Flowers grown by the Phó Thọ Flower and Ornamental Plant Co-operative in Cần Thơ City. — VNS Photo Ngọc Diệp

CẦN THƠ — Flower farmers in Cần Thơ City have improved their output through a project initiated by the Department of Science and Technology that has transferred technology and modern growing techniques to them.

Nguyễn Thị Tố Uyên, head of the VNĐ4.1 billion (US$176,900) project, said it has been implemented by Bình An and Phó Thọ co- flower and ornamental plant operatives in Bình Thủy District.

Of the investment, 50 per cent was funded by the city government and the rest by local farmers, she said.

A research team successfully built a model using modern technologies to develop flower seeds and seedlings of high quality.

The project, carried out since 2017, has focused on transferring two main technologies, in-vitro propagation and growing flower and ornamental plants in net houses for commercial purposes, Uyên said.

The former enabled the production of the great amount of high-quality seeds and with great homogeneity.

“Thousands of flowers’ seeds have been produced using this method,” Uyên said.

Production in net houses is enabling farmers to adopt efficient irrigation technologies, balanced fertilisation and plant growth regulation, she said.

“We can produce seedlings without depending on natural conditions.”

Around 10,000 gerbera saplings, 200,000 daisy saplings and 10,000 rose saplings have been grown so far in net houses.

Besides, the research team also helped farmers access modern equipment and machinery to make the propagation much easier.

Huỳnh Thanh Cần of the Phó Thọ Flower and Ornamental Plant Co-operative, one of the beneficiaries, said flower and ornamental plant growing households have become more confident about applying modern technologies after attending training courses.

“Using science and technology brings much higher efficiency … compared with traditional farming method.”

Farmers feel secure because they are guaranteed a stable and steady income, he said.

The project has been undertaken as part of a programme called “Supporting the application and transfer of scientific and technological advances to promote socio-economic development in rural, mountainous and ethnic minority areas,” implemented by the Ministry of Science and Technology in collaboration with Cần Thơ in 2016-25. — VNS