Farmers in Nghe An:Proactively embrace digital transformation and green transformation.
Beyond maintaining its role as a "pillar" for the economy and ensuring food security, Nghe An's agriculture is also moving towards ecological and modern goals. With the support and assistance of the State, Nghe An farmers are increasingly confident in mastering technology and achieving breakthroughs in production through a digital economy mindset and sustainable green values.
Green transformation: When farmers proactively choose a sustainable path.
Looking at the development of agricultural production in Nghe An province over the past years, one of the most impressive changes is the shift in the value system within production. From pursuing productivity and output at all costs, farmers have become more concerned with quality, safety, and environmental sustainability. This is clear evidence of the farmers' active role in the industry.
With the timely support and assistance of local authorities, specialized agencies, and the business community, people have confidently mastered the process and applied green and clean production solutions to their farming.
This shift in mindset is vividly demonstrated in practice in the province's key agricultural production areas, where the movement to produce microbial organic fertilizer from agricultural waste and by-products is developing very strongly, contributing to the formation of sustainable farming methods.
With over 80,000 tons of organic fertilizer produced domestically over the past two years, farmers have reduced their rising input costs and, more importantly, contributed to improving the soil that had become compacted after years of using chemical fertilizers.
In many localities, this production mindset has led to the emergence of increasingly more models of clean production of vegetables, tea, oranges, etc., with a closed-loop circular process, where livestock waste becomes feed for crops, and crop waste is processed to return nutrients to the soil.
In particular, in recent years, Nghe An's agriculture has increasingly moved towards smart production through digital transformation, not just green production. According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung, Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association: "In the context of shrinking agricultural land and the migration of young workers to industrial zones, the digitalization of production has become a choice and a mandatory requirement."
It's clear that the presence of digital technology is now commonplace for farmers. In the fields, the smartphone has become a modern "farming tool," providing invaluable assistance in cultivation; it's used not only for checking the weather but also for controlling automatic irrigation systems, managing diseases through specialized applications, and participating in the e-commerce market.
From being largely dependent on traders, many successful farmers and farm owners are now confidently livestreaming and introducing OCOP products on social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook, or listing agricultural products on e-commerce platforms like Vo So (Viettel Post) and Postmart (Vietnam Post) to solve the problem of stable market access.
The shift from a "agricultural production" mindset to an "agricultural economy"—production based on market demand and added value—has gradually helped to form a generation of professional, capable farmers ready to master digital technology.
Not content with merely escaping poverty, today's farmers are affirming their aspiration to legitimately enrich themselves through clean, safe, high-value agricultural products that are favored by the market. "When farmers proactively choose a sustainable path, they are playing a pioneering role in protecting the rural environment and building an ecological agriculture that effectively adapts to climate change. This is the most sustainable foundation for the strong growth of the rural economy," affirmed Mr. Nguyen Van Duong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Yen Thanh commune.
From household economy to sustainable value chain
One of the shortcomings and concerns of provincial leaders and farmers today is the fragmented and small-scale nature of agricultural production in the area.
As one of the leading units in implementing organic production in the province, the Thành Vinh Agricultural Cooperative (Hưng Nguyên Nam commune) has now expanded its supply chain to approximately 150 hectares, spread across key crop-growing areas in the locality and neighboring communes such as Đô Lương and Bạch Ngọc.
Traditional farming methods are fragmented and inefficient economically. In reality, even the most skilled households, when producing alone, are always at a disadvantage and vulnerable to natural disasters, diseases, and unpredictable market fluctuations.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, Director of Thanh Vinh Agricultural Cooperative
Since its establishment in 2021, the cooperative has invested billions of VND to shift towards organic production, applying technology to the fields with valuable crops such as burdock root, cucumbers, and zucchini, ensuring food safety.
In this supply chain, the cooperative is responsible for providing materials and technical support, and is committed to purchasing the products, helping farmers overcome isolation and confidently participate in a sustainable value chain. Thanks to professional production processes, economic value is significantly increased, with an average minimum income of 50 million VND/hectare, helping hundreds of member households feel secure in staying on their land and legitimately enriching themselves.
The experience of Thanh Vinh Cooperative shows that promoting the leading role of farmers must be linked to encouraging their participation in collective economic forms, strongly shifting from individual household economies to value chain linkages. Linkages not only increase production scale but also fundamentally change the status of farmers.
Over time, through professional associations, groups, and new-style cooperatives, people have begun to share a common goal, exchange experiences, and protect each other's rights. The "5 Together" model (same profession, same interests, same sharing, same benefits, same development) is growing stronger and stronger.
By participating in the collective economy through cooperatives, farmers gain legal status to directly sign contracts for stable, long-term production and consumption of agricultural products, minimizing market risks.
In particular, the linkages have expanded beyond horizontal connections between individual farmers to include vertical linkages with businesses. Value chain linkage models in livestock farming, medicinal herb production, and high-quality rice production in Nghe An province have demonstrated that when farmers and businesses cooperate, production value can increase significantly.
"Linking production is an effective solution to thoroughly address the long-standing problem of bumper harvests leading to price drops. When businesses place orders and guarantee the purchase of products, farmers can confidently invest in technology and improve product quality to meet market demands. In return, businesses gain a stable and standardized supply of raw materials."
Mr. Nguyen Viet Hung - Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association
With a sustainable green transformation mindset and the strength of value chain linkages, farmers are gradually asserting their role not only as producers, but as true owners of a modern, ecological, and sustainable agriculture.
