Developing key crop plants to adapt to climate change on coastal saline

ABO – To implement the goal of agricultural restructuring in the direction of adapting to climate change, farmers of Tan Phu Dong isle district have converted nearly 500 hectares of one-crop rice land to grow vegetables and specialty fruit trees. In particular, citronella trees reaches nearly 360 hectares, the rest is Siamese custard apple. These are the main crop plants, saline drought tolerance, high yield, and very popular consumer markets.

Photo: HUU CHI

Farmers Nguyen Van Sum, in Ba Lam hamlet, Phu Thanh commune, converted 7,000m² of rice land to specialized citronella, said: "Citronella trees are suitable for soil and harsh weather in Tan Phu Dong district, tolerate drought and saline intrusion. Each year, I can harvest 2-3 crops with a yield of about 30 tons/year. The average selling price is 4,000 VND/kg, getting profit of 50 million VND after deducting expense, many times higher than high-yield rice cultivation.”

Le Hong Dang, in Ba Ganh hamlet, Phu Dong commune, converted over 5,000m² of a precarious one-crop paddy land to cultivate specializing in Siamese custard apple, said: "Siamese citrus is a famous specialty fruit crop of Tan Phu Dong islet, withstands salinity and harsh natural conditions, high productivity and high efficiency. The family's custard garden is currently exploiting with an annual output of 5 to 7 tons, getting profit of about 70 million VND after deducting expense”, etc…

Phu Thanh and Phu Dong communes are two coastal communes of Tan Phu Dong isle district with many difficulties. In the past, farmers only produced 1 rice crop per year, the remaining time left “fallow” due to drought and saline intrusion. Currently, to overcome difficulties and promote the potentials of land and labor to help farmers in the land difficult to overcome difficulties, the locality has developed and implemented the scheme "Cutting crop, moving changing crop structure and crop structure in the district to 2025 ” and the project "Restructuring the agricultural sector to 2020 and the orientation of 2030 ". This project is used by people in the district, especially people in Phu Thanh and Phu Dong communes.

According to Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Tan Phu Dong district Nguyen Van Hai, the locality strives for transforming the entire area of difficult-to-cultivated paddy land to cultivate citronella, Siamese custard apple and high economic crops adapt to climate change and practically help farmers settle down, to 2020.

By MINH TRI – Translated by HUU CHI