DONORS

1
1
3
Brot

ADVOCACY

The Si Ma Cai Forest Peoples Land Rights Network (LandNet) supports the practice of creating quality local fruit tree species at FFS - Si Ma Cai

  • Ta Van plums have been linking closely with the lives of H’mong ethnic people in Si Ma Cai district for generations. This species contains many outstanding characteristics such as fragrant, sweet, crunchy and crimson ripe fruits coated with white powder, and the fruits are very eye-catching. Therefore, Ta Van plum is considered as a unique quality product of the region. In March every year, when the plum blossoms bloom, the highland area is coated with a vast white cover, attracting visitors, especially the photographers. Ta Van plums are getting ripe in late sixth lunar month and early seventh lunar month, so the visitors or people working away from home who cannot to enjoy Ta Van plums in time would feel very regret.
     
    Recently, the quality and quantity of Ta Van plum in Si Ma Cai district has decreased considerably. The main reason is that the trees have been planted for a long time and the caring method of the gardeners is not technically suitable, causing the trees die out sooner, and its productivity and quality decrease. Although in the past few years there have been several pilot programs to recover Ta Van plum seedlings in Si Mai Cai district, but they are small and not specific or suitable to each villager.

    In order to contribute to the creation of quality seedlings, the Si Ma Cai LandNet represented by Mr. Ly Seo Chua and Mr. Vang A Pao, in collaboration with Si Ma Cai Farmers' Field School (FFS) in village No. 4, Nan San commune conducted grafting to create seedlings of quality plums. There are about 5,000 to 6,000 peach bases to be grafted to produce plum trees. In 2016, LandNet cooperated with FFS Si Ma Cai to graft approximately 1,000 seedlings of Ta Van plum. This seedlings are distributed to students from the school, the surrounding households, and are planted at FFS - Si Ma Cai. To date, these Ta Van trees are growing well to motivate LandNet and FFS - Si Ma Cai to produce more qualified Ta Van plums for local planting season in 2018.
     
    Mr. Ly Seo Chua, Si Ma Cai district LandNet representative, said, "The natural conditions in most communes in Si Ma Cai District are suitable for the cultivation of Ta Van plums. In recent years, Ta Van plums are grown increasingly because these are indigenous species, which bring us high economic efficiency. If the weather is stable, one plum tree can give an income of VND 800,000 to 1,000,000 per year”.

    Picture 1: Nursery of Ta Van plums in FFS - Si Ma Cai


    Picture 2: Mr. Ly Seo Chùa – LandNet coordinator in Si Ma Cai district


    Picture 3: Mr. Ly Seo Chùa and Mr. Vàng A Páo are grafting Ta Van plum