Illustrative photo (Source: VNA)Ninh Binh (VNA) – The Farmers’ Union of thenorthern province of Ninh Binh has implemented a project named “Ninh Binhfarmers say no to dirty food” since 2016 with the goal of raising localfarmers’ awareness about their own responsibility for ensuring food safety.
The project has successfully created remarkable changes inunion members’ thinking, which has been translated into their actions inproducing safe agricultural products.
Chapters at all level of the Ninh Binh Farmers’ Union areworking towards the target of ending the use of banned substances in animalraising, cultivation, preservation and processing of agricultural products aswell as the consumption of “dirty” food. They have been organising communicationactivities to educate union members and farmers on legal regulations on foodsafety, including knowledge contests on the issue, and encouraging cooperativegroups and cooperatives to commit themselves to safe food production. The Farmers’Union of the province has signed commitments with its chapters at districts andtowns on implementing the “Ninh Binh farmers say no to dirty food” projectduring 2016-2020.
Vice Chairman of the provincial Farmers’ Union Nguyen MinhLoc reported that the union has organised a total of 1,740 talks on food safetyand persuaded more than 124,000 households to sign commitments on ensuring foodsafety for their products.
In addition, the union also provided support in the form ofseeds, credit and advice for food production and trading establishments to shiftto safe practice. The union built 10 models of safe food production andtrading, which have been now multiplied to more than 300 across the province.
Ninh Binh now boasts four stores selling clean farm produce,one each in Tam Diep and Ninh Binh cities, and Hoa Lu and Yen Mo districts. Thestores offer goods with reliable origins, while serving as coordinators forfarm produce trading chains between Ninh Binh and adjacent provinces. TheFarmers Union plans to set up more similar stores in other districts.
Furthermore, the province’s Farmers’ Union has created ahotline to receive reports from the public on violations of food safety in theproduction and trading of food. Since 2016, the union has received 62 calls,prompting it to coordinate with competent agencies to conduct inspections ofthe production, trading and use of agricultural materials in the province.
The Union will continue with its educational activitiestargeting farmers and hold more training courses in the proper use offertilisers and pesticides.-VNA
