Support agricultural cooperatives to improve production and business capacity

In recent times, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA) has actively coordinated with relevant ministries, branches, localities and units to implement many programs and projects to support agricultural cooperatives in developing production and business. In the period of 2021-2025, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance has coordinated with the Dutch organization Stichting Agriterra (Agriterra) and many localities in the country to implement the Farmer-Centered Transformation Program (FFT). The FFT program has helped many agricultural cooperatives improve their production and business capacity and expand their product consumption markets, thereby significantly increasing their revenue and profits.

Improve production and business efficiency

In recent times, Ky Nhu Cooperative in Thanh Hoa Commune, Can Tho City has not only expanded its links and cooperated in production and business with many households, but also developed a variety of processed products from snakehead fish, helping to improve the value chain. Currently, the Cooperative has 5 hectares of snakehead fish farming area according to VietGAP standards and over 10 hectares of linkages with local farming households, with the capacity to consume over 1,000 tons of snakehead fish/year. The Cooperative has a factory with an area of ​​over 2,000m2, specializing in seafood processing, with the main product being snakehead fish. The Cooperative's products are not only consumed strongly in many localities in the country, but also reached the world market. The success of Ky Nhu Cooperative comes not only from the Cooperative's efforts, but also from the support of Agriterra, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, the Can Tho City Cooperative Alliance and functional agencies in the city.

Customers learn about products of Ky Nhu Cooperative.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung, General Accountant of Ky Nhu Cooperative, said: “Through the FFT Program, the Cooperative has made adjustments and changes to operate the Cooperative better and more effectively, associated with product development and improving quality and design. Thereby, the Cooperative has had many fish cake products processed from snakehead fish that have been recognized as 4-star OCOP products and has 1 product recognized as 5-star boneless snakehead fish with spices. The Cooperative's products have been exported to the United States and South Korea, helping to increase income and improve the lives of Cooperative members.”

With the support of Agriterra and other authorities in our country, many other cooperatives in localities across the country have improved their operational capacity and production and business efficiency. According to Mr. Huynh Dang Khoa, Director of Rach Lop Agricultural Cooperative in Hung Hoa Commune, Vinh Long Province, the cooperative was established in 2016 and currently has 519 members and households participating in the association. The total annual revenue of the cooperative reaches 15 billion VND, with a profit of 9 billion VND. With support from the FFT Program, the cooperative has changed its management mindset, from a traditional model to a market-oriented model. Enhancing the role of each member, financial transparency, professionalism in operation and developing a variety of services. As a result, the cooperative has innovated its operations and provided many services to meet the needs of farmers such as providing services, machinery, drones for harvesting, rice care, irrigation, material supply, etc. Thanks to that, it helps members reduce costs and improve the efficiency of rice production. The cooperative also has a large additional source of income from service activities.

Continue to support cooperatives

At the workshop summarizing the FFT Program for the period 2021-2025, the results were evaluated, lessons learned were shared and orientations for the next phase were discussed, as well as cooperation between Agriterra and partners was promoted to continue having practical programs and activities to support cooperatives to develop effectively and sustainably.

At the workshop, representatives of many agricultural cooperatives highly appreciated the support activities of Agriterra together with the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and domestic authorities, and at the same time recommended that there should be more programs and activities to support cooperatives in the coming time. According to Mr. Truong Cam, Director of Ai Nghia Agricultural Cooperative in Da Nang City, thanks to the support of Agriterra Organization and local and central authorities, the cooperative has improved its skills and management capacity, moving towards effective and professional operations. The staff of the cooperative has innovated management and operation methods and innovated business thinking. In the past time, Agriterra has had many practical support activities for cooperatives such as training, improving management and operation capacity for cooperative staff, creating conditions for cooperative members to visit effective models, as well as supporting financial resources... The cooperative hopes that these activities will continue to be maintained and developed in the future.

In Vietnam, from 2017 to present, Agriterra has accompanied more than 60 cooperatives, 16 Cooperative Alliances and Farmers' Associations in provinces and cities to implement many support programs and activities to help bring benefits to about 80,000 farmers. In the period of 2021-2025 alone, the FTT program has supported 35 agricultural cooperatives, focusing on improving management capacity, business development, digital transformation, climate change adaptation and enhancing the role of women and youth in cooperatives. According to Ms. Le Thi Thu Hien, Chief Representative of Agriterra in Vietnam, through Agriterra's support programs, the production and business activities of cooperatives have become more professional. Cooperative staff have improved their management and operational skills, helping them confidently negotiate with partners and know how to connect to the market. The cooperative's revenue and profit have increased significantly, and the cooperative can export products to international markets.

According to Ms. Cao Xuan Thu Van, President of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, strengthening cooperation between relevant parties to promote support activities for cooperatives is very necessary. Especially in the context of the collective economic sector and cooperatives in Vietnam implementing Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW on continuing to innovate and improve the operational efficiency of the collective economy and cooperatives in the new period and the National Target Programs on the development of the collective economy and cooperatives in the 2021-2030 period. The cooperation between the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance and Agriterra will continue to contribute positively to the common goal of enhancing the capacity, position and operational efficiency of Vietnam's agricultural cooperatives, thereby improving the livelihoods and lives of farmers, especially in rural areas.

According to Ms. Cao Xuan Thu Van, over the past 5 years, the FFT Program initiated by Agriterra has become an important milestone in the process of cooperation in developing the collective economic sector and cooperatives, contributing to the implementation of innovation, consolidation and improvement of the operational efficiency of agricultural cooperatives. FFT activities have helped many cooperatives truly become a solid support for farmers and the nucleus of sustainable agricultural development in the locality.

Article and photos: KHANH TRUNG

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/ho-tro-hop-tac-xa-nong-nghiep-nang-cao-nang-luc-san-xuat-kinh-doanh-a195181.html