Evaluation of land use efficiency for tomatoes cultivation at the farm natureza , moshav idan, arava, israel

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTRY NGUYEN THI PHUONG THAO EVALUATION OF LAND – USE EFFICIENCY FOR TOMATOES CULTIVATION AT NATUREZA FARM, MOSHAV IDAN, ARAVA, ISRAEL BACHELOR THESIS Study Mode: Full-time Major: Environmental Science and Management Faculty: International Programs Office Batch: K48 Thai Nguyen, 10th October 2021 DOCUMENTATION PAGE WITH ABSTRACT Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry Degree Program Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management Student name NGUYEN THI PHUONG THAO Student ID DTN1654290005 Evaluation of land use efficiency for tomatoes cultivation Thesis Title at the farm Natureza , Moshav Idan, Arava, Israel Supervisor (s) Assoc.Prof.Dr Phan Dinh Binh Supervisor’s Signature Abstract: Land is an extremely valuable resource that nature has bestowed on humans It is not only an object of labor but also an irreplaceable means of production, especially for agricultural production Land, especially agricultural land, is at risk of being degraded under the impact of nature and humans Therefore, based on the evaluation of the efficiency of agricultural land use, thereby selecting effective land use types for rational use from the point of view of ecology and sustainable development is becoming an important issue Global quality is being concerned by scientists around the world As we all know, agriculture in Israel is a highly developed industry: Israel is a major exporter of fresh produce and a world leader in agricultural technology despite the fact that Israel's natural conditions are not favored for agriculture In order to apply and develop Israel's modern agriculture in Vietnam, to meet the demand for high-quality and high-quality agricultural products to serve an increasingly improved life After a year of internship program in Israel, I have conducted research on the topic: Evaluation of land use efficiency for tomatoes cultivation at the farm Natureza, Moshav Idan, Arava, Israel Number of pages: - Land use efficiency - Tomatoes Varieties - Natureza Farm - Israel agriculture 62 Date of Submission: 5th November 2021 Keywords: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The internship program in Israel is a program of great significance in the learning process of each student in order to systematize all the knowledge learned, apply theory to practice, and initially get acquainted with the students with practical scientific knowledge from abroad Thereby, students will improve their theoretical knowledge, working methods, and working capacity to meet the practical needs of future work This thesis was completed thanks to the support of the Board of Directors of Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Advanced Education Program (AEP), International Training and Development Center (ITC), Training Center International Agriculture (AICAT) and especially Assoc.Prof.Dr Phan Dinh Binh is the direct guide, I have conducted research on the topic ‘‘Evaluation of land use efficiency for tomatoes cultivation at the farm Natureza, Moshav Idan, Arava, Israel.’’ Although I have tried very hard, my graduation thesis cannot avoid shortcomings I look forward to receiving advice from teachers, suggestions from friends to complete my graduation thesis better Thank you sincerely! Thai Nguyen, November 1, 2021 Student Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research rationale 1.2 Research objectives 1.2.1 Overall objectives 1.2.2 Detail objectives 1.3 Contents of work 1.4 Scientific and practical significance of research 1.5 Timeline CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Research overview 2.1.1 Overview of Israel nation 2.1.2 Arava area – Southern Israel 11 2.1.3 Moshav Idan 12 2.2 Overview of Israel agriculture 13 2.3 Scientific basis of land use efficiency assessment 14 2.3.1 Characteristics of evaluating the efficiency of agricultural land use 14 2.3.2 Perspectives on agricultural land use 15 2.3.3 Land use type 16 2.3.4 Basis for assessing types of sustainable land use in agricultural production 17 2.4 Studies in the world and in Vietnam on the assessment of land use efficiency 19 2.4.1 In the world 19 2.4.2 In Vietnam 21 CHAPTER 22 OBJECTS, CONTENT AND RESEARCH METHODS 22 3.1 Object and scope of the study 22 3.1.1 Research subjects 22 3.1.2 Research scope 22 3.1.3 Research time and place 22 3.2 Research content 22 3.2.1 Natureza farm overview 22 3.2.2 Production, processing and consumption of tomatoes at Natureza farm 22 3.2.3 Evaluation of land use efficiency at Natureza tomato farm 23 3.2.4 Advantages, disadvantages, lessons learned and suggestions 23 3.3 Research Methods 23 3.3.1 Collect primary data 23 3.3.2 Collect secondary data: 23 3.3.3 Methods to evaluate the efficiency of agricultural land use: 24 CHAPTER 26 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 26 4.1 Natureza farm overview 26 4.1.1 Technologies used in the farm 27 4.1.2 General information about tomatoes 29 4.2 Production, processing and