Afarm, the startup of growing vegetables via a mobile app to serve good quality fruit and vegetables to consumers is the brainchild of Nguyen Tan Phuong, residing in Chinh Gian Ward, Thanh Khe District, Da Nang. Thanks to this highly efficient app, locals have the chance to own small favourite gardens at the Afarm growing area where vegetables are grown by Afarm employees, and conveniently, harvested crops are delivered to their homes by Afarm.

Afarm employees are seen checking the quality of vegetables. (Photo taken in April 2021 by VAN HOANG)

Working in the aspect of information technology in the past gives Phuong the opportunity to access hi-tech agriculture projects and realise the potential and efficiency of this lucrative field.

In mid-2017, Phuong and his associates started up the 3ha Afarm site in Hoa Phu Commune, Hoa Vang District with a target at growing high-tech vegetables in a new way. He built a model of growing vegetables for customers through the ‘Afarm - Farm on Smartphone’ mobile app.

Downloading the app, with just a few simple steps, customers can choose the growing methods such as hydroponic and organic techniques and choose what kinds of vegetables they want.

This app allows users to monitor parameters such as types, temperature, humidity and nutrient concentration.

All selections made by the users on the app will be sent to the technical system whereby Afarm employees will directly carry out farming tasks such as sowing seeds, taking care of them, harvesting and delivering organic vegetables to consumers.

In one month, users are allowed to grow 3 rigs of vegetables, each with 6 different types grown 10 days apart. The harvest cycle is usually 35-39 days after sowing. During the process, customers are given about 3kg of vegetables of all kinds free of charge at the farm every week until vegetables they “grow” are harvested.

The strength of this model is that even though consumers do not have land nor agricultural knowledge, they still access clean and safe vegetables for consumption. The Afarm app automatically reminds the users to do daily tasks by automatic features.

During the harvest period, the farm’s staff will directly deliver vegetables to the “growers” every 5 days. Besides, the app’s users can also make the purchase of other types of fruit and vegetables.

On average, a family pays about only VND1.4 million per month for having their vegetable growing lots at the Afarm venue. Currently, Afarm also supplies some clean food stores across the city with about 100kg of vegetables of all kinds for sale.

As a customer of Afarm, Ms. Tran Nhat Anh residing in Thuan Phuoc Ward, Hai Chau District shared that owning a clean vegetable garden in Afarm managed via such a highly useful smart app not only helps her save much time and efforts but also ensure access to organic vegetables for the sake of health.

“The on-demand service of growing vegetables and delivering to customers is fairly new and has not been implemented by any Vietnamese locality yet. I always view the health of consumers as the top priority, so all vegetable varieties and fertilizers are carefully selected and crops are grown by using organic methods, without the use of pesticides, genetically modified seeds or growth promoters. In addition, the irrigation, temperature, humidity, and light systems are fully automated to bring consumers safe and good quality products" said Phuong.

Besides, Mr. Phuong also operates another high-tech clean vegetable farm in Ho Chi Minh City to provide vegetable growing services for a population of more than 9 million here. In order to ensure sufficient supplies, Afarm also cooperates with a number of reputable farms in Da Lat.

“Thanks to the local government’s support, I also participated in some trade promotion fairs to advertise Afarm products and services to a large number of customers. After using our services, many have changed their consumption habits and become our loyal customers. In the upcoming time, we will improve the app and the quality of services so as to reach more consumers,” said Phuong.

Le Dinh Ca , Head of HoaVang Agriculture and Rural Development Department, said that Afarm's smart vegetable growing model contributes to changing locals’ habits and awareness of using clean food, in tandem with promoting the digitalisation of the local agricultural sector.

Reporting by VAN HOANG – Translating by T.VY