Vietnamese Farmer Honored for Excellence in "VAC" Farming

DNHN - Dak Lak province proudly boasts two farmers who have been honoured as "Outstanding Vietnamese Farmers" by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Union in 2023.

They are Mr Nguyen Van Dao, a farmer from Se Dang village in Ea Sar commune in Ea Kar district, and Mr Nguyen Van Sanh, the director of Thanh Binh Agricultural and Service Cooperative in Dur Kmal commune, Krong Ana district. While Mr Sanh is a master in producing rice and paddy, assisting other local farmers in bettering their lot in life, Mr Dao is notable for his accomplishments in putting the "VAC" concept into practice, turning into a role model that many individuals and families can look up to, especially in difficult areas.

The Vietnamese phrase "vuon-ao-chuong," which translates to "garden-pond-livestock," is abbreviated as "VAC." The foundation of Mr Dao's VAC model is the notion of connecting and assisting parts to establish a complete loop in manufacturing. The farm owned by his family has about 16 hectares, of which 5 hectares are used for fruit trees, 3 hectares for pepper, 2 hectares for rubber, 2 hectares for forests, and 2.5 hectares for fish ponds. They also rear 500–1000 meat pigs and 70–200 breeding sows in their cattle shed. Six employees receive regular employment under this economic paradigm, while twenty labourers work seasonal jobs. The average monthly pay for these workers is six million dong.

The secret to the VAC model's success is Mr Dao's ability to turn a comparatively barren plot of land into a model of agricultural output in a commune that is especially underprivileged. He diligently incorporates scientific and technological breakthroughs into his farming techniques and is a lifelong learner. He has rearranged the livestock and agricultural mix, choosing and employing the best plant and animal species for his family's needs. Mr Dao has finally succeeded in establishing a combination of plants and animals that produce considerable economic benefits after years of painstaking selection among different crops and livestock. His family's main sources of income have been longan cultivation, fish farming, and pig farming in recent years.

The family of Mr. Dao has made investments in the building of tidy, independent ponds and piggeries. To reduce their negative effects on the environment, the pigpens are fitted with a biogas waste treatment system. Crops are fertilised with the manure from pig farms. The family's crops prosper as a result, especially the longan trees, which yield large quantities.

Pig farming has encountered many difficulties recently, such as unstable prices and illnesses that pose a continual threat to the herd's health. Mr Dao's family has cooperated with companies to establish a consistent source of feed and markets for their pork products to maintain stable pig farming. The pigs' monthly feed expenses are more than 1 billion VND on average. The personnel in charge of the pigs have extensive training in specialised knowledge and abilities, especially in stopping the spread of infections from outside sources.

Mr. Dao offers his observations: "You have to be committed, diligent, and passionate about what you do. You have to be open to picking up the skills you need to improve your work." Large-scale pig farming involves a lot of dangers. As a result, Mr. Dao himself doesn't often visit the pens or sheds, delegating the daily chores to his employees who are present. Before they may feed or clean the pigs in the pens, their bodies need to be "disinfected". To guarantee the herd's safety, this is essentially a need.

Thanks to a well-thought-out integrated farm model with a closed process that combines animal farming with large-scale agriculture and makes use of reliable scientific and technological methods, Mr Nguyen Van Dao's family makes more than 5 billion VND a year.

Three of Mr. Dao's children have grown up and established themselves with families of their own. By abiding by the rules and standards of the Party, state laws and regulations, and the statutes, resolutions, and directives of the Farmers' Union at all levels, Mr Dao and his family continuously demonstrate exemplary citizenship. They carry out their civic responsibilities, support neighbourhood projects, and actively take part in grassroots imitation movements. The family also makes contributions to the rural area's development, such as a donation of 20 million VND for road construction. When it comes to assisting his neighbours in escaping poverty, establishing wealthy lifestyles, upholding community harmony, and guaranteeing local security and order, Mr. Dao is always eager to offer his experiences and wisdom.

Mr Nguyen Van Dao has received multiple certificates of merit and commendations from the Ea Sar Commune People's Committee, the Ea Kar District People's Committee, the Ea Kar District Farmers' Union, and the Dak Lak Provincial Farmers' Union in recognition of his efforts, dedication, and contributions to bettering the lives of his community and the development of the Ea Sar commune and Ea Kar district. Notably, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Union recognised him and Mr Nguyen Van Sanh, Director of the Thanh Binh Agricultural and Service Cooperative in Dur Kmal commune, Krong Ana district, Dak Lak province, as "Outstanding Vietnamese Farmers" in 2023.

"Mr. Nguyen Van Dao is the most exemplary farmer in our commune," declares Mr. Van Dinh Thin, Chairman of the Ea Sar Commune People's Committee. The business strategy used by his family, which blends horticulture with animal raising, is very successful. In addition to being a successful businessman, Mr Dao actively participates in the development of a new rural commune and generates employment for a large number of local labourers. He is a deserving recipient of the Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer title!"

Nguyen Hieu