consumption of tomatoes at farm Natureza 30 4.2.1 Production 30 4.2.2 Processing and Consumption 35 4.3 Evaluate land use efficiency 36 4.3.1 Economics efficiency 36 4.3.2 Society efficiency 40 4.3.3 Environment efficiency 41 4.4 Choosing land-use type obtains economics – society – environment efficiency 44 4.4.1 Sustainable land use type standard 44 4.4.2 Application ability in Vietnam 45 4.5 Advantages, Disadvantages, Lessons learned and Suggestion 48 4.5.1 Advantages 48 4.5.2 Disadvantages 49 4.5.3 Lessons learned 49 4.5.4 Solutions Suggestion 50 CHAPTER 51 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 51 5.1 Conclusions 51 5.2 Recommendations 52 REFERENCES 54 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Map of Israel Figure Map of Arava Central 11 Figure View of Moshav Idan 12 Figure Moshav Nahalal in the Jezreel Valley, Israel 14 Figure Vietnamese student working at water melon fields 27 Figure Drip irrigation system at Natureza farm 28 Figure Regular tomatoes 33 Figure Cherry tomatoes 33 Figure Cluster tomatoes 34 Figure 10 The chart of tomato harvest yield by month of varieties (ton/ha) 36 Figure 11 Compare the ratio of export markets and supermarkets 38 Figure 12 Some bio- pestiscdes and bio- fertilizers are used on the farm 43 Figure 13 Bee natural polliniation in tomatoes farm 44 Figure 14 Model of tomato cultivation according to Israeli technology at Ban Me cooperative 48 LIST OF TABLES Table Tomatoes varieties grown in Natureza farm 32 Table Total costs for year tomato growing 34 Table Yield of tomato harvest by month 35 Table Yield of tomato varieties in export markets and supermarkets 38 Table Economic efficiency of land use type for tomato cultivation Natureza farm 39 Table The social efficiency of tomatoes farms in Natureza farm 40 Table Evaluation of the environment efficiency in Natureza farm 42 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS °C: Unit of temperature GDP: Gross Domestic Product LUT: Land use type FAO: The Food and Agriculture Organization Dunam: Israeli unit of area (1 dunam = 1000 m2) Shekel: The currency of Israel (1 shekel = 7000 VND) Moshav: Agricultural village in Israel Kibbutz: Agricultural village in Israel is more advanced than Moshav CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research rationale The land is an extremely valuable resource that nature bestows on humans The land is the basis of settlement and organization of economic and social activities In agricultural production, land is not only an object of labor but also an irreplaceable means of production It is an input factor that strongly affects the efficiency of agricultural production, and also the important environment that produces food to feed humans Therefore, the effective and sustainable use of land is becoming an urgent issue of each country, in order to maintain the productive capacity of the land for the present and the future The state of Israel is a small country with harsh natural conditions and 2/3 of the territory is desert, the rest is bare rocky hills The climate is extremely dry, but agriculture is the world's leading development with the world's most advanced technical technologies being widely applied In Israel, the Arava valley is a place full of pride for the indigenous people, because it has a "miracle" that blooms in the desert - true miracles of science and technology and human intelligence Jewish scientists in Israel - the nation known as the smartest in the world have turned the wild, windy and dusty land into "gardens of paradise" Israel's agriculture is extremely developed and successful, not only ensuring domestic food supply but also exporting a large amount to foreign countries, especially to the European market In contrast, in Vietnam with the population growth, the strong Environmental effects and impact levels of different types of land use are shown in the following table: Table Evaluation of the environment efficiency in Natureza farm Land use type Coverage rate Ability to protect and improve the land Tomato High High Level of Ability to impact of save pesticides on water the environment People's awareness General in the use assessment of pesticides High Medium High High (Source: Collect data from Natureza farmer) Through the above assessment table, it shows that the environmental efficiency of tomato plants at the farm is high In terms of cover rate, tomato farms have a high coverage rate, because the rest period in a crop is short The ability to protect and improve the soil of the tomato farm here is high Farmers always focus on protecting and developing the land Soil is absolutely necessary for good and healthy products Soil is enriched with natural fertilizers such as organic and green manure and compost The level of water saving of tomato farms with soil is high, which is the ability to save water thanks to the modern drip irrigation system, which provides enough water for the plants thanks to the automatic control and sensor system Fertilizers are used according to state and expert recommended concentrations Fertilizer is dissolved with water in the