Article 4: True “fairy tale” on developing agriculture on Truong Sa

Not only planting green vegetables and taking care of ornamental plants, soldiers on Truong Sa archipelago also deploy effective breeding models (Photo: Vietnam+)

Khanh Hoa (VNA) - Each year, more than six tons of vegetables are obtained; breeding area with dozens of pigs; flocks of chickens and ducks like " machines" to lay clean eggs on the coast ... are typical examples of increased production, showing the ability of on-site logistics of officials and soldiers on the Truong Sa islands.

Green agriculture

When visiting Sinh Ton Dong in the afternoon of a sunny day, we feel like entering an ecosystem with abundant of green ornamental trees and vegetables. Sinh Ton Dong is also called by the soldiers here as flower island with rows of red, purple, yellow confetti ...

According to the soldiers, the confetti was brought from the land to plant each bed like a fence, when the flowers bloom, they form purple bands, reminiscent of the homeland. Under the clear blue sky, confetti makes the island more beautiful.

In addition to creating landscapes, vegetables are one of the top concerns in the lives of officials and soldiers. Thanks to the fresh water, the roof and the hard work of the soldiers, there are greenery of vegetables everywhere.

Soldier Nguyen Van Trung shared that, besides the task of training, guarding, growing vegetables is not only a task to improve the lives of people in the area but also a favorite of the soldiers here. Therefore, they always cherish each bed of vegetables, potted flowers and ornamental plants to make the island more green and full of vitality.

The impressive thing is that, not only can the flowers and vegetables be planted in the middle of the sea, some islands also produce a huge amount of vegetables.

Thanks to the careful care of soldiers, vegetables grown on the islands are always green, contributing to improving each meal (Photo: Vietnam +)

Having witnessed the sunshine and the wind of Truong Sa, seeing the diligent soldiers catch the worm instead of spraying drugs, cutting down each shift of water to irrigate the trays, composite containers of vegetables covered with surrounding nylon tarpaulin to avoid storms, we see the importance of the number of vegetables obtained.

In fact, how to grow vegetables also depends on the "sinking" and "floating" factors of each island. If in ‘emerging’ islands, vegetables are grown in gardens, carefully shielded, then in the ‘submerging’ islands of Thuyen Chai, Da Lat, Da Tay, Da Dong, ... the island soldiers must plant vegetables in each plastic tray and stone basin, placed in the room and on the roof.

In the past, growing vegetables in Truong Sa faced a lot of difficulties but recently, thanks to the support from the mainland, the best vegetable seeds and suitable weather on the island, composite boxes, plastic trays have been shipped out. This helps soldiers a lot in the breeding and tending to have green vegetable gardens, fruit gardens such as papaya, melons, sugarcane, bananas ... for high quality and productivity.

When soldiers turned into ... ranchers

Not only growing green vegetables and taking care of ornamental plants to create landscapes among the high seas, officials and soldiers on the Spratly Islands have also actively implemented effective models of raising cattle and poultry, contributing to improving meals, ensuring soldiers’ health and contributing to successfully completing the mission.

Thanks to that, the vitality in Truong Sa is not only limited to greenery, flowers, but also the presence of surprisingly fat pigs, chickens and ducks.

An Bang island Political Commissar Nguyen Hong Tien said that in order to develop husbandry, over time, the island always attaches importance to raising pigs adapted to the harsh weather and climate conditions on the island; utilize leftovers; strengthen shielding, consolidate the system of barns. During the breeding period, the breeding team regularly makes plans to prevent and fight seasonal diseases.

Starting with a few pigs shipped from the mainland, now the island has a herd with all kinds of pigs. By self-breeding, the whole herd has adapted to the constantly changing weather on the island.

Pig raising area in An Bang island. (Photo: Vietnam +)

Currently, the total population of cattle and poultry on An Bang Island has over one hundred. Thanks to good care, cattle and poultry on the island are very well developed, in which, many pigs weigh up to over 120kg./.