When farmers put their agricultural products "online"

After 3 years of implementing Project No. 01-DA/TU of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on "Strengthening the Party's leadership over Farmers' Associations (FAs) at all levels in building strong organizations, participating in supporting farmers in developing production, consuming products, contributing to building new rural areas", digital transformation in agriculture is no longer a distant concept for farmers. Oranges, plums, bunches of organic vegetables... now have QR codes, electronic stalls, stories to tell and a way to reach a large market. This is the added value that traditional agricultural products once lacked.

3T Farm Cooperative stamps and labels products before putting them on the market and updating them on e-commerce platforms.

In recent years, the story of Hoa Binh agricultural products has not only stopped at making delicious products, but also the journey of reaching out, overcoming winding slopes, crossing misty valleys to "touch" the vast market, from bustling wholesale markets to luxurious shelves in the city, even reaching out to the ocean.

When agricultural products know how to "tell their own story"

I still remember when the whole Tan Lac grapefruit area was bustling with buyers and sellers, we visited the grapefruit garden of Mr. Pham Van Hoi's family, Tan Phong area, Man Duc town (Tan Lac), which was over ten years old. Mr. Hoi smiled brightly, lifted his phone to scan a small QR code stuck on a plump red grapefruit: "My grapefruit now has a "citizen identification card"! Anyone who wants to know where it was grown, who fertilized it, and how it was made can scan the code and find out everything." Mr. Hoi's words were not only pride, but also proof of a silent revolution: Hoa Binh agricultural products no longer just stand still in the corner of the market, but have known how to "go online", how to "tell stories" themselves to reach further.

A few years ago, the story of Muong grapefruit and oranges was still full of difficulties. The products were of good quality and had a distinctive flavor, but they were only sold around the district market and neighboring provinces, and sometimes traders forced down the price. Now it is different, Hoa Binh's typical agricultural products from red grapefruit, Cao Phong oranges to processed bamboo shoots, honey... have reached far, present in Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City... and the dream is even bigger. That change is not a miracle, but from a digital transformation process starting from the smallest things - from a beautiful photo, a transparent traceability code, a dedicated description on the electronic booth.

Not only Mr. Hoi, in localities in the province, a new flow is seeping into every hamlet and hillside: hundreds of farmers are gradually learning how to make their products not just inanimate goods, but become "individuals" with "digital identities", with stories, with values, and knowing how to "self-tell" about their journey of birth. This change in thinking and action is not accidental, but originates from an important "compass" of the province: Project No. 01-DA/TU issued by the Standing Committee of the Hoa Binh Provincial Party Committee since 2021.

Farmers' Associations at all levels have become pioneers, helping farmers to enter the digital world . The transformation picture has had bright colors: The whole province has supported the construction of 15 safe agricultural and food stores - small "showrooms" where agricultural products are displayed and introduced, and at the same time are the starting point for them to "go" to major e-commerce platforms. More than 100 OCOP, VietGAP, and organic products have been "born" by supporting the labeling of origin. Each QR code is not just a number, but a "flow" of information, helping consumers know the "background" of the product from A to Z, from the land, water source, to the hands of the fertilizer. Farmers' Associations at all levels have mobilized, guided, and supported members to successfully register 73 accounts on e-commerce platforms. Accordingly, there are 33 products, of which 29 products meet OCOP 3-4 star standards, 4 typical products are "offered online".

Positive signals from a journey

The efforts of the HND at all levels to "matchmake" agricultural products have borne fruit, as the province's key products are regularly available at major supermarkets in Hanoi and neighboring provinces, instead of being sold only at local markets. In particular, the story of grapefruit from Dai Dong Agricultural Cooperative, Yen Tri Commune or pickled shallots from Phu Lai Agricultural Cooperative, Phu Lai Commune (Yen Thuy)... being recognized as OCOP, then boldly "crossing the sea" to successfully export to the UK and US markets is proof of the effectiveness of trade promotion activities.

In addition, Project No. 01-DA/TU also creates a foundation for the increasingly strong development of joint production organization models. After 3 years (2021 - 2024), the whole province has built 677 collective economic models, including 79 cooperatives, 202 cooperative groups and hundreds of professional farmer associations and groups - far exceeding the initial target. Many models have stable product consumption contracts with businesses, contributing to the transformation from small-scale production to value chain production.

Comrade Bui Duc Bien, Vice Chairman of the Provincial Farmers' Association, said: "In recent years, closely following the goals of Project No. 01-DA/TU, the Associations at all levels in the province have proactively implemented practical activities to help farmers access digital technology and consume sustainable products. Grapefruits, oranges or jars of honey are now not only evaluated by their flavor, but also by the way they "tell stories" about the land, the hands of the growers and the journey to reach the market with the trust and efforts of farmers in the digital age. We consider digital transformation as the key to paving the way for sustainable consumption. And most importantly, it is the change in the mindset of the farmers themselves."

However, the process of "going online" of Hoa Binh agricultural products still has many barriers. Some cooperatives are still weak in management, do not have a team to communicate and promote products. Investment costs in packaging, labels, and transportation are still high. Many farming households are still used to selling traditional products, are afraid of change, and do not pay attention to market factors. They have quality, clean products but do not have beautiful images, do not know how to write attractive descriptions, so they cannot compete on electronic platforms... In the coming time, the Farmers' Associations at all levels in the province will continue to accompany farmers by promoting digital skills support, developing traceability systems, enhancing digital communication and closely connecting with businesses, banks, and consumption units...

Thu Hang

Source: https://baohoabinh.com.vn/12/202190/Khi-nong-dan-dua-nong-san-len-mang.htm