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By working hard to renovate and boldly convert crops and livestock, veterans in Duy Tan ward (Kinh Mon) have turned low-lying areas into farms and ranches, bringing in high income.
Hard work "bears fruit, blooms"
Since the early 2000s, veterans Nguyen Van Huy and Le Van Xuyen have been struggling with the Con Tom lagoon in Nham Duong. This area is about 5 hectares wide, but every time there is heavy rain, the crops are flooded, not bringing efficiency. Taking the lead in converting the garden - pond - barn model according to the policy of the district and commune, these veterans both work and learn. Initially, the capital was not enough to invest in infrastructure, knowledge of aquaculture and fruit tree planting was limited, leading to very low economic efficiency.
The don and dui farm of veteran Pham Quang Dong's family is divided into two separate areas: the breeding area and the breeding area.
“The first days of receiving the contract were a difficult and arduous time. Many sleepless nights, headaches worrying about capital sources, and calculating what crops to plant suitable for this low-lying area,” Mr. Huy recalled.
Promoting the qualities of Uncle Ho's soldier, Mr. Huy actively learned from the experiences of his predecessors, updated his production knowledge through books, newspapers, agricultural extension programs... While working and learning, he transformed the cultivated land into many ponds, changing from extensive farming to intensive farming. Around the ponds, his family planted more than 500 areca trees for fruit and 20-30 high-quality longan trees. Currently, Mr. Huy's family farm has a stable income of over 300 million VND/year.
Not far from Con Tom lagoon is the nearly 3-acre multi-crop farm of veteran Pham Quang Dong's family in the low-lying sour fields of Cong Vang in Duyen Linh area. In 2003, he rented the field for 25 years to convert it into a multi-crop farm. To date, he has invested nearly 10 billion VND to convert the low-lying sour fields into fish ponds, fruit gardens and livestock barns. From raising commercial cows to raising rabbits, turkeys, chickens, pigs, fish... he has tried everything. He failed many times due to diseases, weather, and harsh environment, but he was not discouraged, always researching to find suitable investment and development directions.
“After much calculation, in 2021 I decided to raise specialty animals and grow vegetables and fruits to create a closed clean production process. Bamboo rat, don, and wild civet meat are popular as a nutritious specialty, so the output is always stable,” said Mr. Dong.
Mr. Dong's family farm is now full of vegetables, tubers, and fruits with hundreds of banana, custard-apple, jackfruit trees, and nearly 5,000 ginseng trees. The fruit trees are mainly used to feed nearly 200 pairs of bamboo rats, don, mongoose, and rabbits. The bamboo rats' food is bamboo, sugarcane, and corn. The mongoose eats bananas, papaya, jackfruit, and don. The don also eats ripe bananas, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and so on.
His family's annual revenue is over 2 billion VND. Mr. Dong is currently a typical veteran who is good at production and business at the provincial level.
Veteran Pham Quang Dong shares his experience overcoming difficulties to build a multi-crop farm
Spread
The journey of converting the crop structure on low-lying land into multi-crop farms with high economic efficiency mentioned above is being extended. 18 veteran producers and businessmen have just agreed to launch the Veteran Business Club of Duy Tan Ward, with the aim of helping each other develop the family economy.
Mr. Trieu Van Tinh, Chairman of the Veterans Association of Duy Tan Ward, said that the veterans who "revive" the low-lying, sour lands are all exemplary, enthusiastic members who always actively participate in the association's movements. These are shining examples of the will and determination to overcome difficulties and develop the economy. They not only enrich their families but also regularly disseminate knowledge, methods of applying science, technology, and experience in growing fruit trees and raising specialty animals to farmers in the area; actively encourage other members to change the structure of crops and livestock, and together improve their lives.
Veteran Nguyen Van Huy trims longan trees to ensure fruit quality during harvest.
The above mentioned spread is even more evident if we consider the reality of Duy Tan ward about 20 years ago. At that time, Trai Xanh, Duy Tan was a polluted center with nearly 10 vertical kiln cement production facilities, lime kilns, manual brick kilns, not to mention grinding and selection points for construction stone, coal... People even abandoned their "rice fields and honey fields" to go to work as workers. The fields of golden sticky rice in Chau Xa, Trai Xanh withered because of farmers' neglect...
“The veterans who revived the low-lying, acidic lands in Duy Tan have spread the spirit of staying on the land and fields, striving to get rich in their homeland to many members of our town,” commented Mr. Doan Duc Minh, Chairman of the Kinh Mon Town Veterans Association.
TL
