Positive outcomes in Gia Lai

Benefiting thousands of households

To date, the Tam Thanh Agricultural Production and Service Cooperative (Ia Hrung commune, IA Grai) has collaborated with community agricultural extension groups in Gia Lai to conduct 18 training classes, which have attracted nearly 900 participants. Consequently, the community agricultural extension group offers advice on the methods of preventing and caring for pests and diseases in coffee and produce trees. At the same time, they offer efficient methods for replanting coffee trees.

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‘Side by side’ with farmers to produce sustainable coffee

Furthermore, the community agricultural extension group has collaborated with Vinh Hiep Co., Ltd. to conduct 25 training sessions that are expected to attract approximately 1,000 participants. Residents are instructed on the prerequisites of the sustainable coffee programs 4C and RA, as well as on the prevention of child labor in the coffee industry and the safety of labor in production, during these sessions.

The community agricultural extension group has been involved in projects to construct organic coffee production models in Gia Lai province for the 2023-2025 period and to create VietGAP-standard fruit tree production models for the development of raw material regions that are linked to consumption in the Central Highlands provinces. This is particularly noteworthy.

Mr. Luong Van Suc (Ia Nhin commune, Chu Pah district) expressed his satisfaction with the community agricultural extension group's assistance in the cultivation of 1.5 hectares of coffee. He stated: "Since the commencement of the year, the community agricultural extension group has collaborated with Binh Dien Fertilizer Joint Stock Company to provide my family with fertilizers and technical guidance for the maintenance of the coffee garden using cutting-edge scientific methods. We are extremely grateful for the community agricultural extension groups, particularly their collaboration with the Central Highlands Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute to test soil samples and modify the coffee care procedures to better align with the actual garden conditions."

Mr. Suc also disclosed that his family was recently honored to host a delegation from the National Agricultural Extension Center to exchange experiences, as a result of the successful development of their intercropped coffee and durian garden. This creates a foundation for residents to have more faith in the assistance that the local agricultural extension groups offer.

In the development of the organic coffee project in Ia Bang commune, Dak Doa district, Mr. Lam Quoc Trieu, Director of Ham Rong Ecological Agriculture, Trade, and Tourism Cooperative (Pleiku), stated that the community agricultural extension groups have made significant positive contributions to the cooperative and farmers over time. In particular, the community agricultural extension group has collaborated with Vinh Hiep Co., Ltd. to conduct training sessions and provide guidance on the coffee production process, including seed selection, cultivation, care, and harvest techniques.

Additionally, the community agricultural extension group has gathered feedback from residents and collaborated with provincial authorities to assess, survey, and plan agricultural extension projects that are appropriate for the local soil and climate conditions. These initiatives encompass the provision of fertilizer assistance to organic coffee growers and the establishment of connections between farmers and businesses to facilitate product consumption.

Mechanisms needed to improve efficiency of community agricultural extension group

As per Decision No. 1088 from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Gia Lai province is helping to set up two community agricultural extension groups in Ia Bang commune (Dak Doa district) and Ia Hrung commune (Ia Grai district). This is in line with the pilot project's goal to create standardized agricultural and forestry raw material regions for both domestic and international use.

The community agricultural extension group in Ia Bang commune not only assists the cooperative in the development of an organic coffee model on a 30-hectare plot, but also guides sustainable coffee cultivation techniques to numerous residents of the area.

Mr. Duong Van Thanh, a member of the community agricultural extension group in Ia Bang commune, stated that the group will provide support for sustainable coffee cultivation techniques in an organic direction for households that already possess a fundamental understanding of coffee care.

Conversely, the community agricultural extension group has implemented additional training programs to enhance production efficiency and increase awareness among ethnic minority households in remote regions.

Mr. Thanh states that the community agricultural extension group's most effective approach after two years of operation has been to establish connections and exchange experiences with businesses and residents to foster sustainable coffee production.

Assessing the activities of the community agricultural extension group, the director of the Gia Lai Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, Mr. Pham Huu Phuoc, stated that the community agricultural extension groups have progressively implemented sustainable and effective agricultural production and business management, as well as transferred technical and technological advancements.

Furthermore, the community agricultural extension groups have offered guidance on the development of product identifiers and brands, digital transformation, traceability, and production organization management. They have also engaged in the new rural development program, vocational training for rural labor, and the preservation and development of traditional industries and artisan villages.

Nevertheless, Mr. Phuoc observed that community agricultural extension groups are still relatively new and that the members lack the necessary knowledge to conduct consulting and guidance activities for cooperatives and residents. Additionally, the promotion and encouragement of residents to engage in centralized production activities is a difficult task because they still lack a comprehensive understanding of the duties and functions of community agricultural extension groups.

Additionally, the members of the community agricultural extension groups are frequently civil servants and part-time employees who work primarily during office hours, which restricts their availability and complicates their operations.