Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Can Tho (VNA) – Experts called for making betteruse of straw – an agricultural by-product abundant in Vietnam’s biggest ricecultivating area of Mekong Delta - during a seminar held in southern Can Thocity on January 23.
Pham Van Tan, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Agricultureand Rural Development’s Vietnam Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Post-HarvestTechnology (VIAEP), said the region each year yields nearly 45 million tonnes ofrice, accounting for 54 percent of the whole country’s total. The total strawvolume after harvest nears 22 million tonnes, 13 million tonnes of which aredisposed of by burning, equivalent to 60 percent.
As straw burning pollutes the air, erodes land and wastes workforce,the VIAEP partnered with the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanisationunder the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and thePacific to pilot a project on straw management in Vietnam.
The project hashelped farmers collect straws as cover for plants, feed for cattle, and fertiliserfor flowers and vegetables. In particular, the use of straw in indoor strawmushroom cultivation has brought about positive results with high economicvalue in Binh Thuy and Thoi Lai districts, thus improving farmers’ income.
AnshumaVarma from the centre said straw burning in regional countries has affectedclimate change landscape and worsened post-harvest losses. Therefore, the broaderuse of straw in handicraft making and mushroom growing has also reducedenvironment pollution.-VNA
Pham Van Tan, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Agricultureand Rural Development’s Vietnam Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Post-HarvestTechnology (VIAEP), said the region each year yields nearly 45 million tonnes ofrice, accounting for 54 percent of the whole country’s total. The total strawvolume after harvest nears 22 million tonnes, 13 million tonnes of which aredisposed of by burning, equivalent to 60 percent.
As straw burning pollutes the air, erodes land and wastes workforce,the VIAEP partnered with the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanisationunder the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and thePacific to pilot a project on straw management in Vietnam.
The project hashelped farmers collect straws as cover for plants, feed for cattle, and fertiliserfor flowers and vegetables. In particular, the use of straw in indoor strawmushroom cultivation has brought about positive results with high economicvalue in Binh Thuy and Thoi Lai districts, thus improving farmers’ income.
AnshumaVarma from the centre said straw burning in regional countries has affectedclimate change landscape and worsened post-harvest losses. Therefore, the broaderuse of straw in handicraft making and mushroom growing has also reducedenvironment pollution.-VNA
VNA
