The inventions of Pham Van Hat are among many products designed by Vietnamese farmers that save time and simplify cultivation techniques (Photo: vietnamnet.vn) HCM City (VNA) – As most of the machines used inthe agricultural sector are imported, innovations in agricultural machinerymade by Vietnamese farmers are being viewed as “rain after the drought”.
The innovations are bringing a new face to the agriculturalsector because they save time and costs, and simplify cultivation activities.
Pham Van Hat, a farmer from the northern province of Hai Duong,can remember the day he faced bankruptcy in 2013 after failing to trade organicvegetables and losing 3 billion VND (132,000 USD).
The bankruptcy, however, opened new doors when he decided togo to Israel as a guest worker. During his time there, Hat was responsible forputting manure on 100ha of vegetables per day.
After a time, he decided to meet the manager and proposedsuggestions on how to make a machine that could do the job.
Receiving approval, he presented his first machine whichcould do the work of 25 people within a few days.
The company increased his monthly salary from 1,000 USD to 2,500USD.
Hat later returned to Vietnam to open a factory to make hismachines.
He invented many kinds of machines to serve cultivation worklike auto-sowing machines, fertilizing machines, corn-sowing machines,bean-sowing machines and vegetable seed-sowing machines.
He has invented 30 machines, with an auto-sowing machinereplacing a workforce of 40. In a trial run, four people could sow only onesquare metre within five minutes.
His machine, however, could sow eight square metres in oneand a half minutes.
The machine has been improved every year and has beenexported to many markets, including Germany, the US, Singapore and Thailand.
Other machines he made for fertilisation can do the work of50 people.
Tran Dai Nghia, a farmer from the northern province of Thai Binh,developed a machine that helps farmers improve cultivation.
Nghia, who began working in the Republic of Korea in 2001,decided to make a cultivation tool in 2009, several years after returning toVietnam.
His tool is small enough that it can be used by children orthe elderly.
“My family has many farms. It costs me about 250,000 VND tohire one person to cultivate for one day. The machine I bought from Nghia helpsme save a lot of money,” said Phan Chau Giang, a farmer from Vu Thu district ofThai Binh province.
The inventions of Hat and Nghia are among many productsdesigned by Vietnamese farmers that save time and simplify cultivationtechniques.
Some foreign companies want to buy these products but therehave been no professional events for the farmers to advertise their goods. Theyhave mostly contracted with partners via phones or manufacturers.
This problem will be solved at the end of this month, whenthe biggest exhibition for agriculture, forestry and fisheries will take placein Hanoi.
The first-ever Vietnam International Exhibition onMachineries and Technologies of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (Growtech2017) will be held from November 30 to December 2.
It is organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade,Science and Technology and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
For the first time in Vietnam, farmers and fishermen will beable to participate in an international exhibition showcasing the latesttechnologies and innovations in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
Growtech is seen as a key for farmers to open the gate tostep into the global market.-VNA
VNA
