Tran Van Lap, head of the village and chief of a group for growing organic vegetables in Ngoc Lam village said that in the 2002 spring crop his village was chosen for developing organic vegetable cultivation by the Department of Science, Technology and Environment of Thai Nguyen province. After hearing the news, the local farmers were very happy but they still worried. This is because it is difficult to change an age-old cultivation method into a new one.

However, people in Ngoc Lam are dynamic people, who have to find outlet for their products, so it was quite easy for them to adapt themselves to the new method. A group of 124 first households was set up for growing organic vegetables. After receiving instructions on techniques and organising some delegations to visit and learn experience from other localities, the local farmers began to apply the new method under a restrictive examination of project co-ordinators. Local farmers were encouraged to use microbiological fertiliser and pesticides made from organic substances.

They were provided effective micro-organisms for treating fertiliser and water before watering their vegetables. After four successful crops, all the farmers in the villages have become involved in producing organic vegetable. Dang Van Trieu, also head of a group for growing organic vegetable said that local people have benefited from the works. At first, they no longer suffered from a polluted environment in their village. Their health was no longer damaged by the use of chemical fertiliser and pesticide. Finally, their production cost on an area unit has dropped. For consumers, they are benefit from hazard free products.

Many local households have earned better incomes thanks to their production of organic vegetables. Nguyen Thi Tien said that in the past her family had seven sao (each sao equal to 360 square metres) for growing vegetable, on which her family relies for earning a living. Now, she can earn more from the land as the production of organic vegetable has helped her reduce production costs.

Tran Manh Cuong, co-ordinator of the project, said that, in the coming time, the project would be expanded. The biggest difficulty for local farmers is how to find an effective outcome for their produce. They need support from authorised agencies in Thai Nguyen to find partners for their produce to be able to reach consumers.