Watching rice being cultivated with shrimp farming in Vietnam has opened Lincoln University student Jonathan Jamieson’s eyes to the possibilities of dual-income farming.
The second-year student studying a three-year bachelor of commerce degree in agriculture earned a Prime Minister’s Scholarship, allowing him to travel to the Southeast Asian country for six weeks.
There he completed an agribusiness paper and learnt about the nation’s agricultural sector.
Initially hesitating whether to apply for the scholarship or not, he’s glad he took the plunge.
The group tour went from Hanoi in the north and down to Da Nang, midway on the east coast, then further south to the Mekong Delta in the Can Tho region last year.
"The Mekong Delta is where we saw the most agriculture.
"It’s about three or four hours inland by bus from Ho Chi Minh.
"That was one of my favourite places because we got to see a bit of ag.
"They grow a good percentage of Vietnam’s rice in that region and it’s powered by having that Mekong Delta and boats going up and down it all day."
He said it was interesting to see how shrimps were grown in harmony with the primary crop in rice paddies to make the most of the land.
Shrimp helped enrich the soil, while the rice crops provided a natural environment for them to thrive.
Before they could be caught and sent to the market, the rice had to be harvested first.
"They can diversify their income obviously from having two things on the same land and the shrimp aren’t taking away from the soil too much with putting nutrients back in.
"I thought it was a good way of farming especially for them.
"With climate change you could get a big typhoon and you could lose crop, but having the shrimp hopefully secures them an income as they do it tougher over there.
"I thought it was cool they started to diversify just to help them out and improve farming."
At a visit to an agriculture college it became obvious the younger generation was less interested in farming than their elders because of weather and price fluctuations.
Talking to young Vietnamese, he learned they were pursuing commerce or other degrees not necessarily because it was their career of choice, but because they wanted a better income.
"At this ag-college they used to have five degrees and now they only have one because demand is so little and that was pretty sad because the rice is a big part of Vietnam and if people aren’t going to farm it they will struggle.
"But by diversifying hopefully it will interest more people so they can keep improving rather than going backwards."
While he could not directly apply what he observed to New Zealand, it had got him thinking about dual farming.
There were plenty of examples of mixed farming already, but perhaps further diversification could work.
Learning and looking was an eye-opening experience for him, he said.
"Over six weeks you got to see the country pretty well and there was a good crew of people and the professor was good.
"It was the best six weeks I’ve ever had.
"You learned lots and saw things and it made you think."
The work ethic of the Vietnamese impressed him as did their ability to show up every morning for less-than-desirable jobs.
"It’s so much different from New Zealand for agriculture obviously, but also how the country runs and it makes you realise how much difference there is.
"We visited a few factories and it makes you realise I’d much rather do a bad job on the farm than sew clothes or do whatever they were doing.
"It makes you appreciate what you do back here a lot more."
Raised on a 350ha dryland sheep and beef farm near Bulls, he returns to the family’s smaller block now of 40ha in the holidays.
Farming is in his blood with his dad farming all his life, and Mr Jamieson said he worked on farms every chance he got when studies allowed.
Lately that’s included asparagus-picking for Aspara Pacific in Christchurch several hours in the morning before the lecture rooms open.
"It’s up at 5.30am and we pick from about 6am to 8.30am then go back to have a shower and go straight to uni.
"It’s a good way to start the morning and get into it."
With a small bucket at his side he goes along rows picking asparagus spears and trimming plants.
While it’s back-breaking work, he enjoyed the harvesting and learning about seed production.
The 19-year-old is still figuring out which direction agriculture will take him when he completes his studies.
Invariably, that will see him on a farm in some shape or form.
"I’m really enjoying the sciences and obviously the business side is still there but I’m probably enjoying the science a bit more at the moment.
"I don’t think [this will take me to a career in] research, but more for farming and just learning how to get the best out of it.
"I will take three science papers in my electives this term as well as the management paper we have to do.
"There’s so much to learn and so much to know that you can apply here and there which is going to improve everything."
Mr Jamieson said he liked the people and self-improvement side of farming as well as learning how to maximise the growing of crops and stock.
For his degree he will have to carry out practical work and so far this has taken him to a mixed farm on the other side of Bulls.
"It was 10 minutes from home and they do everything.
"So they have cropping, processed veggies and the sheep and beef side as well.
"I have been helping out on the cropping and getting my head around that which has been nice.
"So next holidays I will be going somewhere else to learn other types of farming.
"Dad’s grown up on a dairy farm and dairy farmed for a while so I want to do a couple of weeks there and know what’s going on in a dairy shed.
"That’s what’s exciting — choosing which way you are going to go and which way you want to go."
Perhaps he might look at further post-graduate studies with the ultimate goal of owning his own farm one day.
He’s just been awarded another grant after being announced as the recipient of Ravensdown’s Hugh Williams Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship offers $5000 per year for a student studying agriculture or horticulture at Lincoln or Massey universities for the duration of studies.
This will remove some of the financial pressure and mean he will be able to keep his student debt down.
"I was looking at getting another job once the asparagus-picking was over just to help and I will see how I go at this stage, but hopefully I won’t have to and I will have more time to focus on the school work and focus on what I need to focus on and crack into it."
He’s managed to keep up his grades despite the part-time work and travels.
During the second semester last year he received two As and two A minuses.
That still leaves him time to meet up with mates and playing colts rugby for the local country team and going out running and fishing.
Ravensdown chief executive Garry Diack said Mr Jamieson’s academic excellence and enthusiasm for the science behind farming made his entry standout.
"Jonathan shows a clear understanding of the importance of science for all forms of farming, and a passion for its ability to improve how we farm in the future."
