The Farmers' Association of Hoa Phong Commune in Hoa Vang District, Da Nang, has seen accompanying and supporting its members in developing effective economic models. In particular, training courses have been organised by the Association for farmers to improve their skills and knowledge in cultivation and animal husbandry, whilst active support in materials, machinery, seedlings, breeds, product brand building, and technology application have been given to farmers.

The Farmers' Association of Hoa Phong Commune, Hoa Vang District, Da Nang accompanies and helps farmers develop their economy effectively. IN PHOTO: Leaders of the Farmers' Associations of Da Nang and Hoa Phong Commune visit the safe vegetable growing model at the Tuy Loan Safe Vegetable Production and Consumption Service Cooperative. Photo: LAM PHUONG

Visiting the mushroom farm of Mr. Phan Van Hung in Cam Toai Dong Village, we were surprised at a 700m2 mushroom farm with a systematic investment in the middle of the countryside. Mushroom varieties labeled with 3 stars such as abalone, lingzhi and cordyceps are being grown here.

Mr. Hung said that to achieve today's success, we must mention the companionship and support from the Farmers' Association of the commune in supporting loans, investing in equipment and machinery, and applying high technology to expand production and improve product quality.

The Association introduces and connects farmers to participate in exhibitions,  fairs, conferences and seminars for the sake of building and shaping the mushroom brand.

"Currently, the farm sells an average of 50kg of abalone mushrooms/day, about 250kg of lingzhi mushrooms/year, and 5kg of cordyceps mushrooms/year. After deducting expenses, the monthly profit is about VND 20 million", Mr. Hung shared.

Meanwhile, at the Tuy Loan Safe Vegetable Production and Consumption Service Cooperative, from being a vegetable growing club with 14 members and a production area of ​​only 1 hectare, in 2011, the Farmers' Association of the commune coordinated with the People's Committee of the commune and the Da Nang Union of Cooperatives to establish the cooperative, expanding the production area to 6 hectares, and attracting 40 households.

Cooperative Director Nguyen Van Tan said that the cooperative is growing about 20 types of vegetables, tubers and fruits. To create output for the products, the cooperative signs a contract to supply more than 500 tonnes of vegetables, tubers and fruits per year to supermarkets, food stores and schools, bringing stable income to members.

In particular, the Farmers' Association of the commune regularly invites experts to train and share experiences to help its members improve knowledge and techniques for growing and caring for agricultural products in an organic direction and meeting VietGAP standards.

Currently, the products of the cooperative are certified as OCOP ones, with 3-star leafy vegetables and 4-star fruit vegetables. Every year, the cooperative attracts more than 8,000 pupils, students, and domestic and foreign tourists to visit and experience, contributing to creating jobs for farmers.

According to Mr. Bui Dung, the Chairman of the Farmers' Association of the commune, the association has focused on training activities to improve the qualifications and skills of members, support farmers in economic development, and promote and replicate effective production models.

In particular, the association has launched a movement for farmers to compete in good production and business. To date, the whole commune has 320 households registered for the quota of good production and business households at all levels. The commune has 7 effective economic models, bringing high income to farmers, such as Tuy Loan vegetables; Bo Ban chili; Ke Son mushrooms, chicken; freshwater fish, Tuy Loan rice paper; and Go Giang flowers.

In 2024, the commune Farmers' Association established two new professional farmers’ teams, and a professional farmer branch; as well as mobilised 9 members to join cooperatives and the newly established Tuy Loan Rice Paper Cooperative.

Up to now, the whole commune has 4 cooperatives, 1 club, 7 cooperative groups, 2 professional associations, and a professional branch, helping hundreds of members with the same profession to share experiences and develop the economy.

To support farmers in accessing capital sources to expand production, in 2024, the association guided 10 members to borrow VND 400 million from the Farmers' Support Fund to develop production and business.

In addition, the Association coordinated with the city branch of the Social Policy Bank of Viet Nam and the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to create conditions for 86 members to borrow capital of VND 3.5 billion in total to invest in machinery, equipment, seedlings, and livestock to expand production.

In particular, the association mobilises functional sectors to support members with 10 tonnes of various seeds; thousands of fish and chicken breeds; 150 tonnes of fertilizers and agricultural materials; 8 tonnes of animal feed, with a total value of more than VND 8.04 billion for farmers to develop production and animal husbandry.

In 2024, the association assisted its members with building agricultural production models applying new science and technology according to the value chain meeting VietGAP quality standards for 6 hectares of vegetables, 10 hectares of rice, 6 hectares of peanuts, 12 hectares of sesame, and 2 hectares of chili.

Moreover, heed was on supporting farmers in building brands for products, such as VietGAP certification for Ke Son chicken and lingzhi mushrooms; 3-star OCOP product certification for leafy vegetables, Ke Son chicken and lingzhi mushrooms; and 4-star OCOP certification for fruit vegetables, and cordyceps mushrooms. This helped farmers increase product value in the market, and improve their income, thereby developing sustainable economy.

Reporting by LAM PHUONG - Translating by M.DUNG