VietNamNet Bridge – Nguyen Ngoc Hoang is a man on a mission. He turns up at university to study two days of the week but the rest of the time he goes somewhere else - at the farm to help sell turnips.

Students help sell the turnips at the gate of the Thong Nhat Park, on Le Duan Street. – Photo dantri.com.vn

He is one of a number of volunteers who give up their spare time to help farmers sell their vegetables.

This was because after over farming, many were left with too many turnips and not enough customers.

So moved after hearing the plight of farmers in Trang Viet Commune, Me Linh District in Hanoi, Hoang decided to do something about it.

Hoang, a Ha Noi University of Technology student, has spent the past 10 days volunteering at the Thong Nhat Park because he knows farmers have been unable to sell 140ha of their produce after harvesting.

Many vegetables will be thrown away, but not if Hoang has anything to do with it. And he found out about the sale thanks to a modern twist – Facebook.

“The information was shared on Facebook, and said local farmers needed help to bring the turnips to several places in inner Hanoi for sale, so I decided to go there to join,” said Hoang.

Hoang helps sell the turnips at the gate of the Thong Nhat Park, on Le Duan Street, from 7am to 6.30pm.

And he’s not the only one offering a helping hand.

There are several places on Tran Nhan Tong and Tran Hung Dao streets, plus Cau Giay Road, where sellers are volunteers.

The turnips are sold at VND25,000 (US$1.1) per five-kilo bag.

Hoang can sell about 10 tonnes of turnips per day.

Nguyen Thuy Van, a journalist of the Nhan Dan (The People) newspaper, launched the helping programme.

Once Van went to Me Linh District on business, and knew that local farmers could not sell their turnips, she decided to post on her Facebook to call for some help.

The turnips were planted with Japanese seeds, and under Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP).

“To my surprise, many people encourage me, so I connect with local farmers to help them bring the turnips to inner Hanoi for sale,” said Van.

After only several hours, thousands of orders were sent to Van’s Facebook.

Not only individuals, but also organisations, schools, pagodas and companies ordered the turnips in great amount.

“My happiness is multiplied when many students and State workers met me and proposed to be volunteers to sell the turnips,” Van said.

Many people do not fear long distance and determine to go and support the farmers.

Nguyen Van Cu, a war invalid, took a bus early morning from his house in Ha Dong District, a suburban district of Hanoi, to the Thong Nhat Park to buy turnips.

He bought dozens of kilogrammes of turnips.

“I use my little invalid’s allowance to buy the turnips, just want to contribute a part in helping the farmers,” Cu said.

He intends to share the turnips, and also the programme information to his relatives, friends and neighbours.

The programme also receives encouragement from local authorities and security forces.

Nguyen Manh Duy, a local security guard, who often goes on patrol on Le Duan Road, said that he found the programme very humanitarian.

“I help keep public order in the area and remind them about keeping traffic safety because many people come here to buy the turnips,” he said.

Duy himself also encourages his family and colleagues to join the effort easing the farmers’ hardship.

by Thu Trang

Source: VNS