A Training on Composting in Tinh Gia District

“Using agricultural residues to make compost and manure is not only simple, easy and a way to contribute to the reduction of environmental pollution, but it also allows a farmer to saves money on chemical fertilizers” said Ho Thi Nguyen, a participant at the compost training that falls under the “ Towards a sustainable livelihood for poor single women- headed households in Tinh Gia district” project. The project is being implemented by SRD in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Hai Ninh and Ninh Hai communes at the Tinh Gia district, Thanh Hoa province, with funding from Manos Unidas over the course of three years between 2015 and 2017.

SRD's staff guiding the farmers on compost making

Hai Ninh and Ninh Hai communes are regions where the locals rely mostly on rice, peanut plantations, small-scale animal farming, fisheries, and seafood trading. Agricultural residues like straw and peanut stems have not yet been utilized for alternative purposes. Rather, they are burned. Moreover, the amount of animal feces discarded on the street daily contributes to a worsening road view and increasing environmental pollution. On top of this, the habit of the locals to use chemical fertilizers not only has a heavy economic cost, but also leads to hard soils.

 The farmers using agricultural residues

To address and resolve the above-mentioned problems and increase income from agricultural production, the “Towards a sustainable livelihood for poor single women- headed households in Tinh Gia district” project coded VM052 held a training session on compost making for 115 farmers who identify as poor single women and are head of their households in 8 villages throughout the Hai Ninh and Ninh Hai communes within 7 days from June 5^th to 12^th 2015.

The purpose of the training was to provide knowledge and skills on how to choose the appropriate materials, handling and mixing, composting and compost reservation techniques. The approach used in the class combined theory and practice, which allowed the farmers to understand the knowledge immediately and inspired them to proactively participate in the training.

 Organic fertilizer made from agricultural residues

The training helped the farmers create organic and nutrient-rich fertilizer for their agricultural activities, especially for the development of the Sophora japonica flowers plantation model that touches upon the adoption of local peanut stem use. The use of organic fertilizer will replace approximately 50-100% of chemical fertilizer that has been used by the farmers in the two communes.

Furthermore, using organic fertilizer will make soil more porous, limit insects, and reduce environmental pollution. It will lead to more effective plant growth and to higher productivity. As a result, the farmers will know how to use agricultural residues to make compost, allowing them to save money on production and reduce pollution simultaneously.  

-SRD-