The way out of poverty from cardamom

Cardamom, the "treasure under the forest canopy" in the northern mountainous region, used to be an economic and environmental burden due to outdated farming methods. However, thanks to the intervention of science and the cooperative model, with the support of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, thousands of households have found a sustainable way out of poverty from this plant.

The mountainous region of Northern Vietnam, with its ideal subtropical climate and vast old forests, is the cradle of many precious medicinal plants, of which the most prominent is cardamom (Amomum tsaoko). This plant is not only a famous spice, indispensable in traditional cuisine, but also a medicinal plant of high economic value.

From “treasure under the forest canopy” to environmental burden

For a long time, cardamom has become the main, even the only, source of income for thousands of ethnic minority households in border provinces such as Lai Chau , Lao Cai, and Tuyen Quang. Harvested products are mainly exported to large markets such as China and India, bringing considerable forestry value to the country. According to calculations, each hectare of cardamom can generate an income of 40 - 50 million VND/year, helping many ethnic minority households have a stable source of income and escape poverty.

The expansion of cardamom cultivation areas in recent years demonstrates the great potential of this plant in poverty reduction in areas with high poverty rates. However, behind the growth in area are serious challenges, stemming from traditional and rudimentary farming and processing methods. This has unintentionally turned this “treasure under the forest canopy” into a burden, hindering sustainable economic development and directly threatening the forest ecosystem.

Application of science and technology helps increase the value of cardamom.

The current situation of cardamom cultivation in many mountainous areas, especially the traditional extensive farming method, not only leads to low productivity but also causes unpredictable environmental consequences. Survey data from the Institute of Science, Technology and Environment (IAST), under the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, has clearly pointed out loopholes in the production process.

Economically, the damage is obvious and long-lasting. People often harvest prematurely or harvest incorrectly, reducing cardamom productivity and output by 20-30%. Moreover, the processing stage, especially drying, is still mostly manual, spontaneous, using firewood directly. Outdated drying techniques lead to low product quality, small, dark, uneven fruits, susceptible to mold and short storage time. This situation causes the selling price of processed cardamom to decrease by 10-15%, directly affecting the already limited income of people.

"If we continue to dry firewood like before, we will have to stay up all night to watch the stove and go further to find firewood, and the money from selling cardamom will not be enough to compensate for our efforts. More importantly, the forest is getting thinner, and we are very worried about the rain and floods," said Vang A Pao, a member of the cardamom growing cooperative in Lai Chau.

That simple confession hides a bigger concern: the negative impact on the environment and forest resources. On average, 1 ton of dried cardamom requires 5-7m³ of firewood. Cutting down wood and firewood for the long drying process, which is costly in terms of fuel and costs, has become an important cause of deforestation, aggravating the problem of environmental protection and sustainable development. Improper cardamom cultivation under the canopy of planted forests and natural forests has also greatly affected the structure and regeneration capacity of natural forests, reducing the protective capacity of forests over time. This degradation not only threatens biodiversity but also increases the risk of landslides, flash floods, especially in the northern border provinces.

Faced with this situation, cardamom development must be associated with sustainable forest protection and development. This is an urgent issue that requires the intervention of science and technology and professional organization from agencies such as the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance.

Cooperatives – The key to mastering technology and markets

Realizing the urgency of the economic-environmental problem, the Institute of Science, Technology and Environment, under the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, has presided over the implementation of a key project: Applying science and technology, perfecting the process of caring for, processing and preserving cardamom to meet export standards and transferring production technology to cooperatives in the Northern mountainous region. The core objective of the project is to improve the technological capacity and production level of cooperatives, creating high-quality products that meet the strict standards of the international market.

The Vietnam Cooperative Alliance has played a key role in connecting science and production practice. The Institute of Science, Technology and Environment not only stops at research but also implements testing programs and transfers technology directly at the facility. This is an effective cooperation model, ensuring that scientific knowledge is applied to the right subjects in need of improvement, especially cooperatives - collective economic organizations, where the majority of farmers gather.

Cardamom is a crop of high economic value.

The project tested the transfer of new technology processes into production at two cooperatives in Lai Chau province - one of the localities with a high rate of poor households and large areas of forest that need protection. These cooperatives are the pioneers to receive the transfer of drying and cultivation technology.

Instead of using traditional wood drying kilns that cause pollution and consume resources, cooperatives are supported to install or upgrade advanced drying systems. These can be electric kilns or combined biomass/solar kilns, depending on local infrastructure conditions. The new drying technology has significantly reduced the amount of firewood consumed (saving 5-7m³ of firewood/ton of dry fruit), reducing operating and labor costs. More importantly, the drying process is strictly controlled in temperature and time, shortening processing time and ensuring the quality of output products.

The dried cardamom products have higher standards of color (bright red, not burnt), uniform size and longer shelf life, meeting the strict standards of the export market. The increased product quality has helped the selling price of processed cardamom increase by 10-15%, creating a stable and sustainable source of income for members.

In addition to processing technology, the Institute of Science, Technology and Environment also focuses on sustainable farming techniques. Cooperatives are instructed on proper planting techniques under forest canopy, ensuring reasonable density, organic fertilization and organic pest management, replacing old extensive farming habits. This method ensures that cardamom plants grow healthily without destroying regenerating trees, contributing to maintaining forest structure, biodiversity and forest protection capacity. The change from deforestation to forest protection farming has been enthusiastically responded to by the people, because they understand that forests are the most valuable assets, closely linked to their long-term lives.

Poverty eradication, forest protection and border maintenance

The model of sustainable cardamom development through cooperatives and the application of science and technology has affirmed its scientific, economic, social and environmental values, successfully solving the dual problem of economy and national security in the border area. Success from practice does not stop at improving the economy but also reaches greater values.

First of all, cardamom has become a key crop in the sustainable poverty reduction strategy. Growing according to the commodity linkage model, with the cooperative as the leader, has helped ethnic minorities stabilize production, creating a significant source of income right on their land, in accordance with the culture and traditional farming practices. The cooperative not only provides technology but also acts as a market bridge, helping members sell products at better prices, avoiding being forced to sell by traders as before. Economic stability is the greatest motivation for people to feel secure in their homeland.

In terms of society and security, improving material life through sustainable cardamom development contributes significantly to stabilizing security and order in border areas. The Northern mountainous region is the "fence" of the Fatherland, and maintaining people's trust and developing the local economy is the most solid foundation. When life is guaranteed, people will feel secure in living, not be lured by illegal activities or free migration, but actively participate in self-governing organizations, protect forests, and together with border guards maintain peace in border areas.

This model has been highly appreciated and is considered a comprehensive solution for medicinal plants under the forest canopy. To replicate this success, the Institute of Science, Technology and Environment has organized widely disseminated workshops, proposed solutions for propaganda and technology transfer to neighboring cooperatives and provinces with similar conditions such as Cao Bang and Lang Son. The goal is to completely transform from extensive production habits to controlled intensive farming, managing cardamom production and business in association with sustainable forest protection and development.

It can be said that the professional support from the Institute of Science, Technology and Environment, under the auspices of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, has been creating a historic turning point. By combining scientific knowledge with an effective collective economic model, this program has gradually helped thousands of households in the northern mountainous region escape the vicious cycle of poverty and unsustainable exploitation, opening up a greener, more prosperous and safer future, turning the border region of the Fatherland into a strong and self-reliant economic development area.

vnbusiness.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/con-duong-thoat-ngheo-tu-cay-thao-qua-post885543.html