Elderly people share agricultural experience

Elderly people engaged in agriculture play a key role in many rural areas of Vietnam, as young laborers migrate elsewhere. The elderly are not only an important production force but also pioneers in green transition, organic farming and new-style rural development. Many elderly people have proven that “experience grows stronger with age” by boldly starting small ventures, participating in agricultural production, improving household incomes and spreading positive energy in the community.

With this dragon fruit garden successfully cultivated, Vu Dinh Long said he does not have to worry about his finances in old age.

According to Le Thi Anh Tuyet, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Department of Agriculture and Environment (DoAE), this is an important force that not only directly produces agricultural products but also contributes to passing on experience, providing technical guidance and spreading effective production models to the community.

Dragon fruit, a “manageable” crop for older farmers

Among the green gardens of Xuan Dinh commune, it is not difficult to see elderly people diligently tending their fields every day. No longer doing heavy labor, climbing high or carrying heavy loads, they have chosen a suitable direction: growing dragon fruit, a “manageable” crop that provides stable and sustainable income.

A typical example is the family of Vu Dinh Long in Nam Ha hamlet, with 0.7 hectares of dragon fruit, bringing in around VND 700 million each year. According to Long, dragon fruit has the advantage of producing fruit many times a year, on average about 10 harvests, with only about two months from flowering to harvest, helping growers be more proactive financially. Notably, dragon fruit does not require overly strenuous care. The plants are grown low, easy to prune, and can be harvested at arm’s reach, making them very suitable for older people.

“In the coming time, the provincial agricultural sector will continue to pay attention and create conditions for veteran farmers to promote their role as core contributors, accompanying localities in developing agriculture in a sustainable direction.”

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Le Thi Anh Tuyet.

Long shared that growing this crop is light work, without climbing or heavy labor like many other crops. For him, each harvest not only brings income but also joy and motivation to stay connected with his garden. “The soil here is very suitable for dragon fruit. Care is not too heavy, but growers must stay close to the garden and monitor it regularly. The economic efficiency of dragon fruit is very high, averaging VND 700–800 million per hectare per year, with some households reaching around VND 1 billion a year,” Long said.

For Vu Dinh Long, growing dragon fruit is not only about earning income but also a way to maintain health and enjoy old age. Daily work mainly involves checking for pests and diseases, pruning and fertilizing by stages; when it is time to harvest, he only needs to stand under the plants to pick the fruit. What keeps him committed is that dragon fruit can be harvested steadily over many years, becoming increasingly stable, bringing not only income but also peace of mind and a sense of purpose in work.

“This model is very suitable for older people. The work is not too heavy, mainly monitoring and caring for the plants, and when it is time to harvest, we just weigh and calculate by the kilogram,” Long said.

According to Long, dragon fruit does not require heavy labor; the work mainly needs diligence and experience. When it is time to harvest, only a few hours are needed to complete the work, so even at an advanced age he can still handle most production stages by himself.

Older people growing pomelo

In Tan An commune, lush pomelo orchards heavy with fruit are bringing prosperous and stable lives to many farming households. In this area, pomelo is not only a familiar fruit tree but has become a “wealth-creating crop,” helping many families become better off right on their homeland. Among them, Duong La Cam pomelo model of the family of Nguyen Thanh Nhan and Trinh Thi Hoa is considered a typical example of effective and sustainable production with high economic value.

Every day, Nhan and Hoa still go out to the garden, diligently pruning branches and checking fruit as a deeply ingrained habit. With nearly 40 years attached to pomelo, they understand each sunny and rainy season and every growth characteristic of the Duong La Cam pomelo variety, a specialty well known in Dong Nai.

Nguyen Thanh Nhan shared: “In my garden, pomelo bears fruit year-round. After each harvest, we take care of the trees, and not long after, they flower and set fruit again, almost without any idle time.”

Thanks to its year-round staggered fruiting, Duong La Cam pomelo maintains stable market demand. In addition to its attractive appearance, bright peel and mildly sweet segments, this variety is also less susceptible to pests and has high productivity. The family’s orchard is managed under safe farming practices and preserves traditional flavor, so it is well favored by the market.

Currently, Nhan’s family cultivates more than 8 hectares of Duong La Cam pomelo. Each year, output reaches nearly 300 tons, with selling prices ranging from VND 15,000 to 30,000 per kilogram, bringing in revenue of several billion dong.

Trinh Thi Hoa added: “Our family has grown pomelo for decades and has never worried about unsold products. As long as the fruit meets quality standards, traders come to buy everything we harvest.”

Not only successful in business, Nhan and Hoa also actively share experience and provide technical guidance to local residents, from selecting seedlings to practicing sustainable orchard management. As a result, more and more households in Tan An commune have developed stable livelihoods from pomelo.

According to Nhan, for pomelo trees to grow well and yield high productivity, good seedlings must be selected from the start, with healthy and straight trunks. The soil must be loose and well-drained because pomelo cannot tolerate waterlogging. During cultivation, trees often face pests such as leaf miners, stem borers, planthoppers, aphids and red mites, so regular monitoring is needed for timely treatment. “During the rainy season, our family prioritizes biological products for pest control, which helps protect the environment and ensures safety for both farmers and consumers,” Nhan added.

Beyond improving household income, the pomelo model also creates regular jobs for 5–7 local workers, contributing to rural economic development in Tan An commune.

By Hien Luong – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha