Stable income from hydroponic vegetable farming.

Thanks to his proactive research and innovation in promoting the application of science and technology in vertical aeroponic vegetable cultivation, Mr. Nguyen Van Be Luom, residing in Phu Le hamlet, Phu Tan commune, Chau Thanh district, has achieved a stable income for his family.

Mr. Nguyen Van Be Luom is very pleased with the results that the vertical hydroponic vegetable growing model has brought to his family.

With over 20 years of experience in vegetable farming, Mr. Luom sometimes faced the prospect of losing everything due to weather conditions and fluctuating market prices resulting from traditional soil-based farming methods. In 2018, he independently sought information online, proactively studied and researched farming techniques in various places, and read additional materials on clean vegetable farming techniques.

From there, he decided to borrow 20 million VND from the bank to invest in the first 150 vertical hydroponic systems for growing vegetables, because this model was very promising and suitable for the current demand for clean food. However, when he first started, due to a lack of experience in hydroponic vegetable cultivation, the first crop of lettuce did not meet expectations, but he did not give up.

Notably, after many successful harvests, the products sold on the market received high praise from consumers, which contributed to building confidence and motivation for Mr. Luom to gradually expand his investment in cultivation on his garden land. "Growing vegetables using the aeroponic method has advantages over traditional methods. Thanks to the application of technology with an automatic sprinkler irrigation system, the care process saves a lot of time and effort," Mr. Luom shared.

According to Mr. Luom, growing vegetables using the aeroponic method in a greenhouse relies entirely on organic fertilizers, combined with an automatic irrigation system that regularly supplies water and nutrients to the vegetables mounted on plastic pillars. Every few days, he uses a device to measure the concentration of nutrients needed for the plants in the growing baskets fixed to the pillars, so he can replenish them promptly. This not only saves labor but also ensures the safety of the produce for consumers.

In the past, he mainly grew vegetables such as kale, lettuce, and chives, but recently he has been experimenting with growing spinach, as the market price is quite high, around 35,000 VND/kg. Although the price of hydroponically grown vegetables is not much different from traditionally grown vegetables, thanks to the shortened production time, especially the ability to control the growing season, and the reduced land area required, his family has a very stable monthly income.

According to Mr. Luom, each vertical tower is about 2 meters high and can hold 45 growing baskets of vegetables. Although the initial investment in equipment for the vertical hydroponic vegetable growing model was quite high, after two years of successful cultivation, his family has recovered their capital. Currently, his family has more than 2,000 vertical plastic towers on 2,000 square meters of their garden land for growing hydroponic vegetables. The advantage of hydroponic farming is that the vegetables are harvested quickly, on average in 15 days, significantly shortening the time to profitability.

After harvesting, the baskets can be replaced to continue planting a new crop. Yields are high, and the produce is popular with consumers. “In the future, besides local markets, I will also supply supermarkets, as I am waiting for the certification for clean vegetables. I also bought a vegetable washing machine to help ensure food safety and hygiene. When the product sells well in the market, it will help stabilize prices and reduce the situation where traders manipulate prices,” Mr. Luom added.

Mr. Duong Hoang Thong, Vice Chairman of the Phu Tan Commune Farmers' Association, said: “The association holds monthly meetings to assess the situation and exchange experiences on farming techniques for models that yield high economic efficiency, including aeroponic vegetable cultivation. At these meetings, Mr. Luom enthusiastically shares valuable experiences from his practical farming with the farmers. It is expected that in the future, the association will coordinate with other organizations and the commune's technical team to support and guide members and farmers who wish to implement this model.”

According to Mr. Do Trung Nam, Chairman of the District Farmers' Association, the model of growing vegetables using aeroponics, applying science and technology, which yields high economic efficiency and is being applied by Mr. Luom, is not new, but few people know about it, so it is not yet widespread among association members and farmers. Going forward, the association will focus on providing support resources for this model, with the goal of spreading it to other communes in the district.

Accordingly, the District Farmers' Association will prioritize proposing loan applications for members and farmers who need to apply aeroponic vegetable cultivation methods. This will contribute to quickly improving the income of farming families, especially those whose livelihoods are primarily based on agriculture, enabling them to achieve a more stable life sooner.

Text and photos: LAM KHANG

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