High-tech farming model helps farmers escape poverty

Along with projects by other economic groups, the high-tech agriculture model applied by the Southeast Asia Service and Import Export Company has brought economic benefits and contributed to poverty reduction.  

Cao Van Anh and his family in Nghia Doan commune, Hai Phong City, are preparing for a muskmelon harvest and tending beds of pear-shaped melons in his greenhouse.

For the past two years, the Southeast Asia Service and Import Export Company has provided seedlings and secured buyers for all output. The company specializes in producing qualified farm products in Hai Phong.

Cao Van Anh says greenhouse farming is more profitable than traditional farming, reduces adverse climate effects, and minimizes threats from insects and plant diseases. Much of the work is done on a computer or smart phone.

“Each year I grow three muskmelon crops. Each of my greenhouses is 500 square meters. I harvest about 1.5 tons per year, giving me a more stable income than traditional farming did. I have invested almost US$44,000 in each greenhouse. We have begun to recoup the investment capital over the past year. We use coconut fiber instead of soil, a form of hydroponic cultivation in which dissolved fertilizer and water are pumped directly to basins,” Van Anh said.

The model has been widely implemented in Hai Phong’s districts. In four years, the company has invested in and purchased the produce of 25 greenhouses covering more than 20 ha.

Tran Thanh Diep, the company’s Director, says “The first high-tech food and vegetable model was the model I used to grow vegetables on my family’s 5,000 square meters to meet our own needs. Then many people wanted to buy my produce, so I decided to expand the model for commercial purposes. After three years, we now have 25 greenhouses. Each greenhouse is about 1,000sq.m and cost more than US$35,000, on top of the money needed to buy or lease the land. A greenhouse can withstand sun, wind, even level 12 storms, and is equipped with an automated irrigation system, dramatically reducing production costs.”

The company has offered multiple training courses on new farming techniques and has local farm households construct greenhouses. Diep told VOV that this has helped many farmers escape poverty and stabilize their lies. Some of them have dared to expand the model.  

Diep says, “if a farm household wants to build a greenhouse to grow fruits, we will help them with seedlings and buy all their output. We will also send technicians to their farm to help them with farming techniques and open a series of shops in Hai Phong and Hanoi. We will help them choose qualified vegetable and fruit seedlings.”

The model focuses on quality, hygiene, and safety of the produce. The company’s products are regularly ordered by more than 5,000 households, 50 hotels, and numerous restaurants, supermarkets, and industrial zones in Hai Phong, Hanoi, and Bac Ninh.

Nguyen Thi Quynh, a resident in Hai Phong, says “I have known products of the Southeast Asia Service and Import Export Company for three years and introduced them to my friends because we want safe food for our families. The safe production process of vegetables and fruits, and company - organized field trips to greenhouses gives the customers greater confidence.”

 The Southeast Asia Service and Import Export Company is currently expanding the farming areas and developing Hai Phong’s brand towards exporting to the global market.