Microorganisms to the Help of Agriculture in Viet Nam

The heavy use of chemical fertilizers, drought, and some agricultural practices affect soil fertility and reduce productivity. In Viet Nam, Dr. Nguyen Thu Ha, a microbiology researcher, invented products based on beneficial microorganisms to help mitigate those issues. Her products improve soil quality, increase crop yields and farmers’ benefits.

Dr. Nguyen works in the microbiology department at the Soils & Fertilizers Research Institute (SFRI). Her particular area of research is microbial fertilizers for agriculture. SFRI belongs to the Viet Nam Academy of Agricultural Sciences and focuses on scientific research and technology transfer in soil, fertilizers, and microbiology.

Dr. Nguyen always had a passion for biology and microorganisms, which she said have many different functions, although they can be friends or foes for plants and humans. Microorganisms include fungi, bacteria, and viruses, she explained.

Her passion for microorganisms led her to use them to improve soil quality. In Vietnam, she explained, crop rotations, intercropping, increased crop seasons, the intensive use of chemical fertilizers, and climate change cause soil degradation and soil fertility reduction.

According to SFRI, “the latest statistics show that Vietnam is among the world’s top users of chemical fertilizers, using nearly 7.7 million tons each year.” However, the SFRI noted the poor efficiency rate, leading to farmers wasting an estimated 4.62 million tons of fertilizers annually.

Increasing Soil Quality and Moisture

Dr. Nguyen’s products contain a mixture of microorganisms and are divided into two main groups. The first group targets nutrition metabolism by increasing the soil’s available phosphorus, potassium, and beneficial microbial density. She explained that those products help plants access soil nutrition and increase growth, crop yield, and profits for farmers. She added that microorganisms in the products are safe for humans and the environment.

The second group contains microorganisms that will help the soil retain moisture in drought-hit areas.

Her products combine specific microorganisms with a base of cassava powder and are tailored for different crops. Dr. Nguyen explained that her products are microbial fertilizers, contain no chemicals, and are fit for organic agriculture. They are spread once a year for annual crops and two or three times a year for perennial crops.

The products are a sustainable and affordable solution for farmers as treating one-hectare costs about USD100 and reduce the use of chemical fertilizer by 15-20 %.

Dr. Nguyen’s products won the silver and special prize at the 2019 Korea International Women’s Exposition for Microorganisms inoculants for soil improvement, and some domestic awards.

From Grass to Entire Crops

The microbial products were first used on grass in 2010, and their use has expanded to different soil types and crops such as fruit trees, vegetables, peanuts, tea, coffee, pepper, and cashew trees in different provinces of Viet Nam, she said. A total area of 100 hectares in peanut and mango-growing regions of Binh Dinh and Nghe An provinces, which have sandy soil, have been treated with her products, and led to a 15-20% productivity increase, according to SFRI.

Her research includes several microbial preparations, including mixed microbial products, nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-solubilizing preparations, and preparations to trap nematodes, which are plant-parasitic worms.

Dr. Nguyen is also working on a bilateral project with partners from Italy on the development of bacterial biofertilizers for coffee canephora (Robusta) in Viet Nam. The project is co-funded by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology.

Patented Products Waiting for Commercialization

Dr. Nguyen has one granted utility patent on her microorganisms inoculants for soil improvement. She is also a co-author of two granted utility patents.

Although lauded by farmers, Dr. Nguyen’s products are not yet commercialized. The production is small-scale, and she is actively looking for commercial partners/investors to take her products to the market and increase production. In the meantime, she is pursuing her research to find products that will further reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, her ultimate goal.

A beneficiary of WIPO’s training sessions on IP, she said she learned a lot from those sessions, particularly how to introduce her products to the market in an efficient way.