Women in dragon fruit growing areas are flexible in switching crops.

Faced with the impact of climate change and volatile agricultural prices, many women in the largest dragon fruit growing region in the southeastern part of the province have boldly switched to fruit crops that are more suitable to the soil, climate, and market demand.

The chili garden brings high economic returns to Mrs. Dai Thi Thin's family.

Changing the mindset in production

In Nam Trung village, Ham Thuan Nam commune, the family of Ms. Doi Thi Thin is one of the exemplary examples. On nearly 1 hectare of land, she has switched to growing high-yield plantain bananas. In addition, she has invested more than 1 hectare of land in growing guava and short-term crops such as chili peppers, papaya, bitter melon, and cucumber.

Initially, the transition was daunting for Ms. Thin, as she had only been accustomed to cultivating dragon fruit for many years. Clearing the old land to invest in new crops meant incurring additional costs, relearning cultivation techniques, and waiting many years for the new trees to bear fruit. However, to find a more sustainable path, she proactively participated in technical training courses organized by the local authorities and learned from successful models. Thanks to proper care, her family's fruit orchard gradually developed steadily, yielding high productivity. “Currently, guavas are priced at 10,000 VND/kg, bananas at 5,000 VND/kg, and chili peppers at 20,000 VND/kg or more, not to mention other fruits. Not only has it stabilized my income, but caring for the fruit trees has also reduced the pressure on electricity and water,” Ms. Thin expressed.

Meanwhile, in Nam Thanh village, even though it was late afternoon, Pham Thi Anh Hien and her husband were still busy harvesting and watering their guava, kumquat, mango, and plum orchards covering more than 2 hectares. From simply knowing how to produce, the couple are gradually becoming dynamic farmers who understand market trends and prioritize safe production.

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In the context of increasingly evident climate change, crop diversification helps farmers reduce risks when the market fluctuates or the weather is unfavorable.

Ms. Pham Thi Anh Hien - Nam Thanh village

A path to adapting to climate change.

In areas once known only for dragon fruit, the green of various fruit trees is now gradually appearing. Although many challenges still lie ahead, this picture reflects the strong adaptability of rural women in Ham Thuan Nam.

Ms. Le Thi Duc Thanh, Chairwoman of the Ham Thuan Nam Commune Women's Union, said that supporting members in switching crops is one of the tasks that the Women's Union of the commune has focused on in recent times. This includes guiding members to research, learn about, and choose crops that are suitable for the local soil and climate conditions, prioritizing high-economic-value crops such as jackfruit, coconut, guava, and banana.

In addition to organizing technical training and advising on crop selection, the association also facilitates members' access to preferential capital for production investment. Currently, the Women's Union of the commune is managing 51 billion VND in loans from the Social Policy Bank for 1,042 households, including 18 poor households, 44 near-poor households, and 338 households borrowing for job creation.

Successful crop conversion models in Ham Thuan Nam commune not only help members and women increase their income but also contribute to promoting sustainable rural economic development, adapting to fluctuations in the agricultural market.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/phu-nu-vung-thanh-long-linh-hoat-chuyen-doi-cay-trong-441931.html