Agriculture creates green growth breakthrough

The expansion of green and clean agricultural production models has helped increase consumer confidence. Photo: Tran Hien

Greening

For a long time, the large tidal flats along the Thai Binh River have provided the main source of income for many households in An Thanh Commune (Tu Ky). From protecting natural conditions to exploit earthworms and clams, up to now, this 137-hectare earthworm beach has been certified for products produced in accordance with the National Organic Agricultural Standards. This is the first and only organic production area to date in Hai Duong to be recognized with this standard. The organic agricultural area shows multi-layered and multi-value exploitation efficiency. The ground is earthworms, the banks are clams, the fields are planted with organic rice, and the banks are planted with leafy vegetables, spices, and fruit trees. The estimated production value is 500-700 million VND/ha, higher than agricultural production areas elsewhere.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Director of New Generation Agriculture Joint Stock Company in Thanh Ky village, An Thanh commune, the “father” of the “Organic rice with rươi” brand, shared: “Rươi is a creature that is particularly sensitive to chemicals, it can only live in clean soil and water. Rice and rươi live symbiotically in a living environment, the rice roots provide a suitable environment for rươi to grow, and in return the rươi ensures a source of nutrients for the rice to grow. All of this creates a clean and sustainable ecosystem. Changing the mindset to chemical-free agriculture has helped protect the natural environment in a sustainable way.”

With more than 30 years of experience in animal husbandry, through many ups and downs, Mr. Dao Huu Thuan in Vinh Lai village, Cam Dong commune (Cam Giang) also realized that "green agriculture - clean consumption" is a sustainable development trend. Along with changing his mindset, Mr. Thuan started to switch from traditional animal husbandry to animal husbandry following VietGAP standards.

Up to now, Mr. Thuan has built a farm with a total area of ​​6,000 m2, raising 70,000 chickens. The farming method has changed, the nutritional regime according to age, along with the reasonable supplementation of vitamins and minerals, so the quality of eggs has been significantly improved. Chickens are less sick, and the cost of raising them has been reduced significantly compared to before. With 50,000 laying hens, Mr. Thuan collects about 40,000 eggs per day. High-quality products should be purchased by businesses inside and outside the province at stable prices. In 2020, Cam Dong chicken eggs were certified as 3-star OCOP.

Lots of potential

Hai Duong is a province with many advantages in agricultural development. The province's agriculture is developing in the direction of concentrated commodities applying high technology and organic agriculture to increase added value and sustainable development, linking green growth with digital transformation.

In livestock farming, waste treatment and the use of agricultural by-products in the form of circular economy are being applied. The livestock industry is promoting the guidance of farmers to collect animal waste to raise earthworms, creating a source of protein for animal feed in the context of high animal feed prices, while converting waste into organic fertilizer, minimizing environmental pollution. Green and clean agricultural production models are being expanded, many clean agricultural and aquatic products are attached with traceability stamps, helping to increase consumer confidence.

Ms. Luong Thi Kiem, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that Hai Duong has great potential for developing green agriculture but has not yet fully exploited its strengths in this field. There are many high-quality products but their brands have not been built. The province also does not have a strong enough mechanism to support agricultural development in the direction of green growth. To maximize the value of agriculture, the locality needs to build agricultural products with strengths to become brands; investment must be focused, key, not spread out. In addition, it is necessary to integrate capital sources, support programs, and linkages to build quality products with large raw material areas. From there, take advantage of available advantages to develop rural agriculture in an integrated, multi-value direction.

Keeping up with the trend of the times, Hai Duong agriculture will have a strong transformation in the following years. Localities need to continue to transform the crop structure to suit their advantages and market demand. Promote the application of advanced production processes, reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides of chemical origin, causing environmental pollution and soil degradation. Livestock farming will shift from small-scale, scattered to farms, forming key livestock farming areas associated with environmental protection, biosafety and high-tech application...

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