tank and goes through the drip irrigation pipe to the base of the tomatoes plants at a reasonable rate so that the plants grow fully and not harm the soil 42 At the farm, the priority is to use biological pesticides, for example: Neem B is a natural, non-toxic oil preparation Neem oil is extracted from the neem tree, Azadirachta indica Juss, etc a member of the Meliaceae family that originates from the Indian subcontinent Among the least toxic botanical insecticides currently on the market, Neem oil shows very low toxicity to both humans and beneficial agents Figure 12 Some bio- pesticides and bio- fertilizers are used on the farm With the technique of spraying pesticides using modern spraying machines, the spraying time is usually from 16h-18h so that after spraying the plants can dry before it gets dark and the workers finish their work so they can ensure the health of the labor Persons in charge of spraying pesticides must wear protective clothing After spraying, workers will be isolated from the spraying area for days After days workers will take care of tomatoes normally For plant protection products (packaging, bubble bags, residual chemicals, bottles, etc.), the person in charge of spraying will clean it up and bring it to Moshav's garbage area for destruction However, with a large number of 43 workers and students from other countries, sometimes people's awareness of environmental protection at the farm is not high Figure 13 Bee natural pollination in tomatoes farm 4.4 Choosing land-use type obtains economics – society – environment efficiency 4.4.1 Sustainable land use type standard Based on the actual conditions and requirements of the farm owner, Natureza has made the criteria as a basis for selecting a promising land use type: - Ensuring the life of farmers - Consistent with the development goals of the study area - Attracting workers, creating jobs - Sedentary cultivation, settlement and application of scientific and technical advances 44 - Increase export products - Increase salary - Good impact on the environment Based on the above criteria, combined with the results of the actual production investigation, the evaluation of the land use efficiency of the tomato varieties and the analysis of the socio-economic - environmental status of the farm, the to the following standards: In line with the agricultural development goals of Natureza farm To be suitable to land conditions and farming practices Ensuring the life of farmers Increase income Attracting workers, creating jobs In line with the needs of the market Protect and improve the land, environmental protection 4.4.2 Application ability in Vietnam The type of land use for tomato cultivation is the type that effectively meets all three aspects of economy - society - environment Vietnam is an agricultural country, income is mainly from agriculture Therefore, in order to increase income and create jobs for people, as well as protect the environment, Vietnam can apply tomato growing technology in Vietnam Priority is given to the development of tomato cultivation in places with little rain, because a lot of rain will cause fruit rot during the harvest season Or in places with a lot 45 of rain can use the method of growing tomatoes in a greenhouse However, due to Vietnam's climate with a lot of rain and high humidity, pests and diseases will develop more, so it requires wisdom from researchers and people to find the best method to improve pests and disease In addition, at present, the output of the product is still facing many difficulties, there is no commitment to the output, so the production value is still precarious according to the market price This is a major limitation that requires ministries, and localities to support so that people who apply high technology to production have more stable output - Government needs to support in prices, seeds, fertilizers, etc Agricultural extension workers need to directly guide farmers in production techniques such as techniques for soil preparation, seed germination, fertilizer application, etc - Building models of specialized farming, commodity-oriented production areas based on the advantages of each region, the production according to the specialized farming model will create conditions to expand the consumption market, facilitate the purchasing, product consumption - There should be policies to support farmers in terms of investment capital for new planting and care in the period of basic construction Increase the mobilization of people's own capital and external support from international organizations, capital from the district, provincial and central budgets - Open training courses on care techniques, use of pesticides, application of farming methods suitable for each growth stage of tomato plants 46 - Searching for consumption markets for products: Capture market information, regularly monitor information and forecasts about the agricultural product market so that producers can rest assured and actively invest Applying the method of advertising and propagating the product on the mass media, establishing joint