STUDENTS FROM FACULTY OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS (FAE),
SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS (CSE) PARTICIPATE IN INTERNSHIP
IN SEMESTER 2 OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2022–2023
In May, 2023, students of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics, School of Economics (CSE) participated in the Industry Internship module in Kien Giang and Lam Dong provinces.
The Internship module is aimed at facilitating students majoring in Agricultural Economics to have the opportunity to learn and experience practical production models and agribusiness establishments, creating opportunities to connect theory with practice, expanding understanding of practical knowledge and life skills. The Intership in the second semester of the schooling year 2022-2023 involves the site visits in Kien Giang and Lam Dong Province
The first departure took place on May 6th, 2023, bringing 44 students to Kien Giang province to start their internship. The Internship was led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Le Thong – Dean of Faculty of Agricultural Economics and lecturers of the Faculty. Welcoming the delegation were Mr. Le Quoc Viet, Former Head of Agriculture Department of Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang district and local officials in Chau Thanh district.
Firstly, the students visited a three-tier ecological model of the pineapple-areca-coconut tree in Binh An commune, Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang province and the product processing factory. This is a three-tier ecological economic model consisting of coconut, areca, and pineapple, which is considered unique, helping to increase income of farmers in the area. This model brings a much higher income than rice growing. Because of the intercropping, people do not have to suffer losses when the price of one crop is low or fluctuates. The loss of one crop has to be compensated by another.
A picture with Mr. Le Quoc Viet, Former Head of the Agriculture Department of Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang province
After that, the group moved to the village near Cai Lon – Cai Be irrigation system, Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang province. This is the largest irrigation project in Vietnam today in terms of scale and aperture. The project is responsible for controlling saltwater, fresh water, and brackish water, creating conditions for production models for the benefit area with a natural area of 384,120 ha in the provinces of Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau. The project is often called "super culvert" by the Vietnamese press and is designed, constructed and managed by Vietnamese people.
The students listening attentively to the presentation of the local officials about the scale and function of the irrigation system
Cai Lon Gate, Kien Giang province
On the same day, the delegation moved to Tac Cau Port, Binh An commune, Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang province. The port is now planned on a larger scale, as a fishing port with an area of about 30.69 hectares, expected to receive about 500 units/2,000 CV per day, the output of seafood through the port is about 250,000 tons/year.
The group of Internship taking photos at the fishing port
After that, the group moved to Tu Viet Wetland Rice Farm in Minh Luong town, Chau Thanh district, Kien Giang province. This place has a display of perfume wetland rice products, and preserves many agricultural tools bearing the characteristics of old Southern farmers. The most impressive point is the area after the summer with squares planted with all kinds of summer rice varieties. There are new varieties of rice that bloom, there are rice varieties that are ripe and golden. This is considered a unique agricultural model in Kien Giang province with about 40 varieties of seasonal rice reserved.
Students listening attentively to information about the model at Tu Viet seasonal rice farm
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Le Thong - Dean of Faculty of Agricultural Economics giving souvenirs to Mr. Le Quoc Viet at the farm
--------------------------------------------
Also in the second semester of the academic year 2022–2023, from May 18 to 20, 2023, 31 students of Group 2 of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics at CSE conducted an internship in Lam Dong province. Leading the Internship was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Le Thong – Dean and lecturers of the Faculty of Agricultural Economics. Welcoming and guiding the delegation were Dr. Nguyen Thi Tuoi – Lecturer at Da Lat University and two officers from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Lam Dong province.
On the first day, the students visited Long Dinh Tea Company, where the they was introduced to the history of tea, the technical process of organic farming and care, the processing procedure. The students also enjoyed specialty tea.
The students at Long Dinh tea company witnessing the model of tea cultivation, care and processing
Next, the delegation visited the Demo Farm of Langbiang Farm Company and listened to the introduction about the establishment, development, business strategy, export of vegetables and flowers of the company. The students also visited, checked - in the model of hydroponic strawberry, raspberry, cherry tomato, and giant squash.
Mr. Tran Huy Duong, Director of LangBiang Farm Co., Ltd. introducing about hi-tech agriculture and smart agriculture at the company.
The students visiting the hydroponic model at Langbiang Farm Company
Interestingly, the group had the opportunity to visit Da Lat University with its cordyceps fungus culture laboratories, insect gallery collecting butterflies, and home greenhouse production models.
The group visiting and listening to the introduction at the insect collection room at Da Lat University
Group photo at Da Lat University
The next day, the delegation was guided by the staff of the Agriculture Department to visit the flower growing model of farmers at Van Thanh Flower Village. This flower village was selected by Lam Dong Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to support the development of the value chain model until 2020 and has implemented a plan to produce a variety of flowers associated with the market demand.
Group picture at a greenhouse of Van Thanh Cooperative
In the afternoon of the same day, the group visited Lam Dong Provincial Administration Center, listening to the report of the Rural Development Sub-Department on the development of the farm economy, cooperative economy and OCOP products of Lam Dong province. With practical experiences in local management, Department staff have shared many profound lessons about local agricultural development programs in order to arouse the potential and advantages of rural areas in order to improve the quality of life, income for people; contribute to restructuring the agricultural sector in association with the development of handicrafts, trades, services and rural tourism; promoting sustainable rural economic development, on the basis of increasing the application of digital transformation and circular economy, preserving cultural values, managing resources, conserving biodiversity, landscapes and rural environment, contributing to building a new rural area in depth, efficiency and sustainability. These are valuable practical lessons to combine theoretical and practical knowledge for students majoring in Agricultural Economics.
The students listening to officials of the Department of Agriculture introducing about the development of the farm economy, cooperative economy, and OCOP products of Lam Dong province
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Le Thong presenting souvenirs to officials of the Department of Agriculture at Administrative center of Lam Dong province
Finally, the delegation visited and learned experience at Sunfood Da Lat Cooperative. This is a cooperative that has made a breakthrough in linking the production of VietGAP Da Lat vegetables with a closed input – output process. Currently, the cooperative is associated with more than 121 members who are production organizations and individuals. The products of the cooperative are currently supplied to 200 affiliated shops that are exclusive distributors of the Da Lat fruit and vegetable brand and regional specialties in over 35 provinces.
The group listening to the staff of the Department of Agriculture and SunFood Cooperative introduce the hydroponic vegetable model
The delegation taking pictures with Mr. Pham Ngoc Thach, Director of Sunfood Da Lat Agricultural Cooperative
Through these two internships, students majoring in Agricultural Economics have observed the activities of companies, enterprises, farms, production models and shared management experiences of local officials. Students were aware of the importance of innovation and creation in agricultural production and business models in the localities. From there, students better master the knowledge, better understand and know how to apply that knowledge in practice, opening up career opportunities and developing themselves more in the future.
Information