Tu Ne and Thanh Hoi Safe Vegetable Production Groups Participate in Training for Safe Vegetable Planting

With the inspiration of growing safe vegetables to minimize pesticides, reduce production costs and ensure the health of themselves and all consumers, 35 farmers from Buc village (Tu Ne commune) and Sung and Nhot villages (Thanh Hoi communes), Tan Lac district, Hoa Binh province enthusiastically engaged in a growing safe vegetable group which was supported by the Centre for Environment and Community Assets Development (CECAD).

After the tour to various safe vegetable production models in Hanoi, the team members continued to participate in training on safe vegetables which was taught by staff of the Plant Protection Station of Tan Lac district. The training course was divided into 2 parts: theory in class and practice in the field. After the lecture and discussion on theoretical issues, the members of the group started to practice skills ranging from composting, soil preparation, nursery, planting, tending, to pest control and harvesting in the field. Throughout the process of growing safe vegetables, members of the Plant Protection Station of Tan Lac district and project staff regularly monitored and instructed farmers on techniques and pest prevention.

Currently, the team members have began to focus on growing vegetables according to the process provided by the staff of the Plant Protection Station of Tan Lac district. Hopefully, the members of the group will have their first safe vegetable products in September 2013. Although the production and consumption of safe vegetables is still very new to the locals, the vegetable safety group has achieved initial success. There can be no success like that without the support and facilitation of the local government and the help to consume some products of Binh Minh Service and Rural Development Cooperative.

Pham Linh