ventures to find investment partners associated with tomato product consumption has very potential for future development Therefore, authorities at all levels need to create conditions for watermelon to be developed in Vietnam In Vietnam, some provinces have learned and applied Israeli agricultural production technology with high efficiency Typically, the model of high-tech tomato cultivation in greenhouses following the Israeli model at Ban Me Hi-tech Cooperative (Thanh Hung commune, Dien Bien district, Dien Bien province) is considered a typical model, bring high economic efficiency to farmers Contributing to improving the lives of members and contributing to economic and social development in the province The production in the greenhouse helps to increase the crop yield by 15 times compared to normal and can grow tomatoes all year round with a short harvest time Currently, 2,000 Beef tomato roots of Ban Me Cooperative produce more than tons of fruit with a garden price of 30,000 VND/kg (Source: Vnbusiness Newspaper) 47 Figure 14 Model of tomato cultivation according to Israeli technology at Ban Me cooperative (Source: Vnbusiness Newspaper) 4.5 Advantages, Disadvantages, Lessons learned and Suggestion 4.5.1 Advantages In Israel, the government always has policies to support farmers and invest in agricultural production The State of Israel also promotes the reduction of agricultural costs by encouraging specialization and stopping the production of low-margin agricultural products The current agricultural sector of Israel is almost closely associated with the connection between four factors (the state, scientists, farmers and entrepreneurs) They work together to find solutions to the agricultural problems facing the country Another advantage is that in Israel, there are many advanced scientific and technical achievements that effectively support agricultural production It can be mentioned that it is drip irrigation technology, Israeli scientists have researched and launched a modern irrigation system that saves maximum water 48 Agricultural production on farms uses greenhouse technology Greenhouse farming is seen as a key technological solution in Israel's high-tech agricultural development Agricultural production in farms is applied information technology Currently, almost all stages from cultivation to harvest, preservation and consumption on the farm are applied information technology 4.5.2 Disadvantages - The qualifications of workers not catch up with high-tech knowledge, lack of experience, language barriers make it difficult to communicate with employers - The consumption market is far from the farm, making the product quality lower - Drip irrigation system due to long use will be clogged due to a lot of soil, causing some plants to die - Severe weather in both summer and winter, affecting production as well as workers when working on the farm 4.5.3 Lessons learned - Be directly exposed to the model of tomato cultivation with high technology, production and consumption models at the farm Learn about how to build and manage farms from farm owners, how to find a consumer market - Being actually observed, in contact with the drip irrigation system and pipe right at the farm Better understand the importance of water resources and the ability to save water when applying this advanced technology - Be guided to participate directly in the stages from planting trees, picking fruit, packing fruit to the smallest thing, cleaning the farm after each crop 49 - Learn more about how farmers use bio-pesticide products and bio-fertilizers - From actual observations, better understand the use of the greenhouse system, how the greenhouse affects plants and the environment From there, learn and understand more about modern agriculture in Israel, find out some limitations of the country's agriculture 4.5.4 Solutions Suggestion - In order to improve the efficiency of agricultural land use from a sustainable point of view, the authorities in Vietnam need to improve the exploitation of land potential in the direction of restructuring crops, diversifying products and commodities, apply scientific and technical advances to production - Implement synchronously policy solutions, infrastructure development, science and technology solutions, market solutions to promote production - The process of land use must be associated with the reclamation, fostering and protection of land, and environmental protection Accordingly, research for sustainable development of tomato cultivation in Vietnam to create more income for people and improve product types in Vietnam 50 CHAPTER CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Conclusions Through the time of researching and evaluating land use at Farm Natureza, Moshav Idan, there are several comments drawn as follows: Israel is a small country in the Middle East with extremely harsh natural conditions, 2/3 of its territory is desert, the rest is bare rock, the climate here is extremely dry The total area of the territory of Israel is 22,145 km², agricultural land is about 4,100 km² Israel has a location, soil