The journey of overcoming difficulties of farmer So Minh Khoan

In the past, on 3 hectares of land, Mr. Khoan’s family only grew cassava, but the output was unstable. “The family grew cassava all year round, sometimes not enough to pay off the fertilizer debt. Food and clothing had to be measured to the last penny,” he recalls.

Not willing to let poverty cling to him, in 2018, through technical training sessions and hearing about the sugar factory's consumption policy, Mr. Khoan's family decided to convert part of their land to grow sugarcane. In the first crop, thanks to careful land preparation, choosing disease-free varieties, and proper fertilization, the yield exceeded expectations.

Mr. So Minh Khoan bought modern machinery to serve sugarcane growing.

The initial success gave him confidence so that by 2020, his family expanded the area to 10 hectares and invested in building two reservoirs, applying an energy-saving irrigation system, and purchasing modern machinery for sugarcane cultivation. Thanks to that, each harvest yielded about 600 tons of sugarcane, bringing in an income of over 700 million VND/year, while creating stable jobs for nearly 10 local workers. In addition to sugarcane, he also grew rice and raised free-range chickens to diversify his income.

Mrs. So Thi Thich, Mr. Khoan's wife, recalls: "In the past, it was very difficult. My husband and I did all kinds of jobs, from opening a small grocery store, fixing tires to working for hire, just hoping to have enough to pay for our three children's education. When we switched to growing sugarcane, our life really changed. Now we have enough to eat, our children are well educated, and our house is more spacious. I silently thank Mr. Khoan for his wise decision to change crops."

The valuable thing is that Mr. Khoan not only knows how to enrich himself, but also has a heart for the community. He is willing to share his experiences, support capital, and give sugarcane seeds to the poor in the village, helping them have the opportunity to rise up.

Mr. So Minh Khoan is one of the typical examples of the locality. Not only has he boldly and successfully transformed the crop structure, bringing in high income, he also has a kind heart and actively helps people in difficulty. The commune government always respects and encourages the replication of his model, because it is also the direction of sustainable agricultural development that the locality is aiming for.

Head of the Department of Culture and Society of Tay Son Commune, Le Cham Thu

Mr. Y Binh, a poor household that Mr. Khoan helped, emotionally said: “In the past, my family grew cassava, grew a lot but only had enough to eat. Thanks to Mr. Khoan giving me sugarcane seeds and guiding me on how to grow them, I was able to boldly switch. Now, every year I have money coming in, and my children can go to school properly. Without Mr. Khoan, my family would still be miserable.”

Not stopping there, Mr. Khoan also saved money to support orphans in the village to go to school. For those who could not continue their studies, he took them to the farm, gave them stable jobs, and even arranged their marriage when they were old enough. Sympathizing with the poor when their family had a sick member who had to be taken to the emergency room far away, which was expensive, he and his wife bought a 7-seat car, both to serve the family and to be ready to take sick people in the village to the hospital for free.

The story of Mr. So Minh Khoan is not only a farmer's journey of overcoming difficulties, but also shows the change of an entire land. When production thinking changes, when farmers boldly change crops and connect with the market, then prosperity and sustainability will appear in their own homeland.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/xa-hoi/202510/hanh-trinh-vuot-kho-cua-nong-dan-so-minh-khoan-d881766/