Making the most of Farmers Support Fund

Capital from the city’s Farmers Support Fund is helping farmers and Farmers’ Association members invest in orchard cultivation and livestock production, thereby boosting their incomes and improving their livelihoods.

Representatives of the Dong Nai Farmers’ Association (DNFA) inspect a rubber seedling production model in Loc Quang commune as part of the loan appraisal process.

Beyond easing financial constraints, the Fund also encourages farmers to adopt new production methods and apply scientific and technological advances, contributing to greener and safer agricultural production.

Making loans work

Loans from the Fund have enabled farmers and DNFA members to expand production, improve orchard cultivation and develop livestock farming in line with their household resources and conditions.

In Dau Giay Ward, five farming households in Lo 25 residential quarter have used loans from the Fund to improve their rambutan orchards and adopt organic farming practices. Each household received VND100 million, enabling them to purchase additional fertilisers, improve soil quality, install water-saving irrigation systems and manage their orchards more effectively.

Pham Thi Kim Loan, Head of the Farmers’ Association branch in Lo 25 residential quarter, said inspections and monitoring in Lo 25 showed that all the households had used their loans for their intended purpose, focusing their investments on rambutan orchards. Notably, their gradual shift toward organic methods of caring for the trees has not only improved growing conditions but also opened the way for more sustainable production.

“With financial support and better orchard management, farmers hope the next crop will be ready for harvest earlier and produce higher-quality fruit that can command better prices,” Loan said.

Alongside fruit cultivation, the Fund is also helping households with suitable resources and conditions develop livestock production. Ho Van Tai, Chairman of the Xuan Loc ward Farmers’ Association, said many local members had chosen goat farming as a way to improve their household incomes and had obtained loans from the Fund to invest in their herds. With goat prices ranging from VND160,000 to VND200,000 per kilogram, the activity offers farmers an incentive to improve animal husbandry and consider expanding production.

To ensure effective use of the loans, the Fund’s management board regularly evaluates production plans and assesses borrowers’ needs before approving support.

Recently, the Fund’s management board appraised a meat goat farming project in Xuan Dong commune. The appraisal team inspected applicants’ livestock facilities and assessed their investment needs and capacity to carry out the proposed plans before considering loan support. This process helps ensure that loans are allocated to households with viable production plans and in amounts suited to their actual needs.

Creating sustainable livelihoods for farmers

In recent years, the Fund has become a practical source of support, enabling farmers and DNFA members to invest in production, develop their household economies and gradually increase their incomes. Beyond providing financial assistance, the Fund also aims to promote production linkages and the application of scientific and technical advances, contributing to safer, more efficient and sustainable agricultural development.

DNFA’s representatives inspect a tissue-cultured banana farming model in Bau Ham commune as part of the loan appraisal process. Photo: To Tam

Nguyen Bao Thai, Director of the Fund, said the Fund provides loans to farmers and union members across the city based on their actual needs. The financing enables them to expand crop and livestock production and improve the scale of their operations.

The Fund has financed production plans that build on the agricultural strengths of individual localities. These include durian cultivation using organic-oriented practices in Phu Trung commune, pomelo cultivation using organic-oriented methods in Tan Trieu ward, and goat raising in Xuan Dong commune. The loans provide farmers with additional resources to expand production, improve farming techniques and enhance product quality.

To ensure that loans are used effectively, the management board carefully assesses production plans, verifies borrowers’ eligibility and monitors the use of funds after disbursement. It also coordinates with commune- and ward-level Farmers’ Associations to identify emerging difficulties, provide timely guidance and address potential risks. Group-based lending also helps foster cooperation and mutual support among farming households.

According to Thai, access to loans is an important factor in giving farmers the confidence to invest in production, switch to different crops and livestock, apply scientific and technological advances, and gradually adopt safe farming practices. However, achieving sustainable development requires more than financing. It also calls for increased technical training, the provision of market information, stronger links to buyers of agricultural products, and efforts to encourage farmers to join cooperative groups, cooperatives and linked production chains.

In the years ahead, the DNFA plans to strengthen the Fund’s operations and expand its capital base to better meet the legitimate credit needs of farmers and union members. It also aims to enhance the Fund’s role in supporting collective economic models and agricultural development across the city.

The DNFA will also continue advising relevant authorities on allocating additional capital to the Fund for the 2027-2030 period, mobilising other legitimate funding sources, improving loan appraisal and strengthening production and distribution linkages. It will also step up inspections, loan collection and the revolving of funds to safeguard the Fund’s capital and make financing available to more members.

The DNFA aims to further strengthen the Fund as an effective financial support mechanism, enabling farmers and union members to expand production, enhance cooperation, raise their incomes and improve their living standards.

As of September 23, 2026, the Fund had a total capital base of more than VND332.2 billion. It had disbursed nearly VND284 billion in loans to approximately 5,500 farming households through more than 1,000 group-based production plans.

By T. Tam – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho