These farmers not only enrich themselves but also actively share their experience, inspire others, and join hands to promote sustainable development of the rural agricultural economy.
To foster the pivotal role of exemplary farmers, Hau Giang Province has established the Club of Billionaire Farmers that brings together top-performing producers and businesspeople to support each other in production development, market linkage, and management capacity improvement.
Pioneering figures
The establishment of this club not only reflects the economic progress of rural communities but also opens a new path for development based on cooperation, knowledge sharing, and a collective drive for prosperity.
A typical example is farmer Le Van Sau from Tan Thanh Village, Tan Binh Commune, Phung Hiep District, affectionately known as the “Durian King”. He owns a 5.5-ha durian orchard, harvesting around 100 tonnes of durian each year, generating profits of up to 5 billion VND annually.
More importantly, Sau is devoted to sharing his experience with others. Each day, he hires seven to ten local labourers who not only work in the orchard but also act as his “students” learning the techniques of x cultivation, care, and disease prevention for durian tree. Many of them, such as Khiem, Thanh, and Trung, have successfully started their own businesses after learning from Sau, particularly his methods for treating durian pulp rot, a difficult disease for which he had to seek expert advice from Can Tho University.
“I treat the labourers like my children and grandchildren. Having gone through so many hardships to reach this achievement today, I feel a strong responsibility to help the next generation move forward,” Sau shared.
In the aquaculture sector, Nguyen Kim Thuy, Director of Ky Nhu Cooperative in Thanh Hoa Commune, Phung Hiep District, stands out as a symbol of perseverance and creativity in production. She was once a trader who bought bronze featherback fish to sell at Binh Dien wholesale market in Ho Chi Minh City, Thuy boldly started her own business, built the Hau Giang bronze featherback fish brand, and took it to new heights.
Starting with simple products like bronze featherback fish cakes and boneless bronze featherback fish fillets, the Ky Nhu Cooperative has now developed a wide range of OCOP-certified products, such as marinated boneless bronze featherback fish, bronze featherback fish with lemongrass and chilli, bronze featherback fish crackers, and fish stuffed wild bitter melon. These products are sold in more than 20 provinces and cities across the country and are also exported to Europe.
In addition to contributing to the local economy, Ky Nhu Cooperative has created stable jobs for about 75 workers, including 55 rural women. Guided by the motto “growing together”, Thuy has focused on training and developing skills for her staff, building a team of professional cooperative personnel and gradually transforming farmers into skilled, knowledgeable professionals. The cooperative has become a learning and tourism destination, making practical contributions to social welfare.
As Vice Head of the Club of Billionaire Farmers of Hau Giang Province, Thuy remarked: “The club gathers farmers with a shared ambition to prosper, spreading effective, creative methods. We are building a capital-sharing fund to support each other to develop our economy and rise together.”
Spreading the aspiration for legitimate wealth
So far, the Club of Billionaire Farmers of Hau Giang Province has brought together 47 members who are at the forefront of effective agricultural production. However, this is just the beginning. The province still has more than 260 farmers who have earned the title of national-level outstanding producers and businessmen - a valuable resource for expanding their network and creating new momentum for the rural economy.
The common features of these “barefoot billionaires” are hard work, keen market insight, bold thinking, and a willingness to share their success with the community. They are not only excellent producers but also true entrepreneurs, gradually realising the goal of “knowledgeable farmers” – building a workforce of skilled, professional farmers, meeting the demands of integration and sustainable development.
Figures like Le Van Sau and Nguyen Kim Thuy were not only honoured as Outstanding Vietnamese Farmers in 2024, but also serve as models, inspiring a new generation of farmers in this era of Industry 4.0 – confident, adaptive, and capable of asserting their position both in domestic and international markets.
The reality in Hau Giang demonstrates that when farmers are empowered and properly supported, they can fully become key agents of prosperity, importantly contributing to building model new rural areas. To further develop the “barefoot billionaire” model, greater support is needed from authorities at all levels.
In addition to preferential credit policies, both central and local governments should facilitate access to land, digital transformation in agriculture, and support for brand building and market connectivity. There should also be encouragement for new-style cooperatives, promotion of circular economy models in agriculture, and improvements in vocational training and communication regarding successful models.
The story of Hau Giang farmers is a clear demonstration of a simple yet lasting truth: When farmers are truly empowered and properly supported, they not only become masters of their own land, but also continue to write their dream of changing the lives of the entire community - with their hands, minds and unceasing aspirations.
