Promoting the role of farmers in integration and development

(Baonghean) - Farmers' Associations at all levels in Nghe An province have actively coordinated and directly implemented support programs and created favorable conditions for members and farmers to develop socio-economy. On the occasion of the 87th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Farmers' Association (October 14, 1930 - October 14, 2017), Nghe An Newspaper interviewed comrade Nguyen Huu Nhi - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association.

Farmers in Hamlet 7, Nam Son Commune (Do Luong) are actively producing winter crops on land with two rice crops. Photo: Xuan Hoang

PV:What are your assessments of the outstanding results of the Association at all levels and farmer members in agricultural development and new rural construction?

Comrade Nguyen Huu Nhi:In recent years, the Farmers' Association at all levels of our province has constantly innovated the content and methods of operation, widely implemented and improved the quality of emulation movements, especially the movement "Farmers compete in good production and business, unite to help each other get rich and sustainably reduce poverty".

This movement is developing in both breadth and depth, spreading in many areas; becoming the focus of economic and social life in rural areas and has achieved important results. Specifically, up to now, the whole province has had 272,491 farmer households registered to become good farmer households at all levels, of which the number of farmer households achieving the title of good production and business households at all levels by 2016 was 125,760 households, of which the central level reached 556 households, the provincial level reached 4,072 households, the district level reached 16,359 households and the grassroots level reached 104,638 households.

Comrade Nguyen Huu Nhi - Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association, together with officials of the Nghe An Provincial Farmers' Association and Cua Lo town, visited and learned about the vegetable growing model on coastal sandy soil in Thach Van commune (Ha Tinh). Photo: Thanh Le

At the same time, the Association directed all levels of the Association to build 266 effective collective economic models to restore and develop local specialty crops and animals and traditional occupations, in the direction of concentrated specialization, linking production according to product value chains, boldly applying advanced science and technology to production and business. Many models have brought high economic efficiency such as the model of raising goats for meat in Nghia Dan, the model of raising livestock combined with afforestation in Tan Lac commune (Quy Chau), the model of building net houses to grow off-season vegetables in Vinh city, the model of growing high-quality oranges in Minh Hop commune (Quy Hop); the model of growing mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms in Thai Son commune (Do Luong)...

In the field of new rural construction, Farmers' Associations at all levels have actively promoted and mobilized farmer members to carry out the emulation movement to build new rural areas. As a result, up to now, Farmers' Associations at all levels in the province have promoted and mobilized farmer members in the whole province to contribute 6,948.8 billion VND, accounting for 28.5% of the total mobilized capital for new rural construction.

Of which, the monetary contribution is 5,194 billion VND; land donation is 5,761,000m2; nearly 5 million working days. Up to now, the whole province has 152/431 communes meeting the new rural standards. From the farmers' movement competing to build new rural areas, the material and spiritual life of farmers has been improved, contributing to the shift in economic structure, labor structure, making the face of the countryside increasingly new.

Comrade Nguyen Huu Nhi, Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association, visited the orange growing model in Quy Hop district. Photo: Thanh Le

PV:It is known that the Provincial Farmers' Association has done a good job of supporting members in developing production and business. Can you give more specific information on this issue?

Comrade Nguyen Huu Nhi:That's right! This is identified as one of the key tasks of the Association's work associated with the implementation of Decision 673-QD/TTg of the Prime Minister on the Vietnam Farmers' Union directly implementing and coordinating the implementation of a number of programs and projects on rural economic, cultural and social development in the period 2011-2020.

Specific results in the past 5 years, Farmers' Associations at all levels in the province have coordinated with enterprises to supply agricultural materials in the form of interest-free deferred loans to farmers for more than 96,000 tons of various types of fertilizers and many types of animal feed with a quantity of over 500 tons, helping farmers develop production.

To help farmers easily borrow capital, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Farmers' Association has signed a credit agreement with the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to help farmers borrow capital for production. Up to now, 1,145 loan groups from the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development have been established with 12,664 members, with outstanding loans reaching 784.038 billion VND; receiving loan capital entrustment from the Social Policy Bank, 2,450 savings and loan groups have been established with 77,656 members participating in the loan program for poor households and other policy beneficiaries, with outstanding loans of 2,095 billion VND.

At the same time, Farmers' Associations at all levels have actively promoted the establishment of Farmers' Support Funds. To date, Farmers' Support Funds have been established in the province and 21 districts, cities and towns. As of September 30, 2017, the Farmers' Support Funds at the provincial and district levels managed more than VND 48.2 billion, the above capital is used to lend to farming households to invest in building and replicating economic development models.

Along with exploiting resources and support policies of the State, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Farmers' Association has actively sought support from the Central Vietnam Farmers' Association, coordinated with schools, vocational training centers inside and outside the province, departments, branches and sectors at all levels to attract resources to promote vocational training and on-site vocational training for rural workers according to Decision No. 1956 of the Government approving the Project on vocational training for rural workers until 2020.

In addition, implementing Decision 673 of the Prime Minister, from 2012 to now, the Provincial Farmers' Association has been granted more than 4.6 billion VND to open 122 vocational training classes for 4,111 rural workers. At the same time, the Association at all levels has initially coordinated with businesses to help farmers consume agricultural products, and at the same time, provided information on market prices to create orientation for sustainable development of farmers' production and business.

Comrade Nguyen Huu Nhi - Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association visited the model of raising cows in Van Loi commune (Quy Hop). Photo: Thanh Le

PV:To promote the role of farmers as the main subject in agricultural development and new rural construction, in the coming time, what tasks and solutions will the Provincial Farmers' Association focus on, comrade?

Comrade Nguyen Huu Nhi:First of all, we will continue to innovate and promote information and propaganda work to all levels of the Association, cadres and farmer members so that they can correctly understand the Party and State's viewpoints on the position and role of agriculture, farmers and rural areas. Direct all levels of the Association, especially the branches, to develop action programs to implement the Resolutions of the Party Congresses at all levels; plans, tasks and specific steps to contribute to the successful implementation of resolutions in the fields of agricultural development and new rural construction.

On the other hand, from the Association level to the farmer members, efforts will be made to effectively organize the implementation of the Project "Enhancing the role and responsibility of the Vietnam Farmers' Union in agricultural development, building new rural areas and building the peasant class in the period 2010 - 2020", Conclusion No. 61-KL/TW of the Secretariat and Decision 673/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister. Making appropriate investments, having reasonable policies, focusing on building new farmers with knowledge and physical strength; having the ability to absorb and apply advanced science and technology, having high skills and professionalism, understanding the law, the market and knowing how to connect with each other to compete in order to meet the requirements of integration.

In addition, the Provincial Farmers' Association hopes that the relevant agencies will prioritize coordination with the Farmers' Association to help members with specific and practical activities such as: improving knowledge, professional skills, access to loans, guiding farmers to effectively participate in local socio-economic development programs and benefit from their own contributions. At the same time, it is recommended that superiors issue a system of synchronous and reasonable policies for farmers to promote agricultural restructuring; create favorable conditions for the implementation of "four houses" linkage to contribute to building an advanced and sustainable agriculture, thereby increasing income and improving the living standards of farmers.

PV:Thank you comrade!

Thanh Le(Perform)