Enhancing digital capacity for cooperatives

Keeping up with the digital transformation trend, cooperatives in the province have actively and proactively applied technology to production and business processes, product introduction and brand promotion; participated in e-commerce platforms to expand the consumption market and reach customers.

Pioneering digital transformation

As one of the pioneers in digital transformation, the 19/5 Agricultural Development Service Cooperative, Van Son Ward, has been effectively applying digital technology to the production, processing and consumption chain of agricultural products. Mr. Mai Duc Thinh, Director of the Cooperative, shared: The Cooperative grows 8 hectares of safe vegetables; 20 hectares of VietGAP-certified plums, all production processes apply technology, from the field surveillance camera system, supporting remote management, care and treatment of gardens, to production reports via images, attaching barcodes and traceability stamps to each product. In addition, the Cooperative invests in modern processing lines, producing many typical products that meet OCOP standards, such as: Honey-dried plums, ginger-dried plums, herbal-dried plums, plum wine, apricot wine, village chief wine... In addition to the traditional market, the Cooperative also brings products to e-commerce platforms such as Postmart, Voso, Shopee... to increase consumption capacity. Average cooperative revenue is 6-7 billion VND/year.

Training conference on using digital transformation software organized by the Provincial Cooperative Alliance.

Operating in the field of organic rice production, Quang Huy Agricultural Service Cooperative, Phu Yen commune is currently directly cultivating 30 hectares and collaborating with households in the commune to cultivate nearly 75 hectares of organic rice. The unit has boldly applied the eGAP electronic diary recording platform, a tool to help manage all production data, material use, care processes and monitor plant growth. Thanks to that, all information is stored and managed centrally, ensuring transparency of origin, serving the traceability of organic products and proving emission reduction levels.

Ms. Cam Thi Ngan, Director of Quang Huy Agricultural Service Cooperative, excitedly said: The support from the project "Connecting Agriculture: Enhancing Capacity for Small-Scale Farmers through Transparent and Sustainable Trade" sponsored by the Embassy of Ireland has helped cooperative members improve their production capacity, master technology and digital thinking in farming. This year's crop, the average rice yield reached 6-7 tons/ha, an increase of 10-15% compared to before the project was implemented. The quality of rice is highly appreciated, meeting domestic organic standards and aiming for international certification (EU Organic or USDA Organic).

Members of cooperatives participate in training on digital transformation software.

Currently, the whole province has 1,005 cooperatives (HTX), with about 30,000 members, operating mainly in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and some other services... Many cooperatives in the fields of agriculture and services have begun to apply digital platforms in management and production, business, promotion, product introduction, promoting value chains, helping to reduce production costs by 15-20%, increase productivity by 15-28%, and meet increasingly strict product quality standards.

Catching up with digital transformation

Focusing on improving digital capacity for cooperatives, the Provincial Cooperative Union promotes the organization of seminars, conferences, and training courses on digital transformation in cooperative development for state management staff on collective economy and cooperatives; organizes study tours, exchanges experiences, and introduces cooperative models in and outside the province that are successfully applying digital transformation. Orients typical production models applying digital technology in management and operation of production and business activities.

Leaders of the Provincial Cooperative Union propagated digital transformation content at the Safe Fruit Tree Cooperative of On village, Thao Nguyen ward.

Comrade Le Huy Phong, Vice Chairman in charge of the Provincial Cooperative Union, informed: The Provincial Cooperative Union has chaired and coordinated the implementation of the development of cooperative database management software and digital transformation software for the cooperative system in the province, with a total budget of 4 billion VND. These are tools to help cooperatives better comply with processes in product management, production management, traceability... Through the software, cooperatives can conduct online reports and surveys, reduce the time spent on paper documents, and at the same time, promote brands and products, helping to increase product consumption for participating cooperatives.

Since the beginning of the year, the Provincial Cooperative Alliance has coordinated to organize training for 2,000 trainees on cooperative management, electronic tax declaration, electronic skills, propaganda, trade promotion, and digital transformation application. Coordinated with Vietnam Data Transmission Joint Stock Company to organize training on using digital transformation software for the cooperative system... creating a change in thinking about development, digital transformation application in production and business, solutions to improve operational efficiency, management capacity and market connectivity for cooperatives.

However, digital transformation in the collective economic sector still faces many difficulties due to lack of financial resources to invest in innovation and application of new technologies and techniques; limited access to technology; infrastructure that does not meet the requirements of digital transformation...

Organic rice growing model applying eGAP electronic diary recording of Quang Huy Agricultural Service Cooperative, Phu Yen commune.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ky, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Director of Duc Phuc Transport Service Cooperative, Chieng Coi Ward, said: Currently, all passenger bus trips using electronic tickets and paper tickets are required to issue invoices to customers. However, the accounting system is not capable enough to meet the processing requirements of customers, on the other hand, drivers cannot operate the vehicle and contact the accounting department to issue invoices. This is a very real problem that transport cooperatives are facing.

To overcome the difficulties, the Provincial Cooperative Union organized a dialogue conference on development policies with cooperatives, focusing on issues related to limitations in accessing digital transformation, difficulties in mechanisms, support policies, and specific incentives applied to cooperatives. On that basis, the Provincial Cooperative Union synthesized and reported to departments, branches and the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and resolution in the coming time. At the same time, the Provincial Cooperative Union strengthened propaganda and changed awareness about digital transformation for management teams and cooperative members...

The digital transformation of production and business activities has initially changed the organization and management of cooperatives compared to traditional management methods. The goal in the coming time is for the Provincial Cooperative Union to continue to support the promotion of digital technology application in management and operation of production, business and service activities for cooperatives; promote the role of a bridge, leading members in production, promotion, trade promotion and product consumption.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/nang-cao-nang-luc-so-cho-htx-qNn7ZgmvR.html