Promoting the role of farmers in Uncle Ho's homeland in the new era

PV:Dear comrade! Party committees and authorities at all levels highly appreciate the activities of the Farmers' Association at all levels, which are closely related to the actual situation at the grassroots level and the aspirations of the members. Could you tell us about the outstanding results of the activities of the Provincial Farmers' Association?

Comrade Nguyen Quang Tung:Inheriting and promoting the achievements in recent years, the Associations at all levels in the province have innovated their activities in many aspects. This is reflected in impressive results in agricultural development indicators, farmers' lives, and achievements of the new rural construction program. Typically, in the "Good production and business" movement, the whole province has 270,424 farmer households registered to become good production and business households at all levels, reaching 103% of the assigned target; mobilizing and guiding farmers to establish 25 cooperative groups and 2 cooperatives; building 4 demonstration models of environmentally friendly rice cultivation (SRI) with a scale of 4,000 m².

Leaders of the Central Vietnam Farmers' Union and Nghe An Farmers' Union discussed with the Livestock Farmers' Union; the Provincial Farmers' Union accepted and evaluated the environmentally friendly rice farming model in Hung Nguyen district; Leaders of the Provincial Farmers' Union visited and presented gifts to fishermen in Cua Lo town. Photo: TL

One of the activities that demonstrated the skillful mass mobilization role of the Farmers' Association at all levels was to mobilize farmers to donate 104,409m²land and contributed 106,939 working days to participate in the construction and maintenance of rural infrastructure. At the same time, the work of directing and guiding the construction of 391 new rural standard gardens and 536 farmer model gardens in the direction of new rural standard gardens; at the same time, advising the People's Committee at the same level to issue a plan to organize a beautiful new rural standard garden contest in 2022. Units, districts, cities, towns, and associations have planted 662 "Farmer tree rows in gratitude to Uncle Ho", 50 "Farmer tree gardens in gratitude to Uncle Ho", with a total of 82,711 trees planted. In addition, about 200,000 farmer members have planted 589,688 trees, bringing the total number of trees planted under the "1 million trees" program to 672,399 trees.

To create a green, clean and beautiful rural environment, the Provincial Farmers' Association has implemented environmental protection projects such as: Project "Propaganda and mobilization of farmers to treat waste in Vietnam, contributing to the international community's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions"; Model "Collecting and processing agricultural by-products into organic microbial fertilizers for agricultural production"; Project "Promoting the role and responsibility of the Farmers' Association in participating in protecting the rural environment, period 2022 - 2025"; advising the Provincial People's Committee to issue the Project "Propaganda, mobilization and guidance for farmers to produce organic microbial fertilizers from agricultural waste and by-products, period 2022-2025".

Launching ceremony of the Nghe An Province Farmers and Businessmen Club. Photo: Thanh Phuc

PV:How does the Association support members in developing production, comrade?

Comrade Nguyen Quang Tung:The life of members is a factor that reflects and evaluates the effectiveness of the Association's activities. Determining that, over the past time, Nghe An Farmers' Association has always had orientations and supported members to develop the economy and improve their lives. Among them, it is necessary to mention the work of mobilizing farmers to help each other overcome difficulties, escape poverty and become rich.

In the first 6 months of 2022, the Association's branches in the whole province have registered to help 460 poor households escape poverty; there are many good models and creative ways to support the livelihoods of poor farmer members to escape poverty sustainably such as: The model of supporting chicken breeds in Vinh city; The model of supporting breeding animals (pigs, chickens), materials, and training in livestock farming techniques in Do Luong district; The "Cow Bank" project of Quynh Luu and Ky Son districts; "Contributing bricks to build houses for poor households" of Quy Chau district; Supporting plant varieties, supporting garden renovation of Thanh Chuong district; The model of raising breeding goats to support livelihoods to help poor households escape poverty sustainably in Anh Son and Tan Ky districts, invested by the Provincial Farmers' Association to support 160 breeding goats for 32 poor and near-poor households, etc.

