Lam Dong farmers move towards green production

fishing-enterprises-and-folk-farmers-raise-above-the-sea.jpg — Fishermen stick to the sea to limit plastic waste

Outstanding environmental projects

Farmers in the communes of Ham Thuan Nam, Tanh Linh, Duc Linh, Bac Ruong... are implementing the model of "Waste collection tanks in agricultural production". In concentrated agricultural production areas, the farmers' association installs standard waste collection tanks, and farmers are familiar with the collection of waste after production to gather at the centralized treatment area. The large coastal rice area has widely deployed the model of centralized waste collection tanks, keeping the water source as well as the production land area safe.

In Dak Wil commune, farmers treat waste from livestock farms by installing biogas digesters in barns. Livestock waste is converted into clean energy, used for lighting as well as other daily activities.

In particular, the project "Propaganda and mobilization of farmers to treat waste in Vietnam, contributing to the international community's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions" organized by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Union , sponsored by the BRACE Fund in Lam Vien Ward - Da Lat and the communes: Duc Trong, Hiep Thanh, Da Teh, Da Teh 2 has a strong influence. Farmers raise chickens and pigs on biological bedding; make organic fertilizer from agricultural waste, raise calcium worms, raise earthworms to treat livestock waste... From the project area, the models have spread to thousands of farming households in the region.

In addition to large projects worth billions of VND implemented by large organizations in the province, hundreds of small environmental projects are being actively implemented by grassroots organizations. Associations at all levels mobilize farmer members to participate in maintaining environmental hygiene, food hygiene and safety, participating in environmental protection (BVMT), proactively responding to climate change with practical and effective activities such as: participating in the model "Sunday for the environment", "Green garden, clean garden, garbage-free garden", "Planting and caring for shade trees on rural roads", "Collecting packaging, bottles, and jars of pesticides", "Turning garbage into money", "Training boat groups do not discharge plastic waste on rivers and at sea", "Farmer groups participate in environmental protection"...

Farmers change production thinking

“The most important thing in green agricultural production is that farmers change their agricultural production mindset, apply modern farming techniques to production, ensure safe agricultural products as well as protect the health of agricultural producers,” affirmed Mr. Truong Van Tung - Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association.

Mr. Tung added that Lam Dong currently has over 1 million hectares of agricultural land. In particular, there are main crops such as: coffee, pepper; rubber; fruit trees such as: dragon fruit, durian, citrus trees...; rice areas, vegetable and flower production areas and many other crops. In addition, there are tens of thousands of farmers working in fisheries, including fish farming as well as marine exploitation. In all agricultural production activities, farmers have begun to move towards green and sustainable production.

“
Lam Dong, as a province with a predominantly agricultural structure, is implementing many key environmental projects. We assess that these environmental treatment and protection projects will have a long-term and profound impact on the lives as well as change farmers' production perspectives, moving towards a green agriculture.
Mr. Truong Van Tung - Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association.

“If we go back a few decades ago, farmers only cared about productivity, but now we can confirm that farmers are very aware that production must go hand in hand with environmental protection. In many agricultural areas, farmers are accustomed to producing according to world standards, especially in industrial crop production areas,” Mr. Truong Van Tung informed.

Like coffee, Lam Dong has a total area of approximately 300 thousand hectares; of which, about 30% of the area has been cultivated according to safe agricultural standards such as: VietGAP, 4C, Rainforest... and is increasing every year. With areas that have not achieved certification, farmers have almost completely eliminated chemical herbicides, creating ecological diversity in the fields.

Ms. Tran Thi Oanh - Vice President of the Provincial Farmers' Association added: "Farmers have been applying circular agricultural processes and pollution-reducing agriculture to agricultural production every day. Such as composting organic fertilizers from fertilizers and agricultural by-products, livestock farming, and continuous cropping have significantly improved the rural environment." For example, most of Lam Dong's large dairy farming areas in Duc Trong, Hiep Thanh, and Don Duong communes have switched to treating cow manure with earthworms, leading to the establishment of earthworm compost processing factories. In addition, instead of monoculture fields, farmers have begun to get used to intercropping, creating landscapes, and establishing garden-forest models in production areas, especially with industrial crops such as coffee and pepper.

“Farmers need the support of managers to change their farming habits. In particular, guiding farmers on safe farming techniques, creating conditions for farmers to access new information, capital, and facilities for change are also important issues. As of now, farmers really need to participate in “popular digital education” to easily access information and apply advanced agricultural techniques,” Mr. Truong Van Tung affirmed.

According to Mr. Tung, in addition to propaganda, farmers need to receive practical support to continue comprehensive change. The Farmers' Association has approximately 350,000 members, accounting for about 60-70% of farming households. These are the people who need support from policy to practice to continue developing a green and sustainable agriculture.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/nong-dan-lam-ong-huong-toi-san-xuat-xanh-389240.html