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Multiple benefits from the VnSAT project's economical irrigation system

 Saving costs on arid land

Quang Hiep Commune is an arid land, most of which is covered by red gravel soil, so farming here faces many difficulties. According to local farmer households, the amount of irrigation water needed for coffee to grow well must be nearly doubled over other areas.

In 2018, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Trieu in Quang Hiep Commune, Cu M'gar District, Dak Lak Province, a member of Quyet Tien Agricultural Service Cooperative, was fortunate to be supported by the VnSAT project to invest in an economical irrigation system.

According to Mr. Trieu, the system was worth more than VND100 million, of which the family invested more than VND40 million for 2ha of coffee. The system was first supported to build up in early 2018 and after more than 4 years, it is still working well. Thanks to this economical irrigation system, Mr. Trieu's family has remarkably reduced labor costs.

Multiple benefits from the VnSAT project's economical irrigation system

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Trieu was happy to receive support from the VnSAT project for investment in the economical irrigation system. Photo: Minh Quy.

“When the weather becomes fierce with heat prolonging causing damages to coffee trees, growers can use the economical irrigation system to supplement water for their coffee. With this system, they can water their fields all day and night by just handling the main valve. In general, the system with investment supports from the VnSAT project, has been very effective," said Mr. Trieu.

According to Trieu, this system is very convenient for farmers so if it is well preserved, it can be used for a long time.

Previously, to invest in an economical irrigation system, Mr. Trieu's family had to spend nearly VND2 million on hiring laborers for each irrigation shift. Now, with the current irrigation system, he can water more than 2ha by himself without having to hire workers. In addition, during watering, he can do others works such as picking up buds and cutting dry branches...

Economical irrigation also helps reduce the labor cost for fertilizing, because the fertilizer now is dissolved, put into the system, and then automatically watered at the root. This also helps coffee plants absorb more nutrition than by using the traditional way of fertilizing.

"In the past, there was no economical irrigation system so my family had to hire someone to water the coffee. Each crop had to be watered 4 times so we had to spend nearly VND8 million for labour of watering. The VnSAT project thus has helped us reduce many costs including fertilizer and electricity," added Mr. Trieu.

Thanks to the economical irrigation system supported by the VnSAT project, farmers in Quang Hiep Commune, Cu M'gar district (Dak Lak) have reduced investment costs in coffee growing. Photo: Minh Hau.

Pham Cong Phi, Director of Quyet Tien Cooperative, said that the cooperative was established in 2015 with 32 members. At that time, it did not have any facilities and faced many difficulties. Currently, it has increased its members to 94 farmers working on an area of ​​more than 230ha of coffee.

By the end of 2016, the cooperative was supported by the VnSAT project with scientific and technical training courses in building drying yards, warehouses, and especially 3 economical irrigation systems.


“VnSAT project to support 3 of its members to build a sprinkler irrigation system which has helped them save a lot of costs. In the past, most farmers watered with electricity so they had to suffer from high cost. After investing in an economical irrigation system, the labor cost and the amount of water have been reduced. There is no loss of fertilizer," said Mr. Phi.

Mr. Phi said the VnSAT project is very beneficial for farmers and cooperatives. It has supported them by providing scientific and technical training on coffee growing, investing in facilities and orienting development programs.


Farmers’ pocket money investment

Realizing the multiple benefits of the drip and sprinkler irrigation systems that the VnSAT project supports local farmers, many have invested their own money to save investment costs and improve profits from coffee growing.

Many people have self-invested in an economical irrigation system when realizing the benefits of this model. Photo: Minh Quy.

Ms. Trieu Thi Chau, Director of Binh Minh Agricultural and Service Cooperative (Cu Sue Commune, Cu Mgar District, Dak Lak Province) said the cooperative is being supported by the VnSAT project to invest in drip and sprinkler irrigation systems for members.

According to Ms. Chau, when investing in drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, farmers can save labor and water cost at the same time avoid fertilizer loss.

Mr. Vu Van Hoat, Director of Ea Ngai Agricultural Service Cooperative (Ea Ngai Commune, Krong Buk District, Dak Lak), affirmed that the VnSAT project’s support in building a drip irrigation system has helped the cooperative’s members save 50% of investment costs.

According to Hoat, the cooperative was supported by the VnSAT project to invest in two drip irrigation systems with a cost of nearly VND100 million. In which, cooperative members contributed over VND20 million/ha. “With a drip irrigation system, farmers can save the labor cost and avoid losses of fertilizer and water. Now they just stay at home, turn on the switch, and thus can be able to water their coffee garden," said Hoat.

An economical irrigation system helps farmers save investment costs in coffee growing, thereby increasing profits. Photo: Minh Quy.

The director added that realizing the benefits of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, many cooperative members want to invest in them. However, the initial amount of money is still too large for farmers. “The project has ended its support program to investments in smart irrigation systems. If there is, many members of the cooperative will register to participate because of its obvious benefits,” said Hoat.


According to the VnSAT Project Management Board in Dak Lak, there are 12 local farmers' organizations/cooperatives that have applied to replicate economical irrigation models on 90ha of 72 households. The economical irrigation systems are much effectively beneficial for farmers and the most benefit is to help reduce a lot of labor cost compared to the previous model of single-root irrigation. There are 2 organizations applying irrigation technology in a smart sensor system for their 27member households/30ha, including 19 households of Quyet Tien Cooperative (Cu M'gar District) and 8 households of Ea Toh Cooperative (Krong Nang District).

The application of these systems has improved the efficiency of water use and is more economical due to an information sensor system on soil moisture, thereby helping the coffee trees be timely watered. Regarding the application of economical irrigation methods (reducing 20% ​​of water volume) in targeted districts, up to now, farmers have applied various measures such as water spraying at roots, dripping, water metering, and time schedule for more than 7,000ha of coffee.


Authors: Minh Quy - Minh Hau

Translated by Linh Nguyen

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