Sustainable Organic Farming and Technology for the future of Vietnam

Hi Scott,

What do you really want to do in this Organic farming?

Do you want to open/invest in a farm?

I know an American into agriculture here, and someone from Bangladesh who want to invest into farming here, but I don't know what do you want, to see if I can connect you and them.

Best,
Khuyen

Hi Scott,

You have the same idea with me. We have capacity for farming but less-technology. I know someone who is exploring and has proven some Japan, Israel technology in Vietnam which delivery high quality of fruit, vegetable in Lam Dong province. My wistfulness is to how export or build up a export market production.

Please keep me in touch if you have further idea for this interested idea.

Thanks,

Hung

Hello Khuyen,

For starters, I have been invited to partner with two of the largest conventional dragon fruit farmers, to establish Organic production on two 10HA sites (one in Binh Thuan, one in Tien Giang), as well as working in conjunction with SOFRI (Southern Horticultural Research Institute) to develop new dragon fruit cultivars, tissue culture reproduction techniques and Organic production systems on their research farms in the Mekong Delta area.

I am currently back in the US raising seed capital and developing markets for our future production.

The method of Sustainable Organic Agriculture, which I am experienced in, involves mixed plantings with multiple yields on our production site. We also integrate pest management crops (attractant and repellent), microbial inoculations (to create living soil) and various nitrogen fixing/compost crops into the systems, to provide most of the necessary inputs on site and avoid outside inputs whenever possible.

I would be interested in continuing a conversation with you regarding your connections and their interest in supporting the growth of our enterprise. Thank you for reaching out.

Aloha,

Scott

Dear Hung,

Thank you for your response. I feel that there is a growing network of like minded individuals and groups pursuing the same goals of Sustainability and Organics, to provide meaningful livelihood and a clean food supply for Vietnamese domestic consumption and export. Establishing a worknet, where we can all benefit from sharing ideas and experiences, is the first step to making this a reality. Please keep in contact and inform me of your visions, goals and resources, so that we can see how to best collaborate. Looking forward to your response.

Aloha,

Scott

Scott,
Great topic. I have been trying to research this subject for a while.  I have experience marketing Certified Organic products in North America.

I have found Certified Organic Cashew, Rice and Coconut producers and even talked to some of them. I think the challenges they face selling their products in Western markets, at the premium price they deserve, is greater than most people imagine.

I am definitely keen to be informed on this subject. I am happy just to learn more or possibly collaborate on a project.

Dear nosugar_please,

Yes, there are many challenges and misconceptions regarding the export sales of Certified Organic products from Vietnam. The process of education and coordination on Organic standards in a major hurdle, which I hope to help overcome. Will keep you informed as things evolve.

Aloha,

Scott

nosugar_please wrote:

I have found Certified Organic Cashew, Rice and Coconut producers and even talked to some of them.

I don't know much about Cashews but I do know that conventional rice farmers use a fair amount of chemicals, likely more in Vietnam the in the US.  Padi cultivation limits the need for herbicides, while the US areas of Arkansas and California have one crop a year and winter kill which should make organic cultivation there a lot more feasible than in the tropics with three crops per year.  My real question is,  is there really any such thing as non-organic coconuts?  I can't imagine farmers climbing the trees with backpack sprayers.  What common practices would make a coconut not organic?

Dear THIGV,

The practices in use by most conventional Coconut farms in India (and Vietnam I imagine) usually involve fairly heavy applications of ammonia based chemical fertilizers, to trigger flowering and increase fruit load. There are Organic alternatives to increase production, but the synthetic ammonia based fertilizers are cheaper and easier to apply.

Hi Scott,

Could we chat about your post?  My number is ** Or please email me at **

Thank you,
khanh

Synthesis Amonia made of petrolium which milions years ago bacteria convert from NH3 and now we use it as non organic fertilizer everything come from the mother earth and nothing wrong with that ,

Dear vfatahian,

Your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated. I agree that all does come from the Mother Earth, but IMHO through human manipulation and profiteering, things can be made wrong with the manufacturer and use of synthesized ammonia based fertilizers. I am not a chemist, but here are the reasons that I believe why naturally occurring compounds and components can be manipulated and corrupted to become detrimental and often harmful to humanity and nature and why Organic locally produced alternatives are preferable for the future.

1) With a dependence on industrial process manufacturing for the materials, it eliminates the empowerment of individuals and small groups to self produce required inputs.

2) The energy consumption vs. return (BTU loss) on the production of these ammonia based compounds and their derivatives is not sustainable (carbon neutral), whereas locally produced alternatives are often possible at a net carbon gain.

3) With the addition of ammonia based fertilizers the soil mircobial activity is compromised, creating a continued dependence on these synthetic inputs instead of a natural resilience of soil life.

4) The nutritional density of foods produced with synthetic fertilizer is compromised, compared to those produced with biological organic methods. Also, the heavy metal toxicity of the conventional fertilizer produced foods is much greater than the biological organic alternatives.

5) The effects of conventional fertilizer use on the surrounding environment (land, air and water) is often detrimental and harmful to other life forms (human, animal, plant and microbial), especially when improperly applied and regulated.

6) The foundation of development for these inputs is a part of the military industrial process, developed by German chemists during WW2 for military use, then adapted to civilian agricultural use following the war, when no longer needed for military ends.

I can provide citations and references on all of the items above, if you require, to satisfy your need for truth. Thank you for your time.

Aloha,

Hawaiiscott

Thanks for your reply, please give me the references

To which items would you like references? Most are self explanatory. Others are historical fact.  I would also like to know your background and experience. Please inform.

Get in touch with http://freshstudio.vn/, run by Dutch agronomists who have been doing what you're talking about for quite a while here and have been exporting to Europe etc. They're serious about quality.

Hi Scott
I like what u have said here and i am very interested in this topic. If possible, I would b very interested also in hearing about future plans for development of this endeavour. Please e-mail me at xxx
Cheers
Dave Tonetti

Hi Robvan, the link doesn't seem to work. Any other ways of contact?

Thanks,
Ting

Hi Ting,

I tried.
You just need to delete the comma "," after the link then it will work.

Thank you!