Lao Cai: Collective economy contributes to creating sustainable value chains

Lao Cai is writing a new story of sustainable poverty reduction through the power of the cooperative economy, with cooperatives as the core. Not only contributing to job creation and income improvement for people in remote areas, cooperatives are also the "nucleus" helping the hometown's agricultural products reach further.

More and more cooperatives are operating effectively.

The story of collective economic development supporting the in-depth construction of new rural areas in Lao Cai is a vivid proof showing the practical contributions of cooperatives, the highland countryside is gradually becoming a livable countryside, with clear changes in infrastructure, economy and cultural and social life.

Catching up with the "fresh breeze" brought by digital transformation, many cooperatives have become a fulcrum, encouraging farmer members to boldly apply science , technology and high technology, thereby helping farmers not only save effort and resources but also have the opportunity to make high-quality products, increase revenue, and promote economic development in localities.

Many cooperatives have made their mark by applying high technology in agricultural production. Photo: Thanh Nga.

A typical example is Hoang Kim Aquatic Cooperative (Thac Ba commune), which utilizes the lake surface area to raise more than 300 fish cages, mainly catfish, red tilapia, and sturgeon. In particular, the Cooperative cooperates with processing enterprises to produce catfish patties, spring rolls, and sausages, all of which meet 3-star OCOP standards. Ms. Vu Thi Thu Phuong - Cooperative manager shared: "Thanks to the trade promotion policy, the Cooperative has many distribution channels, optimizing product value and sustainable development."

Previously, the income of Mr. Lam A Tuong's family in Ban Lien commune was only about 3 million VND per month. However, since participating in organic tea production at Ban Lien Cooperative, his family's income has increased 3 times. With stable output for tea trees, Mr. Tuong's family has joined dozens of other households in the commune to expand the tea growing area, apply new science and technology to production, bringing high economic efficiency.

Since the beginning of the year, Lao Cai province has established 30 new cooperatives and 83 cooperative groups operating in the agricultural sector, bringing the total number of cooperatives in operation to 809, with a total charter capital of nearly VND1,300 billion. Along with that are over 2,800 cooperative groups with over 12,000 members.

The collective economic model in the agricultural sector has exploited the strengths of local crops and livestock, linked production between households, built a sustainable agricultural value chain, developed OCOP products, and supported market access. Many cooperatives have moved towards professional, transparent, and effective management, contributing to increasing income for members and workers.

Some cooperatives have actively conducted business online, thereby saving costs on rental space and labor, and expanding the business market.

Vice Chairman of Lao Cai Province Cooperative Union Nguyen Duc Lam said that up to now, the cooperative has fulfilled its functions and duties, which are connecting with members, supporting production, and accessing capital sources supported by the Party and State, with priority given to the collective economic sector.

In the coming time, the Provincial Cooperative Union will continue to coordinate with departments, branches and localities to promote propaganda and mobilize the establishment of new cooperatives; provide consultation and support to cooperatives; train and improve the capacity of cooperative management staff; support cooperatives in promoting trade, linking supply and consumption of products.

Greening for sustainable development

In recent years in Lao Cai, many cooperatives have made their mark by applying high technology, biotechnology and digital transformation, creating products with clear quality and brands.

Some typical models include: Doan Luong General Processing and Trading Cooperative, applying biotechnology to process hawthorn fruit into 3-star OCOP products; Suoi Giang and Phinh Ho Shan Tuyet Tea Cooperatives with products exported to the US and Europe, proving "green" and sustainable quality; Thang Loi Cooperative applying pyrolysis technology to turn old tires into FO-R oil, a typical example of a circular economy.

In addition, many cooperatives have pioneered in organic and sustainable agricultural production such as: Hung Thanh Cooperative with Bat Do bamboo shoots for export, Vietnam Cinnamon and Anise Cooperative with organic cinnamon products or Dong Khe Green Agricultural Products Cooperative, Tuy Loc Safe Vegetable Cooperative... Closed value chains are also gradually forming with cooperatives for livestock farming, silkworm farming, and environmentally friendly handicraft production, contributing to preserving local identity and ecology.

According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Lam, green transformation helps cooperatives not only increase revenue, but also build an image of environmental responsibility, meeting international market standards. However, this journey still has many difficulties, especially for mountainous provinces like Lao Cai.

According to Mr. Lam, to promote green transformation in the KTTT area, it is necessary to implement many synchronous solutions. First of all, it is necessary to propagate and raise awareness among officials and people about the benefits of green production, thereby promoting changes in traditional farming methods. At the same time, it is necessary to support cooperatives in applying technology to production, organizing training courses on skills in organic production, using renewable energy, and waste management.

Connecting markets and promoting OCOP products associated with ecological factors and local identity also need to be focused on. In addition, there should be specific support policies on taxes, credit, technical human resource training, and at the same time helping cooperatives build brands and green quality certifications such as VietGAP, GlobalGAP, Organic; mechanisms to create favorable conditions for cooperatives to rent or contribute capital with land use rights, forming concentrated raw material areas serving organic and high-tech agriculture.

It can be seen that green transformation is not only an urgent requirement but also an opportunity for cooperatives to affirm their position, move towards sustainable development, and contribute to realizing the goal of making Lao Cai a province that develops in a green and harmonious direction.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/lao-cai-kinh-te-tap-the-gop-phan-tao-dung-chuoi-gia-tri-ben-vung-10397572.html