Vietnamese farmers make their own multi-purpose plows from shrapnel

Mr. Luong Minh Dong, a 59-year-old farmer, in Dai Hong commune, Dai Loc district, Quang Nam, was fascinated with the homemade multi-function plow and planned to create some new functions.

Shallow farmer makes plows from shrapnel

"I am a poor farmer who does not have cattle or buffaloes to work in, so I am curious to find out, make a tractor to use," said Luong Minh Dong on the sidelines. Typical 2015 specials in Hanoi.

Mr. Luong Minh Dong attended the meeting of typical non-professional inventors yesterday.(Photo: VA)

In 1983, after the cooperative where Mr. Dong was in charge of the radio station dissolved and merged into other cooperatives in the area, he applied for a permanent leave because the salary was too low. Returning to the work of cultivation, Mr. Dong and his family face difficulties because of lack of production materials.

After many days of thinking, he decided to try and make a plow instead of cattle. With a simple design, Mr. Dong's plow includes only a frame from an old bicycle, a plow blade from a shrapnel , but it helps him to increase productivity and reduce labor. By 1986, Mr. Dong added other functions to the machine such as cultivating soil, tilling grass, creating seed to remove seeds, materials made from non-gasoline barrels.

" People around me see that I have a unique machine, they put me to work because it is more effective than using cattle. Previously, if I made a pole of land, it would take 7-8 works, but now only needed a public, a machine operator , " said Mr. Dong.

To date, Mr. Dong's multi-purpose plow appears throughout the provinces and cities nationwide, selling about 8,000 units. Last year alone, Mr. Dong sold a few hundred cars, delivered to remote provinces like Son La and Dak Nong. Due to lack of motivation, Mr. Dong's multifunction plow weighs only 5kg, compact and easy to use " like carrying a pickaxe to the field".

Talking about the reason for boldly creating a tractor, Mr. Dong said he learned the mechanical profession from a group of workers since he worked at a cooperative radio station. However, when starting to study, it is also difficult, after completing the experiment, it is not possible to bring it to the next field.

Mr. Dong is on his multifunction plow.(Photo: Ministry of Science and Technology)

" I am very passionate, I never thought I would give up, I wanted to do what I needed to do , " Dong said, partly because he also received support and encouragement from his wife and the offspring.

Claiming to be "old" , Mr Dong said he still maintains a small family base, producing several hundred machines a year, so he has no idea to expand the scale.

" I am studying to create a new function for this machine, how do I replace the seeder, I have created a sowing field before, so there will be 5-6 more people to follow" , Mr. Dong said his plan in the future.