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| Truong Minh Kiet (right) "shows off" the effectiveness of his hydroponic vegetable garden. |
From the dream of clean agriculture
The harsh midday sun of the mountainous area seems to be softened by the nearly 2,000m2 garden in the middle of Ka Tu village, including an area for growing hydroponic vegetables with the sound of water flowing on the trellis; the other area is golden melons in the greenhouse. Before the admiration of the guests, Mr. Vo Minh Tri, Secretary of the Huong Phu Commune Youth Union introduced: "The owner of this garden is a student at the University of Agriculture and Forestry - Hue University. Truong Minh Kiet is a typical example of young people starting a business in the countryside. Kiet is not only eager to learn and effectively apply high technology in agriculture, but also has a sense of community; he is a young person who spreads the spirit of green farming in the locality".
At that moment, Truong Minh Kiet, with a bright smile on his sunburnt face, walked out of the melon beds, holding juicy melons in his hands. The young man invited guests to enjoy the sweetness of the ripe fruit right in the garden, while sharing about his aspirations, desires, efforts and promising initial results.
In 2019, when he was only 17 years old, Kiet and his father - who had spent many years working in the fields and gardens in Da Lat - happened to watch a television report on the hydroponic vegetable growing model. Realizing that this was a method of applying high technology in agriculture, with outstanding advantages in productivity, quality and food safety, due to optimizing the use of land and water, minimizing the use of pesticides, Kiet nurtured the dream of sustainable clean agriculture. To make the dream come true, the young man and his father started experimenting.
“At first, the father and son used bamboo tubes, drilled holes, covered them with plastic, and created a manual hydroponic system to try growing. Some vegetables withered before they could grow, some were green but bitter to eat, not as delicious as expected. Like that, time after time, failing and then trying again, it took more than a dozen tries to get the results we have today,” the “Gen Z” young man recalled.
The turning point came when Kiet was admitted to the Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agriculture and Forestry. In the lecture hall, Kiet was fortunate to have Master Nguyen Van Quy, a dedicated teacher, who is also the owner of an effective melon growing model, directly instruct him. From the practical sessions in the garden to the in-depth discussions in class, Kiet had a different perspective on farming. It was no longer a job of "selling your face to the ground, selling your back to the sky", but also a scientific field full of creativity and constant innovation. It was Mr. Quy who instilled in Kiet a burning passion for clean agriculture. Thanks to that, the lessons gradually stepped out of the notebooks, into every bed of soil, every row of trees in the home garden. The passion for green agriculture, which seemed far away, gradually took shape through each crop season that Kiet planted.
Currently, Kiet's garden has two main models: About 400m2 is used to grow hydroponic vegetables and more than 1,500m2 to grow golden melons - also the first golden melon growing model in the old Nam Dong mountainous area. Kiet chooses to grow melons in greenhouses to limit the impact of weather and pests. Each year, the garden produces 2-3 harvests, each lasting about 3 months, bringing in an average revenue of about 200 million VND. Kiet is carrying out the procedures to register for traceability stamps to bring melons to the Da Nang market.
In late winter, the greenhouse is still full of colorful chrysanthemums and gerberas in preparation for Tet. Occasionally, Kiet also intercrops tomatoes and chili peppers to enrich the garden. The flower area is mainly taken care of by Kiet's father. The combination of experience and creativity has made the garden more vibrant, innovative, and effective with each season.
With the hydroponic vegetable model, Kiet focuses on familiar vegetables such as lettuce, water spinach, green cabbage, mint... grown seasonally. The initial investment cost for the hydroponic system is quite high, but in return, the depreciation rate during operation is very low, and the maintenance cost is negligible.
“The biggest advantage is saving labor thanks to the automation system. Growing on land, after each crop of vegetables, it is very difficult to improve the soil, but hydroponics only requires washing the trough, the next day you can plant a new crop,” Kiet smiled again when introducing the lush green mint clumps on the growing rack.
Each crop of hydroponic vegetables in Kiet's garden brings double the revenue compared to growing on land. Hydroponic vegetables are more expensive than traditionally grown vegetables but are favored by consumers because of their freshness and clean quality. In addition to being supplied at traditional markets, hydroponic vegetables grown by Kiet are available at YesHue Eco tourist area, wedding restaurants in the area...
Spreading green agriculture model
In addition to production, Kiet has also successfully transferred the hydroponic vegetable growing model to many households and cooperatives, such as Thuy Tan Cooperative, Thuy Chau Cooperative (Huong Thuy Town). In particular, the model of growing golden melons in greenhouses at Quynh Huong Company Limited (Quang Dien), which Kiet directly guided and transferred technology, is currently one of the most successful models in the locality.
As a young pioneer in the high-tech agricultural transformation movement in the locality, Kiet's model is always studied and exchanged by many people in the area. "Kiet is very enthusiastic in sharing his green farming experience with the people, together changing the way of modern agriculture, developing the household economy. Kiet's initial successes have become a source of inspiration for many young people who are choosing the path of starting a green agricultural business", said Secretary of Huong Phu Commune Youth Union, Mr. Vo Minh Tri.
Kiet's model was awarded a certificate of merit by the Provincial People's Committee (now Hue City) and the Central Vietnam Farmers' Union for its positive contributions to rural economic development. Kiet is also an exemplary member in participating in social activities, especially in supporting disadvantaged households to access new agricultural techniques.
Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/gen-z-khoi-nghiep-tu-nong-nghiep-xanh-154534.html
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