OCOP - The driving force for upgrading new rural areas

Creating livelihoods and increasing income for people

Since 2013, Quang Ninh has been a pioneer in the country in identifying OCOP as a key solution to increase people's income - one of the difficult and decisive criteria of the new rural construction program. Accordingly, to increase income and create sustainable livelihoods for people, Quang Ninh has oriented product development in association with the specific advantages of each locality. Exploiting the typical products of each locality has not only created valuable products, but also built brands in each region, becoming an important driving force to promote new rural construction.

Raising Tien Yen chickens brings economic efficiency to Mr. Tran Dang Hanh's family (Tien Yen commune).

As a result, after more than a decade, Quang Ninh has built hundreds of OCOP products that meet 3-star standards or higher, many of which have reached 4-5 stars. Ha Long squid rolls, Van Don oyster floss, Ba Che golden flower tea, Binh Lieu dong vermicelli, Tien Yen chicken... are names that are not only familiar to people in the province but are also widely consumed throughout the country, even present in international markets.

Mr. Tran Dang Hanh (Tien Yen commune) shared: Since the implementation of the new rural construction in Tien Yen district (old), the main product of Tien Yen chicken is becoming more and more known and since then I have been attached to this product. In 2017, I started implementing the Tien Yen chicken farming model on my family's 2ha garden and hill area. During the farming process, I always focus on quality control from the stage of selecting breeds to cleaning the barns, adding herbs to the diet, helping the chickens increase their resistance, reduce disease and retain their characteristic flavor. I also mobilized local farmers to establish a cooperative for mutual development and named it Tien Yen Chicken Farming Cooperative. Currently, the cooperative is managing production on 45 farms, ranches and many small-scale households, with an average scale of about 4,000 chickens/household.

Thanks to OCOP, it can be seen that farmers are no longer stuck with small-scale, fragmented production models. Instead, they have boldly joined together into cooperatives, cooperative groups, and enterprises, applying science and technology to the product quality management process, turning agricultural products into branded products with traceability and competitiveness in the market. Through that, they not only increase their income but also gradually improve their thinking about commodity production, shifting from self-sufficient production to a market economy. The cooperation of cooperatives and enterprises has helped to form concentrated, specialized production areas on a large scale, meeting the requirements for quality, food safety and the increasing demand of the domestic and export markets.

Members of Viet Hung Agriculture - Forestry - Fishery Cooperative take care of guava trees.

In 2023, the average income of people in rural areas of the province will reach over 73 million VND/person/year, and by the end of 2024 it will reach over 84 million VND/person/year.

Journey to create rural areas in Quang Ninh

The guidance from the OCOP program along with many systematic, creative and effective ways of doing things has made the New Rural Development program of Quang Ninh a bright spot in the country. The appearance of rural and mountainous areas is increasingly prosperous and spacious; the material and spiritual life of rural people is improved, more civilized, modern and richer.

Quang Hanh Trade Union Mineral Water Company Limited participates in the OCOP Fair organized annually by the province.

To achieve these results, the province has focused on developing concentrated production areas on a large scale to improve the quality and value of products. The province also encourages and guides OCOP entities to promote the application of VietGAP and organic processes in the production of OCOP products; invest in modern technological lines, apply closed, environmentally friendly processes in the production and processing stages of products to improve the value and competitiveness of each product.

Along with that, the province organizes packaging and product labeling competitions; trade promotion fairs and conferences; and at the same time, strengthens guidance for producers to promote and consume on e-commerce platforms Postmart, Voso, Shopee... and online sales channels, bringing OCOP products closer to consumers and partners at home and abroad.

Shrimp floss products of Long Thuong shrimp floss production facility (Quang Yen ward) are all produced in a closed process, ensuring food safety.

In the 2021-2025 period, the province has issued 63 growing area codes with a total area of over 1,520 hectares and 9 packaging facility codes. The province has about 1,100 hectares of crops maintained in accordance with good agricultural production processes (GAP), of which over 320 hectares are VietGAP certified; 90 hectares of rice and 329 hectares of cinnamon are certified for organic production. To date, the province has 437 star-rated products, of which 8 OCOP products have achieved 5 national stars. Of the 186 entities participating in the OCOP program, 31.2% are enterprises, exceeding the target by 1.2%. 100% of OCOP products are affixed with electronic stamps or have codes and barcodes for traceability.

The whole province currently has 23 points of introduction and sale of OCOP products. 82 OCOP products are connected to stable consumption in supermarkets such as GO! Ha Long, MM Mega Market, Winmart...

Packaging fish sauce products at Cai Rong HCM Fish Sauce Joint Stock Company (Van Don Special Economic Zone).

The outstanding achievements of the OCOP program have affirmed the right direction of Quang Ninh in building new rural areas. Not only increasing income and improving people's lives, OCOP also contributes to positioning the local brand in domestic and foreign markets, creating a solid foundation for sustainable development in the future.

Van Anh

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/ocop-dong-luc-nang-tam-ntm-3377723.html