In the struggle towards creating an organic Vietnam, while many consumers are turning to online outlets to purchase safe produce, others are deciding to grow their own food.
Due to increasing concerns over local food safety, many Vietnamese consumers are returning to the traditional culture of growing their own food; however city dwellers face a particular challenge in doing so. Innovative programs like Cay Xoai Nha Toi, or My Family’s Mango Tree, help to make urban farming more accessible to urban Vietnamese.
According to Tuoi Tre, the program, run by My Xuong Cooperative in Dong Thap’s Cao Lanh District, connects locals seeking fresh, safe produce with farmers in the countryside. Vietnamese and foreign customers can register online to become “owners” of select mango trees for a period of time. Famers at the cooperative will plant trees on their behalf and take care of them following VietGAP (Good Agricultural Practice) standards.
On the farm, fruits are covered in bags to guard against pests. VietGAP standards assure owners that their fruits are safer and healthier than the produce generally found in markets. In addition, owners can also visit the cooperative to take care of the mango trees themselves.
Vo Viet Hung, director at My Xuong, shared with Tuoi Tre that the initiative has attracted lots of attention.
“Within just over a week of operation, 30 customers have reserved more than 50 trees from our website,” he told the news outlet.
Nguyen Thi Hong Ngoc, a customer from Saigon’s Tan Phu District, bought two mango trees for a total of VND11 million (US$493). She expects to harvest about 200 ripe mangos from each of the trees and then send them as gifts to relatives and friends.
Le Minh Hoan, secretary of the Dong Thap Party Committee, also praised Cay Xoai Nha Toi for creating a bond between farmers and customers, as well as engaging customers in the farming process.
Beyond its community-driven roots, Cay Xoai Nha Toi fosters a new market for Dong Thap mangos. Even though most of the province’s mangos are exported, a large amount of fruit goes unsold each year.
[Photo by Van Truong via Tuoi Tre]
