(VOVworld) – The central coastal province of Ninh Thuan was hardest hit by the droughts in Vietnam. In recent years droughts have become increasingly severe due to climate change, negatively affecting agricultural production and daily life. To reduce its impacts, Ninh Thuan’s agricultural sector has instructed farmers to switch crops towards higher economic efficiency.

Ninh Thuan farmers grow green beans in the rice cultivation land to cope with droughts.

During the 2016 Winter-Spring crop season, Cao Vac of Mi Hiep commune in Ninh Son district has changed to growing green beans through intensive farming methods although his family is located near Phuoc Trung reservoir.

Vac harvested more than 600 kilos of green beans from the first crop and is preparing for the second harvest.

“Due to the lack of irrigation water for this year’s crop, we could produce only 150 kilos from 360 square meters. If we have enough water, the output may reach 200 kilos. If we continue rice cultivation, one ton of rice cannot offer the same value as two quintals of green peas,” according to Vac.

A delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development surveys Ninh Thuan’s model to restructure rice cultivation to green beans.

In Nhi Ha commune, Thuan Nam district, the restructuring of 40 hectares from rice cultivation to green peas has brought remarkable incomes for farmers.

Chairman of Nhi Ha People’s Committee Vo Nhu Son said: “although the restructured area’s productivity remains modest, it has partly helped overcome economic difficulties caused by the current drought. We hope that in future the provincial agricultural sector will apply farming techniques so that farmers can increase their economic efficiency and spread the model.”

The initial results of crop restructuring shows that green beans are good drought-resistant plants and easy to take care of. Deputy Chairman of the Ninh Thuan provincial People’s Committee, Tran Quoc Nam, said that once high tech is applied, an output of 280 kilos can be made from 360 square meters of cultivation land.

Vice Chairman of the Ninh Thuan provincial People’s Committee Tran Quoc Nam. (Photo: tietkiemnangluong.com.vn)

He noted as “this is the first harvest where Ninh Thuan’s farmers have converted rice paddies to green beans, and they have changed their minds. With such a result, we’ll call on the locals to continue switching to drought-resistant crops.”

During the 2016 Winter-Spring season, corn, green beans, and grass are the three main crops grown in Ninh Thuan, of which green beans make up the majority of acreage.

The drought has been continuing severely in Ninh Thuan, which is carefully balancing water supplies for localities and making full use of cultivation land.