Ca Mau (VNA) –The southernmost province of Ca Mau will mobilise more than 2.6 trillion VND (11.2million USD) from the State budget and other sources to expand the useof efficient farming models this year, according to the province’s FarmersAssociation.

In recent years,as many as 50,300 farming households have taken part in 46 farming modelsthat cost a total of 36 billion VND (1.54 million USD).

There are variousmodels, including the rotation of rice and shrimp in the same field,super-intensive shrimp farming, and rice farming called “3 reductionsand 3 increases".  

By reducing the useof seedlings, fertiliser and plant-protection chemicals, the ricemodel increases productivity, quality and efficiency. Most rice farmersare now using the model.

The provinceis expanding the models and will implement 132 foraquaculture, 18 for rice and other crops, and 28 for animals.

It will also supply60,000 forestry seedlings to three forestry farming models on a total areaof 70ha.

Withthis expansion, a total of slightly more than 62,000 farminghouseholds will be participating in the farming models.        

Under the rice–shrimpfarming model, farmers grow rice in the rainy season and breed shrimpin the dry season.

The model produces cleanrice and shrimp, and has adapted well to climate change, especiallyin coastal areas.

The province, thecountry's largest shrimp producer, has 48,000ha of rice–shrimp farming areaand about 278,000ha devoted to shrimp only. 

Of the shrimp farmingarea, about 2,000ha are super-intensive shrimp farms, accounting for 42per cent of the province’s total shrimp output.

Chau Cong Bang, deputydirector of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development,said that many participating households have had profits of 500 – 600million VND (21,460 – 25,750 USD) a year.

However, some localitieshave not chosen farming models suited to their soil and other naturalconditions, so the expansion of the models has been slow.

In addition, somefarmers have earned low profits, especially shrimp farming models, becauseof the poor quality of seed, disease outbreaks and poor weather, he said,adding that these households turned back to old farming methods.

To solve these problems,the provincial People’s Committee has asked the department to offer advancedfarming techniques to participating farmers.

The People’s Committeehas also encouraged the establishment of co-operatives inwhich farmers and companies work together to produce and sell goods.

Localities have beentold to promote trading activities for agricultural products that havebeen certified and have a brand name.-VNA