Not the “past”, but the “future”

Hand-dried vermicelli in the sun at Kunming vermicelli village, Na Ri district

Transformation of rural industries

Bac Kan has an officially recognized craft village, the Kunming vermicelli craft village in Na Ri district. With 49 households and more than 70 regular workers, this place not only preserves the traditional flavor but also opens up a sustainable direction for the household economy . Kunming vermicelli has become a "specialty" that many people look for every Tet holiday, a clear proof that if done properly, traditional crafts can completely "survive" in modern times.

In 2018, the whole province had about 4,254 rural industry production establishments, by 2024 it had skyrocketed to 14,475 establishments. That means in just 6 years, the number of establishments has increased more than 3 times. In which, households are still the main force with more than 13,400 households participating. In particular, the agricultural, forestry and fishery processing and preservation industry group is clearly dominant, thanks to abundant raw materials and increasing consumer demand. The average income from rural industries has also recorded a clear improvement, from 2.8 million VND/person/month in 2018 to 4 million VND/person/month in 2024... This is not only a good sign for the people but also clear evidence that the potential of rural industries is gradually being "awakened".

Although there has been initial change, it cannot be denied that the rural industry in Bac Kan still faces many difficulties. Young workers are not interested in the profession because the income is not really attractive. Many production facilities are still fragmented, lacking capital, and have outdated technology. Product promotion and branding are still weak, and the consumption market is mostly limited to the province. The whole province has only one recognized craft village, which shows that there is still a lot of room for development, but it is also a warning that if strong action is not taken, traditional industries will gradually disappear over time.

Linking craft village development with tourism and digital transformation

In order for rural industries to not only “survive” but also “accelerate”, Bac Kan has built a development strategy until 2045. One of the notable directions is to link craft village development with tourism and digital transformation.

Currently, Bac Kan province is promoting the development of traceability systems, collective brands, online promotion, etc. to increase the value of craft village products, expand output, and attract customers through digital platforms. The province is also promoting support for craft establishments to build brands, put products on e-commerce platforms, promote on digital platforms, etc. to "catch up with trends" and expand the market. Along with that is a policy to encourage investment in technological innovation, improve production processes, reduce environmental pollution, and build green - clean - beautiful craft villages that are friendly to nature.

One of the top priorities that Bac Kan is also paying special attention to is human resource training. Not only vocational training, the province also focuses on fostering management skills, information technology knowledge, food hygiene and safety... From there, people can confidently operate production, business and develop sustainably.

In addition, the province also encourages young people to start businesses in traditional industries - both preserving cultural features and creating "soulful" and "quality" products to serve domestic and foreign markets.

In the province, there are currently 3 occupations and 32 locations with the potential to develop into traditional occupations and craft villages. Bac Kan also has 245 OCOP products certified with 3 stars or higher, including 4 5-star products, 21 4-star products and 220 3-star products. Many products have reached the international market such as cellophane noodles, apricots, ginger exported to Europe and Japan... This is the basis for the province to continue to build and develop new craft villages, contributing to promoting the rural economy.

Developing rural industries is not only a way to increase income, but also a story of preserving the identity, culture, and lifestyle of each rural area. Bac Kan is on the journey to build craft villages that are both imbued with national spirit and integrated with modern trends./.

Source: https://backan.gov.vn/Pages/nganh-nghe-truyen-thong-khong-phai-qua-khu-ma-la-tuong-lai-d3fc.aspx