On March 21, 2024, in Ha Nam province, the Project Summary Workshop of “Eco-weed control: a participatory experiment on PGS/organic vegetable farms in Ha Nam and Hoa Binh provinces” took place successfully. The workshop was organized by the Center for Agroecology (CARES) within the framework of The Agroecology Learning Alliance in South East Asia (ALiSEA) Small Grant Fund in 2022 – a part of the project of Agroecology and Safe Food System Transitions in Southeast Asia (ASSET Project) for its members.
The workshop was attended by around 60 participants, including representatives of local authorities of Ha Nam and Hung Yen provinces, representatives of the ALiSEA Network and some ALiSEA’s members, and around 30 farmers from 3 intergroups: Thanh Xuan, Luong Son, Trac Van under PGS Vietnam.
The representatives of the ALiSEA Network and some ALiSEA’s members: CARES – FCIR – PHANO – COAPS
Outstanding results of the project:
- Experimental arrangement and practical evaluation of two groups of farmers have demonstrated the effectiveness of mulching and limited tillage-plowing.
- Soil quality is significantly improved, which has contributed to increased productivity in farming for farmers, and significantly reduced their labor time, specifically manual weeding time.
- Changed farmers’ awareness: Farmers participating in the project expressed excitement and desire to accompany scientists to apply effective ecological farming methods to production.
At the workshop, Mrs. Duong – a representative of the farmer group implementing the project, shared:
“In the beginning, I was skeptical about the idea of growing crops without tillage. However, the Eco-weed Control project has played a significant role in promoting the adoption of agroecology practices within the farming community. It is a testament to the farmers who trust in scientific knowledge and are gradually changing their awareness.”
Mr. Duong was sharing during the workshop
The outcomes of the project serve as a valuable resource for further investigation and application in the field in agroecology in Vietnam.
The Eco-weed control project summary workshop is an important milestone, affirming the effectiveness and potential of ecological agricultural solutions in improving productivity, product quality, and environmental protection.