Growing tomatoes via smartphones and sitting on the top of mountain selling vegetables to the US from a distance are what some Vietnamese farmers are doing today. “People may think that farming means being completely wrapped up in working in the fields or orchards from morning to evening. But they are wrong,” said Nguyen Duc Huy, who runs a tomato and hydroponic vegetable farm in Da Lat City. Huy said the major work of modern farmers is operating smartphones. With an internet-connected smartphone, he can control the development of his tomatoes and hydroponic vegetables at any time, no matter where he is. After sensors analyze soil conditions and suggest the farming process, Huy just needs to press a button on his smartphone to activate the system which can automatically take care of plants in accordance with set programs. Huy just needs to use a small number of workers to supervise the operation of the machines in the farm. He began growing beef and picota tomatoes in 2013, after obtaining a master’s degree in biology. However, with the traditional cultivation method, the profit from picota tomatoes was just enough to cover the expenses on seedlings because of the low yield. After failure caused by heavy reliance on natural conditions, Huy decided to create software to specifically control his field. The software connects with a smartphone and computer, and has a tool that understands the ecological happenings in the field, and suggests the best commands. Like Huy, Nguyen Van Phuc, a farmer with the Suoi Thong Safe Vegetable Cooperative, for the last two years is no longer carrying water on his shoulder to irrigate vegetables. He just checks and enters data into smartphone. Growing tomatoes via smartphones and sitting on the top of mountain selling vegetables to the US from a distance are what some Vietnamese farmers are doing today. Pointing to the smartphone, Phuc said the device determines farmers’ fate. The figures about crops, …
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