Female cooperative directors dare to think and dare to do

Ms. Do Thi Ngoan, Director of Tan Hung Fruit Tree and Agricultural Product Processing Cooperative (left) introduces the Cooperative's OCOP products.

"Establishing a cooperative is not only to develop the family economy but also to create sustainable livelihoods for the people" - that is the passionate sharing of Ms. Do Thi Ngoan, Director of Tan Hung Fruit Tree and Agricultural Product Processing Cooperative. Established in 2019 with more than 100 members, Tan Hung Fruit Tree and Agricultural Product Processing Cooperative operates mainly in the field of longan growing and agricultural product processing. Of which, 50 members mainly produce and process agricultural products; 50 members focus on growing longan with an area of 20 hectares planned according to VietGAP standards in Minh Khai village. Ms. Ngoan shared: Every crop season has risks. The role of the manager is to respond flexibly from production, market forecasting, quality control to OCOP product development. Thanks to flexible operation, up to now, the cooperative has harvested 150 tons of fruit to process into lotus-shaped longan for convenient consumption in the provinces. The cooperative's revenue reaches tens of billions of VND/year. The cooperative is the unit with the largest number of 3-star OCOP products in the commune with 7 products. Not only is she the operator, Ms. Ngoan is also a bridge to consume products for people in the area. A typical example is Ms. Dao Thi Anh Tuyet's household in Minh Khai village, which grows a hectare of longan and currently supplies about 10 tons of longan to the cooperative at a selling price of 18,000 - 20,000 VND/kg. Ms. Tuyet said: Since joining the cooperative, I feel more secure in production and consumption. Ms. Ngoan often goes down to the garden, guides us on techniques, and reminds us to take care of it according to VietGAP procedures. To us, she is not only the director of the cooperative, but also a trusted companion.

Ms. Do Thi Ngoan's journey is a living testament to the spirit of daring to think and dare to do of rural women in the new era, paving the way for many other women to boldly participate in the collective economy, together changing the face of their homeland.

The story of Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham, Director of the Crispy Glutinous Corn Processing Cooperative in Hong Chau Ward, is the desire to change the traditional production mindset with a sustainable linkage model. Originating from the concern of "good harvest, low price", Ms. Tham used to travel everywhere to consume corn for people. In 2016, she established the Cooperative to switch to processing crispy glutinous corn according to modern processes, meeting the requirements of domestic and foreign enterprises. Ms. Tham confided: Starting with specific tasks such as establishing a clear purchasing process, building a preliminary processing warehouse, investing in kernel separation machines, drying corn, and packaging according to the requirements of enterprises. In particular, the Cooperative does not buy at a forced price but always commits to stable purchasing according to the contract, helping people feel secure in their long-term commitment. Currently, on average, each year the Cooperative purchases thousands of tons of raw materials for sale to large domestic and foreign enterprises and processes hundreds of tons of fresh crispy glutinous corn for sale, earning nearly 3 billion VND. With the desire to become a support for farmers, I always aim to build a sustainable value chain, a long-term bond between the cooperative and the people. Currently, the cooperative owned by her has 8 core members, creating jobs for 45-50 local workers. Ms. Pham Thi Ti, residential group 2, Hong Chau ward shared: The work here is light and clean. Thanks to this job, I have a stable income of 5 to 6 million VND/month. For us, Ms. Tham is a shining example of the perseverance, creativity and bravery of rural women in the journey of economic mastery and production innovation...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Tham, Director of Crispy Glutinous Corn Processing Cooperative, Hong Chau Ward, checks crispy glutinous corn products before packaging.

These days, more than 20 workers of Moc An Nhien Agricultural Cooperative, Tien La commune are busy producing and trading teas from medicinal plants. In particular, Ngoc Diep Tra product of the Cooperative was recognized as a 3-star OCOP product in 2024, affirming its brand, increasing competitiveness and reaching markets. To have a source of clean and safe raw materials, the Cooperative has converted 3 hectares of alluvial land to grow medicinal plants such as xạ đen, ginseng, co xac, ích mẫu... Each month, the Cooperative produces over 2,000 boxes of products to supply the market. Ms. Nguyen Thi Trang, Director of the Cooperative, said: Currently, we produce 5 types of herbal teas. In the coming time, the Cooperative will continue to expand the production scale so that herbal products can reach more consumers.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Trang, Director of Moc An Nhien Agricultural Cooperative, Tien La commune (left) performs the tea production process.

Implementing the Project "Supporting Women to Start a Business" for the period 2017 - 2025, up to now, the Women's Union at all levels has established 14 cooperatives and 82 cooperative groups managed by women, operating effectively, contributing to creating jobs and increasing income for thousands of workers, especially female workers. At the same time, the Provincial Women's Union has organized guidance on developing many ideas and startup projects; directed and supported 1,825 women to start businesses and start successful businesses... Every year, the Union at all levels coordinates to provide vocational training for 1,200 to 1,500 female workers. Timely support policies have become an important driving force to help female members affirm their role on the economic development front.

Thanh Thuy

Source: https://baohungyen.vn/nhung-nu-giam-doc-hop-tac-xa-dam-nghi-dam-lam-3184909.html