Farmer's scientist

Mr. Nguyen Van Dan shares about the process of researching and creating a water hyacinth extractor and presser.

Water hyacinth extractor and presser "Made in Tay Ninh "

In Tay Ninh, water hyacinth is flooding canals and ditches, causing traffic congestion, environmental pollution, and water shortages for daily life and production. During meetings with voters, people often petition authorities and sectors to take measures to deal with this situation. However, water hyacinth has so far only been handled manually, so the problem has not been completely resolved.

Seeing people having difficulty traveling due to water traffic being blocked by water hyacinth, and being forced to lower prices by traders every harvest season, Mr. Dan began researching and inventing a machine to scoop and press water hyacinth. “Having gone through many different jobs, I have accumulated some experience in production and manufacturing. Initially, I researched each part of the equipment such as: cutting machine, grinder, conveyor belt, etc. Then, I assembled each part, and if I was not satisfied with the parts, I would disassemble and redo them. After 8 months, I successfully researched the machine and put it into operation, with a capacity of 3-4 tons/hour, with a total investment cost of about 1.2 billion VND. However, the limitation of the water hyacinth skimmer is that it has not been dried, so it takes a lot of effort to transport and does not bring high economic efficiency. Therefore, I continued to research and redesign it into a water hyacinth skimmer and presser. The total cost of making the water hyacinth skimmer and presser is reduced by more than 40% compared to the first machine” - Mr. Dan shared.

The cost of researching the water hyacinth extractor and presser, in addition to his savings and money from his family, Mr. Dan also borrowed from his friends. This made many family members object, but he was still determined to pursue his passion to the end. And up to now, the water hyacinth extractor and presser has brought many practical results, because the canals in the area no longer have water hyacinth, people can travel by waterway more easily and store water for production every dry season. Given the effectiveness of the machine, the Department of Science and Technology has ordered the manufacture of 5 machines to replicate in localities. Notably, the water hyacinth extractor and presser has helped Mr. Dan be recognized as one of 32 "Farmer Scientists of 2025" - an honor program organized by the Vietnam Farmers' Association .

Growing medium from water hyacinth

Growing media made from water hyacinth contributes to environmental protection, towards green and sustainable agriculture.

In addition to researching and successfully inventing a machine to scoop and press water hyacinth, Mr. Dan also researched how to make growing medium from water hyacinth. He looked for models of making organic fertilizer from agricultural waste, and contacted specialized industries for technical guidance. After many failures, Mr. Dan came up with a methodical process of making growing medium from water hyacinth. Specifically, after being chopped and pressed dry, water hyacinth will be ground and mixed with rice husks, composted manure and some other microbial preparations. Next, the product will be put into incubation at a temperature of about 40 ^degrees Celsius. On average, each month, he produces more than 100 tons of water hyacinth growing medium to supply to the market.

Because the main ingredients are from nature, the price of the growing medium is not high and is suitable for many types of plants. Mr. Bui Dien Thanh (residing in Tan Long commune) said: "My family grows more than 1 hectare of vegetables, so we often use growing medium from water hyacinth produced by Mr. Dan. Water hyacinth is cool and retains moisture, so it helps save water during the dry season. Just fertilize with water hyacinth growing medium, water once every 2 days and the vegetables will still grow well, without affecting productivity and quality."

Looking back on his journey of researching the water hyacinth scooping and pressing machine and making water hyacinth substrate, what Mr. Dan is most satisfied and proud of is that he has solved the problem of water hyacinth in some canals and ditches around his house; produced water hyacinth substrate for fertilizing crops at low cost and created jobs for idle workers in the locality. Chairman of the Tan Long Commune Farmers' Association Pham Mai Huong said: "Mr. Dan is a typical farmer in the locality, likes to be creative and is willing to share his experience with many people. The water hyacinth scooping and pressing machine contributes to clearing the flow, creating conditions for people to travel conveniently by waterway. The successful production of substrate from water hyacinth helps farmers reduce fertilizers and chemicals, protect the environment, and move towards green and sustainable agriculture"./.

Kim Ngoc

Source: https://baolongan.vn/nha-khoa-hoc-cua-nha-nong-a203859.html