Lesson 2: 'Green economy' cooperative model
In the production and business process, some cooperatives in Nghe An have been proactive, daring to think and act, applying new advances to create momentum in exploiting the potential strengths of rural and mountainous areas. Specifically, applying mechanization, producing rice according to carbon credits, producing brocade, processing bamboo, medicinal herbs, etc., creating stable income for thousands of members and workers.
In fact, thecooperativeAgricultural services play the role of a bridge between businesses and farmers, are the units that invest in purchasing machinery and equipment for mechanization, serving production, creating "footprint-free" fields; connecting stable consumption of agricultural products, with large volumes.
At Bo Rao field of Thach Son hamlet, Van Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, one day in early May, we directly "surveyed" the effectiveness of the model."no human footprints" field, implemented in the 2024 Spring rice production of agricultural service cooperatives in Yen Thanh. It is a field applying unmanned transplanters, care by agricultural drones, and organic rice production.
Mr. Nguyen Phuc Hung, the owner of the model rice field, excitedly expressed that, after a lifetime of working with mud, he was finally able to witness “no human footprints” on his rice field. Right from the beginning of the season, the soil was softened by a machine, followed by an unmanned transplanter, combined with a fertilizer spreader using an aircraft. The process of spraying pesticides also used an unmanned aircraft, and on the day of harvesting, a combine harvester was also used. During this rice crop, no one had to set foot in the field, resulting in higher economic efficiency. With this 1 hectare of rice, 7.5 tons of rice were harvested, the current market price is 9,000 VND/kg, equivalent to nearly 68 million VND, after deducting all costs of seeds, fertilizers, tillage machines, pesticides, etc., the estimated profit was 30 million VND, 10 million VND higher than before.
Mr. Nguyen Phuc Hung added: "Farming like this is really enjoyable, not "the buffalo goes first, the plow goes after". The "footless" field has realized the dream of farmers, liberating labor in the current context of labor shortage in the countryside."
The "footprint-free" field has realized the dream of farmers, liberating labor in the current context of labor shortage in rural areas.
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Mr. Nguyen Phuc Hung, Van Thanh commune (Yen Thanh)
Mr. Nguyen Trong Huong - Director of Yen Thanh District Agricultural Service Center, said: During the process of planting and caring, unmanned planting, fertilizing, and spraying equipment... are used, so farmers only manage on the bank during more than 3 months of caring for and harvesting rice. The entire field of 10 rice bushes is like 1, in a straight line, the rice plants grow more evenly, increasing productivity, bringing clear economic efficiency compared to rice cultivation by traditional methods, with profits increasing by more than 10 million VND/ha compared to outside the model.
Also according to Mr. Huong's discussion, currently in Yen Thanh district, there are 6 models of "footprint-free" rice fields using unmanned transplanters, agricultural aircraft for care, and organic rice production in the communes of Van Thanh, Long Thanh, Cong Thanh, Minh Thanh, Lien Thanh and Hong Thanh, with a total area of nearly 100 hectares in which the cooperative actively participates. The result of the model is to contribute to promoting and mobilizing farmers to change traditional production methods and thinking to "Application of smart technology in organic rice production", in order to liberate labor, contribute to increasing income value for rice growers, towards a modern and sustainable agricultural production.
In recent years, many cooperatives in Nghe An have applied the "no human footprint" field model such as Quynh Tam (Quynh Luu), Dien Lien (Dien Chau), Tho Thanh (Yen Thanh), actively mechanizing agriculture, reducing input costs in rice production... which has brought high economic efficiency. Such models are all implemented by agricultural cooperatives in association with enterprises. Mr. Vo Van Giap - Director of Dien Lien Agricultural Service Cooperative (Dien Chau), said: This spring crop, the cooperative has cooperated with enterprises to produce nearly 250 hectares of rice. The advantage of applying technology to production is that input costs are low and efficiency is higher. In addition, rice production also reduces emissions, creating carbon credits - a new direction today.
The advantage of applying technology to production is that input costs are low and efficiency is higher. In addition, rice production reduces emissions and creates carbon credits - a new direction today.
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Mr. Vo Van Giap - Director of Dien Lien Agricultural Service Cooperative (Dien Chau)
The mountainous region of Nghe An, especially Con Cuong district, has potential for bamboo, rattan, and reed materials with about 3,500 hectares. These are multi-purpose plants in people's daily life: building houses, serving the construction industry, weaving, etc. with high durability. In Con Cuong, there is Tra Lan Cooperative with young people who dare to think and dare to do, processing bamboo - rattan - reed materials into unique handicraft products, contributing to creating jobs for hundreds of local workers. Most importantly, the cooperative has contributed to maintaining and preserving the green color of planted forests, preserving indigenous culture and attracting thousands of tourists here.
