Risk of recurrence of old customs
In recent days, many agricultural experts in the Mekong Delta region have expressed concern about the risk of outbreaks of field burning. M.A. Nguyen Phuoc Tuyen, former Director of the Dong Thap Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, shared that data from the fire monitoring system in late March and early April 2026 of NASA (US National Aeronautics and Space Administration) sent a warning signal: thousands of fire points appear densely in Southeast Asia.
Especially in the Mekong Delta region - the rice granary of the whole country - dense red spots on satellite maps show that the practice of burning straw after harvest is booming. Many farmers see this as a quick way to clean up fields and "burn ash" for the soil. However, according to agricultural experts, this is synonymous with "burning money" because of the huge waste of resources.
According to MSc Tuyen, straw is inherently a rich organic source, containing many nutrients necessary for the soil. When burned, the entire amount of nutrients turns into ash that cannot return to nurture crops, but also releases toxic gases into the environment. In other words, each field burning season is a time when farmers personally lose a source of "free fertilizer" worth millions of VND on their own fields.
Moreover, the high temperature from burning also destroys beneficial microbial ecosystems in the soil. This is the "living machine" that helps to break down organic matter, maintain porosity and natural fertility. When the microbial system is broken, the soil becomes stiff and decayed - leading to a decrease in yield and increasing costs of chemical fertilizers. A vicious circle is formed, making farmers increasingly dependent on input materials.
From an environmental perspective, the consequences are even more obvious. Smoke from burning copper contains a large amount of PM2.5 fine dust and toxic gases, directly affecting human health, especially respiratory diseases. This amount of emissions also contributes to increasing the greenhouse effect, promoting climate change - an issue that the Mekong Delta itself is facing fiercely.
Lessons from Thailand
Many countries in the region have soon changed their approach to post-harvest straw. M.A. Nguyen Phuoc Tuyen said that in Thailand, the agricultural extension agency has implemented a series of solutions to turn straw into an economically valuable resource. Instead of burning it, straw is plowed to return nutrients to the soil, composted into organic microbial fertilizer, used as animal feed or as a moisture-retaining coating material.
Many innovative models have brought clear results: producing biochargen (biochargen) to help improve barren soil; growing straw mushrooms to create additional stable income; collecting and pressing straw into bundles for commercialization; or processing it into environmentally friendly products such as plant pots, handicrafts, and building materials. These directions not only reduce production costs but also open up new value chains for agriculture.
The Mekong Delta is entering the peak harvest season, farmers can completely take advantage of this opportunity to transform the "burden" of increasing input costs into an "opportunity" to consolidate and expand profits.
It is not only selling straw and growing mushrooms, but also improving the natural soil, directly reducing fertilizer costs and making the living environment healthier. Looking at the "hot spots" on today's satellite map, it is not difficult to recognize that it is not only a sign of straw fire, but also a warning about an unsustainable agriculture. It is time to change thinking: straw is not something to be discarded, but a precious resource.
Don't let the fields after harvest season only have tearful white smoke left. Let straw return to nurture the motherland, or become valuable products - thereby creating a green, clean and sustainable agriculture for the future.