At the same time, the Association also continues to innovate the content of the training program combining theory, field trips and practice at production facilities; promoting vocational training results with building economic models, building branches and professional farmer associations; connecting to support the provision of raw materials, breeds and introducing product consumption. As a result, by June 30, 2022, Farmers' Associations at all levels have coordinated to open 77 short-term vocational training classes for 2,312 rural workers; over 80% of students after vocational training have created jobs or found new jobs. Services, consulting, vocational training, job creation and sustainable poverty reduction are carried out regularly.

Leaders of the Provincial Farmers' Association visited the goat farming model that brings high income to farmers in Nghia Tho commune (Nghia Dan); Releasing fish fry at Trang Khong dam, Thanh Xuan commune (Thanh Chuong); Inspecting the environmentally friendly rice cultivation model in Thanh Khai commune (Thanh Chuong); Farmers in Nghi Long commune (Nghi Loc) growing vegetables in greenhouses. Photo: T. Le

In order for members to have more capital to invest and expand production, the Association has continuously cooperated with banks, developed and managed the Farmers' Support Fund well to bring about advantages in accessing loans. Capital from the Farmers' Support Fund alone increased by 6 billion VND in the first 6 months of the year, reaching 75% of the assigned target, bringing the total capital of the Farmers' Support Fund in the province to 84,654 billion VND, lending to 394 projects, with 2,058 borrowers. In particular, the Farmers' Association at all levels continues to coordinate with credit enterprises to support farmers in borrowing materials, seeds, animal feed, and fertilizers for production. By June 30, 2022, it had created conditions for over 182,000 farmer members to borrow 13,802 tons of various fertilizers, 85 tons of animal feed, 32,000 poultry breeds, dozens of tons of rice seeds, with a loan value of over 115 billion VND.

PV:Digital transformation in agriculture is identified as one of the eight priority areas, in which farmers are identified as the center of digital transformation. What solutions will the Provincial Farmers' Association have to support farmers in digital transformation and participation in the digital economy?

Comrade Nguyen Quang Tung:In the strong trend of digital transformation, Nghe An farmers are not left out of this process. The ultimate goal of agricultural digital transformation, in my opinion, is to support farmers in producing products of good quality, at the lowest cost, with the highest efficiency, thereby increasing income, improving the lives of farmers, contributing to socio-economic development. Therefore, farmers must be the center and subject in implementing agricultural digital transformation.

Signing to promote agricultural product consumption on e-commerce platforms; Connecting Nghe An agricultural product consumption to supermarkets and retail stores. Photo: Phu Huong - Thanh Le

The Provincial Farmers' Association has taken strong steps to promote and support farmers in digital transformation. The Association has also signed an agreement with Nghe An Post Office to support farmers in producing and consuming agricultural products. Promoting digital transformation and supporting farmers in consuming products on the Postmart e-commerce platform, up to now, 21/21 districts, cities, and towns have signed cooperation agreements with the Postal sector and deployed and organized skill training for 3,165 collaborators who are association officials and agricultural household owners on methods of brand building, product introduction and promotion, and bringing agricultural products to the Postmart e-commerce platform; bringing 50 OCOP products of farmers to the platform. At the same time, the Association at all levels has focused on promoting connection activities to support the consumption of agricultural products for farmers, in the first 6 months of the year supporting the consumption of 220 tons of agricultural products of all kinds.

Digital transformation not only helps farmers put their products online simply, but also changes their production mindset. Propaganda to raise people's awareness of digital transformation and build the image of "digital farmers" is very important and inevitable in the coming time. Associations at all levels promote propaganda to spread awareness to a large number of farmer members about learning as well as determination to participate in digital transformation to contribute to promoting and improving production efficiency. On that basis, build the image of a new, dynamic, creative farmer with knowledge and regularly updating new knowledge.

Farmers' Associations at all levels have been and will continue to closely coordinate with functional agencies, organizations, businesses, and associations to take advantage of scientific knowledge; mobilize training resources, foster and equip farmer members with sufficient knowledge and capacity to master and promote their role as subjects in agricultural and rural development.

PV:Thank you comrade!