Dinh Cong Vien, 82, is locally famous in his hometown, Ha Nam, for “5-in-1” machines that make life easier for farmers.
Vien shows off his vegetable slicer
Vien, who live in Khuyen Cong Hamlet, Kha Phong Commune, Kim Bang District, has been awarded the nickname, “the Inventing Farmer”, for the machines he makes.
After getting married when he was 16 years old, he joined the French and American Wars. He returned to his homeland to take care of his family after the national reunification.
When his wife died in 1996, he had to do all the farm work himself.
Vien came up with the idea for his machine by chance while working in the field one day. He started collecting scrap metal and any old machines he could get his hands on.
He started actual work on his idea in early 1999, borrowing VND5 million (USD242). After a lot of time and hard work, Vien’s machine was finished. At first it didn’t work as well as expected, but after a long string of adjustments, it was able to perform 5 different agricultural tasks.
Vien said, “I just wanted to create something that would make farming life easier. It took a long time and a lot of failed attempts. But I just told myself to keep going.”
After he made the first “five-in-one”, he continued to produce others that could work on a number of crops. He sells them, but at very affordable rates, between VND4 million and VND5 million each (USD194-USD242).
Le Thi Nu, a farmer in Khuyen Cong Hamlet, said, “Vien is old, but that doesn’t mean he’s not useful. When he sees us working hard in the fields he tries to figure out how to make some new invention that will help us.”
Official recognition by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Old but inspired
