Making a specialized farming area for clean production

​Thong Nhat district is one of the provinces that actively deploys to build specialized production areas that meet safety standards. Thanks to that, production models according to GAP and organic standards are constantly being replicated locally.

Area specialized in growing vegetables requiring water in Gia Kiem commune, Thong Nhat district

The district also has many activities to support and encourage cooperatives and farmers to participate in building a link from production to consumption of safe agricultural products for more and more sustainable agricultural production.

Cooperatives and farmers actively respond.

Grasping the consumer trend that is increasingly concerned about food safety and hygiene, many cooperatives and farmers in the district are actively converting to production according to safe processes. .

Mr. Nguyen Cong Khanh, Deputy Director of Phuong Nam Agricultural Cooperative (Gia Kiem Commune, Thong Nhat District) shared, the characteristics of vegetables that need water is to live in a clean water environment, the cleaner the water, the more beautiful and delicious. Accordingly, the members of the cooperative actively participate in the development of VietGAP certified vegetable fields. In the past, vegetables produced by the cooperative were mainly sold to traders. Thanks to the products certified for safe production, the cooperative has an additional stable consumption channel, which is the Dau Giay wholesale food market (Thong Nhat district). According to Mr. Khanh: “The cooperative is also very interested in building the Gia Kiem water spinach brand with quality to have the opportunity to expand the consumption channels for this product such as supermarkets, vegetable processing enterprises, even some exportable. The cooperative is also learning to join e-commerce platforms to promote and find more sales channels for products."

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuoc, Head of Jackfruit Cooperative Group Loc Thinh, Hung Loc Commune shared, The cooperative group implements a model of linking jackfruit cultivation with a production area of more than 45ha in order to create a large source of products to meet the requirements of market, supply to supermarkets or to source products for purchasing companies. The cooperative's crop products have been certified with VietGAP, the cooperative group is continuing to convert to an organic model of jackfruit cultivation such as: prioritizing the use of organic fertilizers, manure and taking advantage of waste and secondary sources. locally available products are fertilizers for plants, gradually reducing chemical fertilizers. Using biological drugs, biological products or using manual methods to prevent, control pests and diseases for plants.

In which, many local organic production models are highly appreciated. Specifically, the organic pomelo farming model of Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan's household in Hung Loc commune with 0.9ha has been recognized by the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association for its excellent achievements in developing pomelo products according to organic standards. This farmer has produced a stable output of pomelo with standard quality and especially has signed a purchase contract with a good price with a business in Ho Chi Minh City.

Doc Mo Farm Cooperative (Gia Tan 3) with a scale of 14ha combined with ecotourism was also commended by the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association for its excellent achievements in developing Dong Nai eco-organic agriculture model in 2022.

Pepper growing area in Hung Loc commune (Thong Nhat district)

Continue to replicate
The locality is also having many activities to support and encourage cooperatives and farmers to convert production safely and towards organic. Over the past time, this locality has implemented a series of programs and projects such as: “Building a model of applying technical advances to develop sustainable pepper production meeting GlobalGAP Gia Kiem standards; applying technical advances to build advanced models of rambutan production meeting VietGAP standards in Quang Trung and Bau Ham 2 communes; Research project on technical measures to produce VietGap standard celery in Gia Kiem commune. VietGAP model Grapefruit at Hung Loc Agricultural Cooperative.
The biggest difficulty for both cooperatives and farmers in the district is that the output of agricultural products is still unsustainable. Many agricultural products, safe production still have to sell at normal prices. Accordingly, forming linkage chains from production to consumption, processing associated with building brands and trademarks of agricultural products by prestige and quality, focused on implementation by both farmers and Thong Nhat district government.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Cuong, Vice Chairman of Thong Nhat District People's Committee, said that he had reviewed the planning to develop concentrated production areas, high-tech and organic agriculture. It is expected that in the period of 2021-2030, the district will plan 23 concentrated production areas with an area of nearly 3,000 hectares; 5 high-tech agricultural production zones, with an area of 15ha; 9 organic agricultural production areas, with an area of nearly 71ha. On the basis of the planning of concentrated production areas meeting safety standards, the locality is also very interested in supporting cooperatives and cooperative groups to certify GAP, organic, OCOP certified products, etc. to connect with cooperatives, farmers put their products into consumption at Dau Giay agricultural wholesale market, participate in many promotion and advertising activities to expand more consumption channels.