune aims for in the coming years. Knowledge, information, and technology become valuable assets, contributing to reducing information poverty and helping all farmers, even those facing difficulties, to have the opportunity to apply modern technology and increase their income.

According to Ms. Le Thi Ly, continuously updating information on weather forecasts, pest control, and farming techniques is extremely important to minimize losses. Photo: Pham Hoang.

The cooperative and the local government agreed that knowledge must come first, especially with high-tech and high-risk models like cantaloupe farming. This not only strengthens the existing model but also creates momentum for people to invest boldly, just like Ms. Ly boldly borrowed 6 billion VND to start. At the same time, establishing information-sharing groups, providing technical training, and disseminating experiences helps poor households and those with limited access to information minimize risks and increase their chances of success.

Clearly, proper access to information can create lasting change, helping poor farmers rise up and spreading knowledge and experience within the community. Despite risks and heavy losses, such as Typhoon Yagi sweeping away Mrs. Ly's greenhouse, the people of Thuong Hong still maintain their faith in learning, applying knowledge, accessing information, and achieving sustainable wealth.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/nong-dan-thuong-hong-hoc-hoi-don-mua-dua-ngot-boi-thu-d788728.html