Young entrepreneur earns millions with a bold mindset

Dropping out to pursue an agricultural career

Ngo Dinh Tuan (born 1993, Village 4, Xuan Giang Commune, Tho Xuan District, Thanh Hoa Province) initially pursued a degree in Electronics and Telecommunications at Hanoi University of Industry. However, he ultimately made the decision to leave his studies and return to his hometown with the aim of pursuing an agricultural career.

Tuan’s parents initially disapproved of his choice. “My parents held farming jobs in order to support my education, hoping I would secure a stable career. So, when I decided to return home from the university, they were strongly opposed to the idea.

During his university years, Tuan showed an entrepreneurial spirit. He conceived the idea of pooling resources with friends to rent a space and open a coffee shop in order to cover tuition expenses. In his free time, Tuan traveled to different northern provinces to learn from different farming models and implement these practices within his family’s agricultural operations.

"These experiences provided me with significant agricultural knowledge and practical skills. Notably, by applying suitable cultivation techniques and tending procedures at each growth stage, both crops and livestock can yield significantly better results compared to traditional farming practices. My parents began to see the value of my approach and eventually trusted and supported my decision to pursue a career in agriculture,” Tuan shared.

With this knowledge, Tuan took out a loan in 2018 to begin transforming his family’s sugarcane and cassava cultivation fields. He rented additional land to develop a circular farm with the goal of reusing by-products from crop and livestock production to enhance productivity.

Regarding his approach to circular agriculture, Tuan shared, "We collect agricultural by-products such as weeds, spoiled pomelos, and guavas to compost into organic fertilizer for the pomelo trees. Additionally, we utilize damaged fruits as feed for wild boars and waste from livestock production activities as fertilizer for the crops.

The technical cycle of the circular farm helps protect the environment and promote a near-zero-waste approach to farming. This method also reduces input costs in production, adding value to agricultural products. Consequently, the integrated garden-pond-barn model is an optimal choice to manage and maximize resources while promoting ecological balance."

Over 300 million VND in annual income

Tuan initially dedicated the majority of his 3-hectare farm to longan, jackfruit, avocado, and Dien pomelo production. However, he was forced to clear these trees due to volatile prices and insufficient returns. On the other hand, limited market reach, as a result of ineffective communication and marketing, negatively affected the sale of his products. After two years, Tuan removed all longan, jackfruit, and Dien pomelo trees to restructure his crop layout.

"It was better to accept a loss of several hundred million VND than to keep the farm and face further losses. I did not have a contingency plan at the time, as I had allocated all of my funds to the fruit tree farm. Moreover, I would feel embarrassed to give up due to a setback after dropping out to pursue an agricultural career," Tuan recalled.

On his farm, Tuan grafted over 1,000 green-skinned pomelo, orange, and lemon trees onto existing Dien pomelo roots. To further optimize land use, he intercropped guava among the green-skinned pomelo trees. Additionally, he set up a separate area to experiment with various fruit varieties, including plum, longan, and apple, with the goal of diversifying his agricultural product offerings.

"Intercropping fruit trees enhances land efficiency and reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers. Namely, intercropping pomelo and guava limits pests and prevents leaf yellowing disease, in addition to increasing soil cover, reducing erosion, and controlling weeds," Tuan explained.

Tuan has made significant investments into the farm's infrastructure, which houses 50 breeding sows. He also supplies breeding stock to four satellite farms, in addition to sharing his livestock rearing techniques with local farmers to boost their income. Every year, Tuan’s farm brings nearly 1,000 piglets and market-ready boars to the market.

Regarding his decision to focus on wild boars as the primary livestock, Tuan commented, “Compared to bamboo rats or porcupines, wild boars are easier to raise, face fewer disease risks, have a reliable market, and their meat is widely favored by consumers.”

At present, Tuan’s farm generates over 300 million VND in income after expenses annually. His younger brother, who recently graduated from the Hanoi College of High Technology, also decided to return home to work alongside Tuan.

To share his farming techniques with the local community, Tuan created a YouTube channel to introduce and promote circular farming practices, high-yield fruit cultivation techniques, and livestock rearing methods. This initiative has also helped him attract new customers.

“I sell the majority of the farm’s products through TikTok and Facebook. As the harvest season approaches, I have no problem finding buyers. My farm products generally fetch a higher price compared to similar items due to superior quality,” Tuan explained.