"Taking a unique path" is inspiring.

In the midst of a rural area still facing many difficulties, many young people in Thai Nguyen province have chosen the path of "sticking to the land and forests" to develop green agricultural models.

Nguyen Quoc Hoang chose wild bitter gourd plants to cultivate and develop on a large scale. Photo: Quoc Hoang

Starting a business in a challenging area

Born and raised in the former Phu Thuong area (now Vo Nhai commune) of Thai Nguyen province, Hoang Manh Tuan (born in 1999), a young man of the Nung ethnic group, soon realized the shortcomings in the traditional farming methods of the local people, such as the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

After graduating from the Crop Science department at Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hoang Manh Tuan returned to his hometown with a dream of developing clean agriculture. Thus, in 2023, he established AE Thai Nguyen Agriculture and Services Co., Ltd., starting his business with two main products: bio-fertilizers and organic vegetables. He utilizes animal manure, processing it using microbial technology to create environmentally friendly organic fertilizers. In addition, he developed a model for growing organic vegetables according to the "5 no's" process (no pesticides, chemical fertilizers, growth stimulants, genetically modified seeds, and preservatives).

With a strict organic vegetable farming process, the company's products have a rich, sweet flavor, high nutritional content, and are safe for health. As a result, AE Thai Nguyen organic vegetables are currently distributed in Vo Nhai and many urban areas in the province. In the long term, the company aims to collaborate with cooperatives in the region to build a closed-loop supply chain for clean agricultural products.

Unlocking the potential of wild bitter melon.

A Tay ethnic minority from Yen Trach commune, Thai Nguyen province, Nguyen Quoc Hoang (born in 1991) graduated in Computer Engineering from the University of Industrial Technology (Thai Nguyen University) in 2014. After working in various jobs, in 2020 Nguyen Quoc Hoang decided to return to his hometown to start his own business.

Driven by his passion for agriculture, he previously joined the Tien Phong Agricultural Cooperative. At that time, the cooperative had only seven members, specializing in growing medicinal plants, primarily Solanum torvum. However, due to a lack of experience, the Solanum torvum cultivation model was initially unsuccessful. Returning to his hometown to establish his own business, Nguyen Quoc Hoang boldly took over the cooperative and became the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of the Tien Phong Agricultural Cooperative.

After researching and learning about the strengths of his homeland, Nguyen Quoc Hoang decided to choose wild bitter gourd for cultivation and development. Initially, he experimented with planting it on 0.8 hectares and achieved success, generating revenue of over 500 million VND. Then, in 2024, he expanded the scale to 3.3 hectares, making wild bitter gourd the main crop of the cooperative. Alongside it, he intercropped other medicinal plants such as velvet antler and ginseng, entirely organically. In early 2025, he expanded the planting area by another 4 hectares of wild bitter gourd to meet market demand.

“In 2024, the cooperative completed the necessary paperwork to obtain VietGAP and OCOP certifications – aiming to establish a sustainable brand in the market. Encouragingly, the cooperative is currently providing employment for nearly 20 workers, mainly ethnic minorities, with an average salary of 6 million VND per person per month,” said Nguyen Quoc Hoang.

An inevitable trend

The development of green agriculture has been a focus of Thai Nguyen province for many years, with many effective models, especially in the production of tea. Currently, the province has 60 hectares of tea certified organic according to TCVN 11041 standards; and has established a concentrated cinnamon growing area of ​​4,000 hectares in several communes. The province aims to have approximately 200 hectares of certified organic tea by the end of 2025 and 10,000 hectares of concentrated cinnamon by 2030.

To achieve green growth goals, Thai Nguyen province considers raising public awareness about green agriculture as both a short-term and long-term solution. Simultaneously, the province continues to focus on solutions to increase economic value per unit area of ​​cultivated land; introducing, promoting, and disseminating information to replicate clean and green agricultural production models. Furthermore, the province will organize training, workshops, and technology transfer programs to farmers, providing hands-on guidance in developing green agriculture.

Notably, among the hundreds of cooperatives in Thai Nguyen province today, approximately 40% are owned and managed by young people. Green farming models implemented by young people, such as that of Hoang Manh Tuan, or the cultivation of clean medicinal plants by Nguyen Quoc Hoang, have yielded economic benefits and opened up new avenues, inspiring many young people from ethnic minorities to boldly establish themselves and build their careers in their homeland.

Hoang Manh Tuan next to his organic vegetable garden.

Hoang Hiep - Vinh Dang

Source: https://nhandan.vn/loi-di-rieng-truyen-cam-hung-post905805.html