'Review' of the '5 No' rice field at Vinamilk's largest Green Farm

Not only can corn and Mombasa grass be grown here, but the land is also covered in the golden color of the world's most famous and delicious rice variety - ST25.

From a barren, wild land, in the heart of Vinamilk Green Farm (Tay Ninh) is now the place where ST25 rice fields according to European organic standards are ripening. “5 No” - that is how the enterprise has turned the “difficult” land into bumper crops.

In mid-November, amidst the vast green of the grasslands and lakes at Vinamilk Green Farm Tay Ninh, a yellow hue of more than 100 hectares of ST25 rice fields is seen in the harvest season. This is the fourth year that this farm has successfully grown the world's best rice variety on barren sandy clay soil. Each year, the yield and quality of the rice has increased.

With Green Farm in Tay Ninh, this is not just a rice field, it is the result of a 5-year process of in-depth research, persistent soil improvement, finding optimal farming methods, choosing suitable plant varieties... In conclusion, Vinamilk agricultural experts call this "Five No's Field". That is: Do nothing - No chemical fertilizers - No chemical pesticides - No herbicides - Nothing is impossible

“Doing nothing” – For this “difficult” land, this is Vinamilk’s first attempt, with the goal of letting the land completely rest and balance its biology. Taking over this project from another unit that had failed in farming since 2016, Vinamilk spent 3 years to restore and nurture the land, thereby forming an ecological farm spanning nearly 700 hectares, of which 500 hectares are fields meeting European Organic standards.

In agriculture, “soil” is always the most difficult problem. While returning the soil to its most natural state, we also need to research how to grow crops using organic methods. Technology and knowledge brought back from abroad are not yet suitable for Vietnam’s climate conditions, so Vinamilk’s agricultural engineers have researched and combined many methods to find a “special solution” for this land to be able to “regenerate”.

“No chemical fertilizers” is the second effort that has great significance for soil improvement. Taking advantage of the “black gold” of livestock farms is the source of cow manure, after being processed through modern technology, it becomes valuable organic fertilizer for the fields. This cycle not only helps the land become more fertile, increases fertility but also helps to circulate the waste of dairy cows, turning waste into resources for the land.

Soil improvement is difficult, growing rice according to European organic standards is another difficult problem, the most difficult of which is weed control. With the determination of “No herbicides”, the cultivation staff here use many manual weed control methods such as watering, regular mowing, planting by transplanting… Although it is hard work, if the criteria are exceeded by even 1%, the land will not be able to maintain this strict organic standard.

“No use of pesticides” is the third motto to protect the fields from pests. Farm staff research and use biological products such as antagonistic microorganisms to help prevent and kill pests or use banana leaf and jackfruit fiber traps to attract golden apple snails to the gathering place…

Also because of the "healthy" living environment, this rice field has many ladybugs, bees, dragonflies..., natural enemies of pests, which are rarely present in areas where chemicals are used.

“Nothing is impossible” – not a new farming method or technology, but the spirit and perseverance with the path of sustainable agriculture that the enterprise pursues. “From a land that no one believed could be “cultivated”, let alone grown rice, the yield has now reached 4-5 tons of rice per hectare, and it is also the rice variety known as the best in the world. This helps the brothers at the farm believe that nothing is impossible, if you persevere, the land will “blossom”!” – Mr. Bui Van Toai, Director of the Farm, shared.

Not only rice, the farm can now grow many fruit trees such as jackfruit, papaya, mango... besides hundreds of hectares of grass and corn fields providing food for cows. "We apply crop rotation to improve the land. After harvesting rice, the fields will be "regenerated" with nutrients in the soil, ready for the spring corn and grass crop" - Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, Head of Cultivation at Green Farm Tay Ninh, said.

Green Farm in Tay Ninh was inaugurated in 2019, with a herd size of nearly 8,000 cows and calves, and a milk output of up to 40 million liters per year. In addition to Tay Ninh, Vinamilk currently has 3 other Green Farm eco-farms in Quang Ngai, Thanh Hoa and Da Lat (according to Organic standards), all of which are considered typical eco-farm models, oriented towards sustainable agriculture, reducing emissions in the dairy farming industry.

Ha An

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/review-canh-dong-lua-5-khong-tai-trang-trai-green-farm-lon-nhat-cua-vinamilk-ar912645.html