conditions, climate and hydrology that are not favorable for agricultural production development, but thanks to science and technology, high technology, thanks to the intelligence and creativity of the people here where agriculture has grown tremendously, standing in the leading position in the world Farm Natureza, Moshav Idan, Natureza's total agricultural land area is 120 hectares, of which hectares are planted with tomatoes Natureza is located in a location, soil, climate and hydrological conditions are favorable for tomato production development, crop yield has been quite high Tomatoes not only bring high economic efficiency, but also create jobs and raise incomes for many workers in the world and in the country Tomatoes are grown and packed with high-tech processes, products ensure Israel's export standards and strict European standards, Israeli tomato products increasingly have a foothold in the international market 51 5.2 Recommendations After studying and researching at Farm Natureza, Moshav Idan I have the following recommendations: Universities needs to create conditions for students to have more access to high-tech models in Israel (a leading country in agricultural development in the world), for study and research in Israel school From there, learn more about modern agriculture in your country, find out some limitations of the country's agriculture, propose a model production in accordance with economic and climatic conditions in Vietnam - For all levels of government: Tomato has very promising development in the future Therefore, authorities at all levels need to create conditions for growing high-tech tomatoes to be developed more widely in Vietnam + The State should have support in prices, seeds, fertilizers , Agricultural extension officers need to directly guide farmers in production techniques such as techniques for soil preparation, seed nursery, fertilizer application, etc + It is necessary to have policies to support farmers in terms of investment capital for new planting and care in the period of basic construction To increase the mobilization of people's own capital and external support from international organizations, capital from district and provincial budgets + Open training courses on care techniques, use of pesticides, application of farming methods suitable for each growth stage of tomato plants - For farmers: Farmers in Vietnam need to actively participate in training courses of agricultural extension techniques to produce in accordance with the technical process, 52 know how to apply scientific and technical advances to production, and change the structure of agricultural production, crops grown in inefficient areas today It is necessary to change the perception in production from self-sufficient production to commodityoriented production, raising incomes and improving people's lives 53 REFERENCES I Vietnamese references Phan Sy Man et al (2001), “Orientation and organization for the development of commodity agriculture”, Economic Research Journal, pp 21-29 Nguyen Duy Tinh (1995), ‘‘Research on cropping systems in the Red River Delta and North Central Coast’’, Agriculture Publishing House, Hanoi Hong Dat Street et al (1994), “Vietnamese agricultural history” pp 262 - 293 National Assembly (2013), Land Law 2013, Hanoi National Political Publishing House Pham Duy Doan (2004), ‘‘Questions and answers on land law in 2003’’, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi Do Nguyen Hai (1999), “Determining criteria for assessing environmental quality in sustainable land use management for agricultural production”, Soil Science, page 120 Vu Nang Dung et al (1997), ‘‘Effective evaluation of some crop diversification models in the Red River Delta, Institute of Agricultural Planning and Design’’, page 10 Chu Van Level (2001), "Some basic problems in agricultural and rural development in our country today" II English references FAO (1976), A framework for Land evaluation, FAO - Rome 10 Omar Zeidan (2019) Growing tomatoes in greenhouses and nethouses Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Extension Service 11 Benton Jones Jr (1998) Tomato Plant Culture: In the field, Greenhouse, and Home Garden 54 12 W.B World Development Report (1995), Development and the environment, World Bank, Washington III References from Internet 13 Nguyen Khue (2021) Ban Me Cooperative: Israeli technology brings success in tomato farming (https://vnbusiness.vn/khoa-hoc-cong-nghe/htx-ban-me-cong-ngheisrael-mang-lai-thanh-cong-trong-trong-ca-chua-1079473.html ,accessed on 15-10-2021) 14 India Legal (2017) Drip irrgiration: Lesson from Israel (https://www.indialegallive.com/cover-story-articles/focus/drip-irrigation-lessons-israel/ , accessed on 12-9-2021) 15 Biobee Company (2021) Plan Protection (https://www.biobee.com/plant-protection/ , accessed on 1-11-2021) 16 Wikipedia (2021) State of Israel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel , accessed on 23-8-2021) 55 APPENDIXES SOME PICTURES IN THE PROCESS OF THE THESIS IMPLEMENTATION Working at tomato farm Tomato harvesting in Natureza farm 56