English
Tiếng Việt
Have you ever heard the saying, “Thunderstorms make trees take root deeper”? Plants can adapt to grow, even during storms. Difficulties in life will be inevitable, but how we react depends on ourselves.
For us, Tien – farm manager of Dak Pne 2 is an example of similarity to this philosophy of life.
He started working at Dak Pne 2 farm since 2017. After the probation period, he chose to continue his organic farming practicing at Dak Pne farm till now.
At the beginning of work, everything became more difficult than ever because Dak Pne 2 is a special farm. Here are not enough material conditions to live or work such as electricity, water, wifi, poor phone signal. This farm lying in the middle of the mountains and forests of Dak Pne, Kon Ray, Kon Tum, 70 kilometers from Kon Tum city. Instead of choosing to give up, he learned to gradually adapt to the deprivations here. He thinks that because he is a farmer, he has nothing but to work hard and learn, so even if he lacks a little electricity, water, lacks wifi, or phone signal, it doesn’t matter. Thus, he focused more on learning and creativity, with the mindset “You can be poor in material things, but you can’t let yourself be poor in knowledge”. It is this persistence that helps him see work and life in a positive way and become more optimistic.
Every day, he manages 2 sample organic farms of nearly 20 hectares, so he has to interact and work with mostly Bahnar farmers. He knows that farmers in Dak Pne are still poor because they have no discipline in their work. Working with Bahnar farmers is not easy. But we have never seen him complain about it. He Still persistently calling and encouraging them to go to work every day.
Every evening, after finishing work, he spends time going to the hydroelectric station to ask the station managers to create conditions for studying and working with an internet connection. He did not allow himself to become lazy or fall behind because of the current situation of deprivation. He still regularly reports to the manager, exchanges with colleagues as well as learns more knowledge about organic agriculture. Then his reports in Vietnamese gradually turned into English reports. As it turned out, he was still working hard to learn the language even though he had little time at night.
Now, things have gradually changed over the past 6 years. The wildland has now become full of life with perennial and annual plants. Welcoming us now are the growing trees. The atmosphere also changes. Bahnar farmers also change the traditional practice of intensive farming, burning forests for farming to approach and practice sustainable agriculture and contribute to planting and taking care of trees and growing with Biophap. Tien is also different, he is in a higher position, becoming a good and powerful farm manager.
Think about it, it won’t be too difficult if you know what your destination is and you persevere to do it. In this land, Dak Pne2 also witnessed many young people applying for internships in organic farming, but not everyone could bear the poverty here. Therefore, it is hard to find young people like Tien. To become an organic smart farmer like now, he has to trade many things, but instead of complaining, he chooses to learn to adapt, learn to love the farm, learn to love the lifestyle he chooses, learn to self-growth. This is what makes us so much respect for Tien – An example of perseverance, energy, and professionalism that few young people can do when he chooses to transform organic agriculture in rural areas.
