(QBĐT) - Overcoming many difficulties and challenges, cooperatives in localities with ethnic minorities have made an important contribution to changing the lives, thinking and working methods of the people here. Now, people have proactively participated with cooperatives in economic development, focusing on applying new farming methods, bringing higher productivity and quality. Cooperatives have truly become a "support" for ethnic minorities in the path of sustainable poverty reduction and new rural construction in the locality.
Mr. Ho Tho (born in 1973), in Thuong Son village, Truong Son commune ( Quang Ninh ) started raising honey bees 4 years ago. He decided to join the Truong Son Honey Beekeeping Cooperative (Truong Son commune, Quang Ninh) with the hope of further improving the quality of honey and expanding the consumption market. Since then, he has participated in training courses on proper beekeeping, received detailed instructions, "hands-on instruction" and accumulated many practical lessons.
With the cooperative, beekeeping households like Mr. Ho Tho can share, learn experiences and solve common difficulties in production. Currently, he is maintaining 15 honey bee colonies. The quality of his family's honey has improved, the selling price on the market has improved, bringing income to the family.
However, according to Mr. Ho Tho, product output is still a challenge, because the product is in the form of "natural fragrance", the cooperative does not have the conditions to purchase, so people mainly sell small-scale, not really bringing large and sustainable economic benefits to people.
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Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Truong Son Honey Beekeeping Cooperative, Le Van Tien, said that established in 2019, the cooperative currently has more than 50 households, including some Bru-Van Kieu households. Recognizing the difficulties of ethnic minorities in spontaneous and small-scale honey farming, the cooperative has persuaded and encouraged them to join the cooperative to gradually change their thinking and working methods in production and bring quality products to the market. The cooperative currently maintains more than 600 bee colonies, and in 2023, it will collect more than 3,000 liters of honey. Each Bru-Van Kieu household maintains 15-17 bee colonies, with stable income every year.
The cooperative's honey products have achieved 3-star OCOP, however, the cooperative has not yet been able to purchase the products for the people, because in reality, the cooperative's honey price is 350,000 VND/liter, while the price of many types of honey with lower quality is lower, the cooperative is concerned that the products are not competitive enough in the market. In the near future, the cooperative hopes to receive support with more modern machinery and equipment to be able to process the products after purchasing, improve the quality of honey before bringing it to the market, and increase the competitiveness of the products.
Hoa Son is a mountainous commune with many difficulties in Minh Hoa district with a large number of ethnic minorities living there. In recent times, with the efforts of the government, departments, branches, and organizations at all levels, and the determination of the people, many economic models have been built and developed, contributing to creating jobs, changing the lives of the people here, and especially raising awareness, changing the thinking and working methods of ethnic minorities. Hoa Son Agricultural Cooperative is a typical example.
| Chairman of the Provincial Cooperative Union Ngo Gia Thoi said that cooperatives with ethnic minorities as well as other cooperatives in the province are always supported by the union in training to improve their skills in cultivation, animal husbandry, and in promoting, introducing and consuming products. Every year, in mountainous districts such as Minh Hoa and Tuyen Hoa, the union opens training classes, focusing on occupations that people are interested in. |
According to Mr. Ban Van Son, Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hoa Son Agricultural Cooperative, the cooperative currently has a production association with 27 households in the commune (12 households specializing in beekeeping for honey and 15 households specializing in peanut growing), of which 7 are ethnic minority households. The two products that have achieved 3-star OCOP status of the cooperative are Hoa Son honey and roasted peanuts with garlic and chili, with many contributions from these households.
It is not easy to convince ethnic minorities to participate in the production chain of the cooperative. In the past, people were used to small-scale, fragmented operations, raising as many beehives and planting as many peanuts and selling them to traders. The situation of good harvest, low prices or being forced to sell by traders often occurred. Understanding this situation, in 2022, Hoa Son Agricultural Cooperative was established with the determination to be the focal point for product consumption, supporting people in general, ethnic minorities in particular, to develop local agriculture. Through a period of encouragement, persuasion and especially the clear effectiveness of training courses on cultivation and livestock raising, ethnic minorities have truly trusted and actively participated in the cooperative's chain.
In 2023, the cooperative harvested 1.2 tons of honey, and the roasted peanuts with garlic and chili were very popular in the market. Recently, with the support of a project, the cooperative planted 4 hectares of red peanuts in an organic manner and many ethnic minorities also actively participated.
Not only Hoa Son Agricultural Cooperative, Truong Son Honey Beekeeping Cooperative, but also other cooperatives in the area with ethnic minorities have made great efforts to develop production, innovate processes, and bring new job opportunities to people. However, during their operations, cooperatives still need active support, especially in creating product outlets, building brands, and gaining a solid position in the market.
In fact, products produced by the DBDTTS are often favored for their quality differences and are often organic and healthy. People need to continue to be consulted, guided, and exposed to modern marketing methods to be able to bring products to market in the context of the current 4.0 industrial revolution.
Mr. Nhan
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