Hà Nội promotes development of green agriculture

The wild boar farming, red worm production and organic vegetable cultivation model under the Đại Ngàn clean vegetable brand at Hoa Viên Farm is developed in a green, safe and environmentally friendly direction. — Photo courtesy of the Hà Nội People's Committee

HÀ NỘI — To keep pace with the global trend of green agricultural development and produce goods that meet consumer demand, Hà Nội's agricultural sector has guided farmers towards focusing on green, safe and environmentally friendly agricultural production.

This approach has given rise to many green agricultural models, which not only achieve high economic efficiency and greater exports, but also contribute to reducing environmental pollution.

Chương Dương Commune in Thường Tín District was once thought to be suitable only for wet rice and traditional crops. Nowadays, the commune has found a new direction with the VietGAP-standard black summer grape cultivation model, which brought high income to local farmers.

Đào Duy Tới, director of Duy Tới Cooperative, said: "With technical support from Hà Nội's agricultural officials, our cooperative has been growing black summer grapes for the past two years. To achieve productive grape vineyards, the soil must be carefully improved to suit the black summer grape variety and the cultivation techniques must be met.

"With the current selling price of VNĐ130,000 (US$5.18) per kilo, the black summer grape model is proving to be five to six times more economically effective than rice."

Hoa Viên Farm, located in Yên Bình and Yên Trung communes of Thạch Thất District, owned by Trương Kim Hoa, has implemented a model of wild boar farming, red worm production and organic vegetable cultivation under the Đại Ngàn clean vegetable brand.

The farm spans over 60 hectares of land surrounding a hill, where Hoa’s family boldly launched large-scale wild boar farming. They use organic fertiliser to breed red worms and use processed manure to fertilise crops. Each year, the farm supplies the market with over 10,000 wild boar piglets and commercial products, and more than 300 tonnes of vegetables. The Đại Ngàn brand from Hoa Viên is currently in high demand, supplying over 30 stores in the city and has been certified as organic according to the IFOAM Norm for Organic Production, gaining much consumer appreciation.

Bùi Hường Bích, Director of Đan Hoài Cooperative in Đan Phượng District, stated that to make green, safe, and environmentally friendly farm produce, the cooperative has in recent years focused on the application of science and technology.

They have invested in 85 greenhouses and net houses, covering an area of about 20,000 square metres and applied advanced irrigation systems to save water while regulating temperature and light during the cultivation and care processes, including mass flowering of Phalaenopsis orchids.

Thanks to scientific and methodical investment, the cooperative now supplies around one million Phalaenopsis seedlings and commercial orchids to the market each year, generating annual revenue of VNĐ5 billion (US$199,000).

Vũ Thị Hương, director of the Hà Nội Agricultural Extension Centre, Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that from the beginning of 2024 to the present, the centre has implemented eighteen agricultural extension models, including ten crop cultivation models, four livestock models and four aquaculture models.

These models mainly focus on the development of organic, VietGAP-compliant vegetables, flowers and fruits, with the application of high technology, climate change-adapted agricultural production and environmental protection, in line with market demand.

Currently, in agricultural production, many individuals, enterprises, and cooperatives are choosing green production methods to meet consumption trends. Additionally, agricultural green output also reflects the responsibility of businesses to the community, contributing to environmental and ecosystem protection.

Hà Nội now has 2,000 hectares of organic crops and over ten hectares of organic aquaculture. To encourage farmers to adopt this approach, the Hà Nội agricultural sector has supported them through various programmes, integrating agricultural policy funds. In reality, compared to conventional production, organic production models have proven to be more economically effective because the quality, competitiveness and value of agricultural products are higher.

To expand green and safe agricultural production models, Đồng Thị Vinh, director of Hồng Hà Safe Vegetable and Fruit Cooperative in Phú Xuyên District, suggested that functional sectors should annually allocate priority funds to support cooperatives in green agricultural production.

Furthermore, cooperatives should be guided in registering processes, improving packaging and tracing labels, contributing to the development of brand names for agricultural products. The establishment and implementation of a specialised trading platform for safe agricultural products should also be promoted to connect producers, cooperatives and consumers.

According to Nguyễn Thị Tuyết Anh, head of the Economic Department of Thanh Trì District, to develop green, safe and sustainable agriculture, the district continues to support cooperatives and farmers in safe production processes, especially in pest control on crops, disease prevention in livestock and aiming to produce safe, clean products according to VietGAP standards.

The district also strengthens cooperation, investment promotion, trade and agricultural market development, creating favourable conditions for farmers, enterprises and domestic and foreign investors to produce quality, safe agricultural products.

Nguyễn Đình Hoa, deputy director of the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, noted that farmers need to shift their production mindset from habitual practices to agriculture guided by experts, scientists, and State management agencies.

Green agriculture has become an inevitable trend in modern agriculture, of which Hà Nội's agricultural sector is focusing on restructuring production, enhancing the quality, value and efficiency of key and distinctive agricultural products.

It is promoting the 'One Commune One Product' (OCOP) programme and digital transformation in agriculture; effectively implementing mechanisms and policies to boost production; strengthening the application and transfer of scientific and technological advancements; and shifting from a production mindset to an economic mindset, aiming towards green values created through green transformation, green consumption and a green economy. — VNS