Banana farm of Trần Văn Giàu in Cổ Bi Commune of Gia Lâm District of Hà Nội. — Photo courtesy of the Hà Nội Agricultural Extension Centre

HÀ NỘI — The "Farmers’ Bridge" initiative has proved an effective forum for Hà Nội farmers to share useful knowledge about plant and animal caring, disease prevention, market information and work experiences.

Recently, the "Farmer's Bridge" forums organised by the Hà Nội Agricultural Extension Centre (under the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) in districts with large grapefruit growing areas, such as Đan Phượng, Phúc Thọ, Sóc Sơn, and Ba Vì, have attracted a large number of farmers who are interested in measures that prevent pests and diseases affecting this high-value fruit.

At the forums, Dr. Cao Văn Chí, director of the Centre for Citrus Development, shared experiences and techniques of caring for citrus trees, recommending that "red and white spiders cause damage to grapefruit trees during dry weather. Therefore, farmers should spray preventive medicine when the grapefruit is the size of a cork.”

“The type of medicine should be changed periodically. However, the most optimal solution is to spray the plants with plain water in the early morning and late afternoon, which will be more effective than spraying chemical pesticides,” he said.

Nguyễn Bá Sáu, a farmer in Thư Phú Commune of Thường Tín District, said that because his aquaculture is impacted by the water of the Nhuệ River, his fish are at risk of disease at any time.

Participating in the Farmers’ Bridge, Sáu was instructed to monitor the water source and use biological products when the water becomes cloudy.

“Along with that, the management and care of the fish must be done regularly, from food to weather signs,” recommended Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kim Văn Vạn from the Việt Nam Agriculture Academy.

“Farming ponds need to control the three major issues of clean water, pH balance and oxygen,” he said.

With knowledge gained from the forums, Sáu’s aquaculture is now more successful than before.

A 300-tree grapefruit garden grown under VietGap method of Bùi Văn Lập in Phú Yên Village, Yên Bài Commune of Hà Nội's Ba Vì District. — Photo courtesy of the Hà Nội Agriculture Extension Centre

Nguyễn Hữu Hùng, a farmer in Vân Canh Commune of Hoài Đức District, said that through the forums, he acquired a lot of knowledge about growing fruit trees, especially techniques for guava trees to yield beautiful and high quality fruits and avoid spoilage during the rainy season.

In question and answer sessions at the forums, experts answer real situations that arise in production so that farmers can easily grasp techniques, thereby applying them to production practices that contribute to improving the productivity and quality of crops and livestock as well as the value of agricultural products.

In addition, experts also guide farmers on knowledge about agrochemical soil, plant varieties, fertilisers, pesticides, and scientific farming methods suitable for each locality's farming seasons and land.

Professor Nguyễn Lân Hùng, general secretary of the Việt Nam Association of Biological Sciences, said that the "Farmers’ Bridge" forums not only regularly update new scientific and technical content in the country and around the world, but also bring specific evidence for farmers to easily understand, grasp and apply in practice.

Director of the Hà Nội Agriculture and Rural Development Department Nguyễn Xuân Đại said: "Farmers’ Bridge" brings science and market knowledge closer to farmers, and is also an opportunity for scientists and managers to update current issues in agricultural development as well as the production of farmers.”

"Farmers’ Bridge" contributes to building the most effective links between farmers and scientists, businesses and state management agencies," he said.

The forums are also venues for farmers to exchange information and knowledge with each other and learn the latest scientific advances to serve their agricultural production, contributing to completing the programme of new rural construction in their homelands.

Vice Chairman of Thường Tín District’s People's Committee Bùi Công Thành said that to improve efficiency in agricultural production, in the coming time, the district will have policies to support the development of high quality and safe agricultural products, including training and transferring new science and technology.

“At the same time, the district co-ordinated with the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to launch forums, such as: "Farmers’ Bridge", and "Agricultural Extension @ - Linking Agricultural Product Consumption" to improve knowledge for farmers about safe agricultural production.

Vũ Thị Hương, director of the Hà Nội Agriculture Extension Centre, said that along with supporting farmers to invest in agricultural production through continuing to disburse capital from the Hà Nội Agricultural Extension Fund, in the coming time, the centre will regularly update knowledge in science and technology domestically and internationally.

The centre also provides additional consulting content on agricultural product consumption markets to help farmers organise production according to trends and avoid situations of "good harvest, price drop", Hương said.

According to the centre’s deputy director, Đoàn Đức Dan, learning and applying useful information from experts in forums has helped farmers improve productivity by 20-25 per cent, reduce production costs, increase economic efficiency by about 30-35 per cent, limit pests, reduce environmental pollution, and ensure food safety and hygiene. VNS