Digital transformation - Increasing internal strength for cooperatives

Thanh Dat High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative (Ngan Son) applies greenhouse technology and an automatic irrigation system.

Bac Kan province has 461 cooperatives, of which 386 have applied digital technology (accounting for approximately 80%). The application of digital technology, through technologies such as AI and biotechnology, aims to analyze data on the environment, soil type, crops, and livestock, helping cooperatives improve productivity, quality, and efficiency in production and business. A typical example is the Thanh Dat High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative (Ngan Son district), which applies greenhouse technology with an automatic sprinkler and drip irrigation system controlled via smartphone.

Simultaneously, cooperatives have brought their products to e-commerce platforms and utilized traceability technology, enabling them to quickly access the market, connect with the value chain, thereby enhancing competitiveness and expanding their consumer market. Currently, 22 cooperatives have applied high technology to production and management, contributing to stable quality, reduced costs, and increased product value. Notable examples include: Nhu Co Youth Agricultural Cooperative, Yen Duong Cooperative, Tan Thanh Agricultural Cooperative, Minh Anh Cooperative, etc. 56 OCOP products have been supported to be listed on platforms such as Shopee, Sendo, Tiki, Voso, Lazada, etc., for promotion, introduction, and consumption.

Ms. Ma Thi Ninh, Director of Yen Duong Cooperative (Ba Be), shared: “To keep up with the digital transformation trend, the cooperative has applied agricultural production management software; built an online geographical database; traced product origins; and used social media and AI tools to communicate with customers. Thanks to the application of digital technology , the cooperative has achieved benefits such as increased productivity, reduced operating costs, and expanded online sales channels. In the future, the cooperative will continue to promote the application of digital technology to modernize production, management, and business processes, boost e-commerce, manage raw material areas, cultivated land, soil and climate characteristics, and assign planting area codes; while also applying AI in building content and images to promote the cooperative's brand.”

Ms. Ly Thi Quyen, Director of Thien An Cooperative, introduced products and shared experiences in implementing digital transformation in promoting and selling OCOP products with a delegation from the province and Bach Thong district who came to visit.

Thien An Cooperative (Bach Thong), established in 2015, is one of the leading cooperatives in applying digital technology in production and business. To date, the cooperative has received support for digital transformation to promote and market local products online. The cooperative has been assisted in building an electronic information portal to professionally promote its products and provide sales advice. Ms. Ly Thi Quyen, Director of the cooperative, stated: “After receiving guidance and support in implementing digital transformation, the cooperative's products have attracted an increasing number of customers. Currently, Thien An products are available on four e-commerce platforms: Tiki, Shopee, Voso, and Postmart. With the support of Viettel Bac Kan Branch in licensing the Shopone inventory management software, the cooperative is effectively managing its goods, inventory, customers, and revenue.”

The Nhu Co Youth Agricultural Cooperative (Cho Moi) promotes and sells its products on social media platforms.

Mr. Tran Van Cuong, Chairman of the Provincial Cooperative Union, stated: “Cooperatives need to proactively access technology, raise awareness, and be ready to change their mindset, considering digital transformation as the driving force for their development in the digital age. In particular, cooperatives should strengthen the application of digital technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and utilize social networks like Zalo, Facebook, and TikTok to promote products, interact with customers, and actively participate in e-commerce platforms both domestically and internationally. In the future, the Provincial Cooperative Union will implement solutions to promote the application of digital technology in cooperatives, such as support policies, capacity building, and the development of a shared digital platform for cooperatives, including an agricultural product exchange platform and a supply chain management system, to improve production efficiency, business performance, and market competitiveness.”

Digital transformation is becoming increasingly essential for the collective economic sector and cooperatives in localities throughout Bac Kan province. This is an inevitable trend and a key to the successful and sustainable development of cooperatives in the era of integration.

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