Phạm Văn Xây takes care trees at his garden in Đăk Rong Commune, Gia Lai Province. VNA/VNS Photo

GIA LAI — Phạm Văn Xây has helped farmers in his homeland in the Central Highlands region prosper by combining plant farming with raising livestock and fish.

The 64-year-old lives in Đăk Rong Commune, Kbang District, Gia Lai Province, and is also Vice Chairman of the commune’s Veterans' Association.

He supports local farmers by providing young trees, seeds and fertiliser for them.

Currently, his family's 4,000sq.m of ponds and lakes provide water for 10ha of coffee and macadamia trees, not only for his family but some neighbouring households.

He is also raising 15 cows, 50 pigs and 200-300 swans, chickens and ducks on a 100sq.m area. These animals create the fertiliser for the family's garden.

According to Xây, the success of his combined farming model came from trial and error and using advanced technology.

He has renovated and turned eight hectares of old coffee plants into a lush coffee garden, that currently yields 8-10 tonnes of beans per hectare.

He intercropped 800 macadamia trees in the coffee garden and now macadamia has entered the harvest season.

He also built a nursery of fruit trees to provide seeds and young trees for local people. The combined farming model, after deducting expenses, brought VNĐ1 billion (US$43,400) to his family in 2020.

As Vice Chairman of the communal Veterans' Association, he regularly encourages members to join social movements to improve the local area.

He also provided 800 bags of manure, 500 coffee trees, 100 baby chickens and many varieties of fruit trees for local households in 2016-2021.

His family's agricultural model has created regular jobs for four members of the Veterans' Association and about 50 seasonal labourers, who are responsible for harvesting coffee and macadamia.

As a soldier who returned home, he has always been willing to help poor and underprivileged people improve their incomes. Early this year, he took the initiative to provide technical guidance on how to care for trees and livestock for some poor households in Kon Lanh Village.

He has also suggested local authorities replicate his combined farming model to help poor households with the goal that by 2025, Đắk Rong Commune will no longer have poor households.

He has called on local people to help out and donate money and land to build roads and a cultural house. His family led by example by donating 400sq.m of land to build rural roads.

Đỗ Khắc Vũ, Vice Chairman of the Kbang District’s Veterans' Association, said Xây was an exemplary official who was trusted and respected by local people.

“He is actively supporting local residents to develop the household economy," said Vũ.

Xây has received many certificates of merit from Gia Lai provincial authorities for his contributions to his community. VNS