Feeling from an ARI rural leadership recipient, Mrs Le Thu Hien, a member of the Tam Viet Farm at Thuong Thoi Tien Commune, Hong Ngu District, Dong Thap province, Vietnam.

26 November, 2018 by mekongorganics001

A quote from Hien is

In the ancient times, the use of artificial chemicals was unknown to agriculture. Farmers relied on the ecosystem and biodiversity of local cultivation areas to produce food that are natural. Nowadays, farmers rely excessively on and over-use chemicals (including herbicides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers, weight gainers, antibiotics, etc.) to increase productivity and industrialize their farming practices. This negatively affect the environment, most noticeably is the pollution in air, soil and water, as well as the health of consumers and the farmers themselves.

It is worth remembering that food provides the nutrition for proper functioning of both the body and the mind of every human. Natural food sources will allow these mechanisms to perform excellently: a healthy body and a mind of positive thinking. On the contrary, consumption of industrial food products over extended period would result in an accumulation of toxins that lead to illnesses and negative thoughts. Undoubtedly, an organic, natural source of food is the key to a state of vitality and peace of mind.

As I worked as a volunteer on Tam Viet Farm, I realized organic farming in my own country was not as complicated as people imagined. The root of such farming practice lies in our respect to Mother Nature by taking from her an appropriate amount in the right way. Cultivation efforts based on a thorough understanding of Mother Nature will bear fruits in the forms of abundant crops.

Growing up in the city, my dream is to come back to Nature – to live with the farmers in a clean environment where we can engage in farming and learn about agriculture together. I wholeheartedly believe in the real purpose of organic farming over financial benefit: to foster an excellent physical and mental wellbeing.