From Con Cuong town, we crossed a 20km forest road to Tra Lan Cooperative, directed by Mr. Thai Dang Tien in Khe Choang village, Chau Khe commune (Con Cuong). Chau Khe is a border commune bordering Laos, with many villages having “three no’s”: no electricity, no road, no internet… but having vast areas of bamboo and rattan. Thousands of environmentally friendly products are made by members of this cooperative: teapots, trays, cups, chopsticks, bowls, spoons, ladles, flower vases, toothpick holders, lanterns of all kinds, rattan and bamboo tables and chairs…
Mr. Thai Dang Tien said that in order for the product to be durable and beautiful, the bamboo must be 5 years old or older to be mature, hard and flexible enough. Bamboo taken from the forest must be processed in the traditional way: soaked in water for 6 months to 1 year or boiled in lime water and salt. After being processed, the bamboo will not be worm-eaten and will be more durable, especially some products can be hung in the kitchen to be durable over time. Observing the product display area shows that the products are cut, smoothed, polished, to ensure safety when used and enhance aesthetics.
Tra Lan Cooperative has received attention from local authorities from supporting establishment procedures, supporting loans to bringing products to major fairs. The Management Board of Tra Lan Cooperative also approaches the market by introducing on social networking sites, so customers near and far know more and more. The main ones are still restaurants and hotels in and outside the province, especially Ho Chi Minh City. The cooperative's annual revenue is about 1 billion VND, creating jobs for dozens of ethnic minority workers.
Director of Tra Lan Cooperative - Mr. Thai Dang Tien, added: “As a highland person, loving my hometown and the landscape of the village, from 2016 to 2018, I did not mind the difficulties, I took the trouble to go to craft villages outside the province to learn how to do it. When I had solid skills, in 2019, I decided to return to my hometown to start a business in the locality. The cooperative has received attention from the local Party Committee and government, so I have confidence in its development.”
Nghe An is a locality with 11 mountainous districts, generally every locality has a lot of bamboo, reed, bamboo, etc. Tra Lan Cooperative is one of the bright spots in the border area, helping to protect the environment, protect the ecology and create more jobs. From the processed products of the cooperative, the villagers have multiplied the bamboo ramparts, both developing the forest economy and protecting the ecological environment.
Pu Mat Medicinal Herbs Cooperative (Con Cuong) is also a cooperative that has been operating effectively for many years. Grasping the trend of using medicinal herbs for health care that is becoming more and more popular, the cooperative has created large medicinal herb fields according to VietGAP standards with the support of Japanese experts in the Western region of Nghe An. From here, clean medicinal herbs are processed by cooperative members into many quality OCOP products, including 2 products that have achieved 4-star OCOP. Pu Mat Solanum procumbens products, Pu Mat Gymnema sylvestre, Solanum procumbens instant tea, Solanum procumbens pills...
Pu Mat Medicinal Herbs Cooperative has contributed to greening barren hills and increasing green areas in environmental protection of Pu Mat National Forest, creating multiple values per unit area, while creating more jobs for hundreds of local workers.
For many years, after harvesting, farmers have burned all the straw in the fields to clean up pests and make farming easier. In the past, straw was used for cooking, but now with the advent of gas stoves and electric stoves, the straw resource is wasted.
Worried about hundreds of thousands of tons of straw wasted in the fields, while cattle and buffaloes on large farms had to buy imported feed, Hung Tay Agricultural Service Cooperative (Hung Nguyen) consulted with local authorities and went directly to the South to learn... Then the cooperative invested in buying 5 straw harvesting machines and a truck to start purchasing straw from the people. During the past harvest season, the cooperative's vehicles and machines operated at full capacity, both purchasing straw and preparing the land, collecting garbage in the village for the people and then carrying out other production activities such as irrigation services, seeds, fertilizers, garbage collection, mushroom production... As a result, the cooperative collected 200 - 300 thousand VND per roll of straw, the import price of each roll was 30 thousand VND, earning nearly 500 million VND/crop. The cooperative currently specializes in collecting straw from the districts of Hung Nguyen, Nam Dan, Yen Thanh...
Creative and quick thinking has helped Hung Tay Agricultural Service Cooperative survive and develop in the face of market mechanisms; the amount of straw sold to livestock farms and large vegetable gardens brings economic efficiency three to four times higher. The cooperative also applies science and technology to increase management efficiency...
The cooperatives with effective methods in Nghe An as mentioned above, not only create jobs with stable income for members, but also participate in the value chain of other industries, especially focusing on environmental protection, creating sustainable raw material areas to serve the production of OCOP goods, export and protect the rural environment, which is a difficult problem today.
(To be continued)
