Developing occupations contributes to building new rural areas

Rural industries play an important role in the development of the agricultural economy , contributing to poverty reduction and improving the living standards of some rural families, especially contributing significantly to the implementation of the National Target Program on New Rural Development. The sustainable development of rural industries will create conditions for the transformation of agricultural production structure and rural labor structure towards industrialization and modernization.

Production of Solanum procumbens in Cam Lo - Photo: NK

The province currently has 15 recognized traditional occupations and traditional craft villages. Traditional craft villages and craft villages operate under a model consisting of 5 cooperatives, 1 enterprise and more than 2,200 households participating in production, creating jobs for more than 3,500 workers in the province. The revenue of craft villages in 2022 is expected to reach more than 108 billion VND. The average income of each craft village worker is estimated at 3.4 million VND/person/month.

In fact, rural craft villages play a very important role in the socio-economic development of the locality in general and in the construction of new rural areas in particular. The development of rural craft villages has contributed to the transformation of the labor structure, the agricultural economic structure, creating jobs, generating income and improving the lives of people in rural areas. Promoting the development of rural industries as a tool to implement industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas and speed up the implementation of the National Target Program on building new rural areas.

Ms. Le Thi Be, Head of the Women's Association of Tra Loc village, Head of the Tra Loc conical hat production cooperative of the Tra Loc conical hat traditional craft village in Hai Hung commune (Hai Lang) said that the village has nearly 250 households producing conical hats, of which 30 people participate in the cooperative, regularly producing products all year round. Raw materials for producing conical hats are mainly exploited from mountainous districts in the province.

Every year, not counting households, the cooperative alone produces more than 20,000 products, serving the market in and outside the province. In order to have beautiful designs of traditional conical hats to meet customers' demands, relevant units of the district and province have organized training for workers to have more skills in embroidery and painting on conical hats to increase the value of the products.

Developing occupations contributes to building new rural areas

Workers of Tra Loc conical hat craft village in Hai Hung commune, Hai Lang district are trained in embroidery and painting skills on hats to increase the value of the products - Photo: TU LINH

Gia Dang traditional fish sauce craft village in Trieu Lang commune (Trieu Phong) has nearly 50 households operating, producing tens of thousands of liters of various types of fish sauce each year. Only counting the direct laborers in fish sauce production, the craft village creates jobs for nearly 200 people, with an average monthly income of 4 to 5 million VND/person. Thanks to relatively stable jobs, workers in the craft village contribute a lot to the local government in socio-economic development, especially in building new rural areas in this locality.

According to the Director of the Rural Development Department, Hoang Minh Tri, in order to create more favorable conditions for craft villages to operate, the department has supported 5 projects to purchase machinery, equipment, materials as well as vocational training, thanks to which craft villages have received more and more synchronous investment. However, the development of craft villages is still slow, spontaneous, small-scale, the quality of products is not high, there is no focus on building brands, and there are no souvenir products for tourism.

Mobilizing capital sources for investment in production and business development is mainly the own capital of households. Along with that, the labor force in rural craft villages is mainly untrained, and there is a shortage of skilled labor. The application of science and technology to production in rural industries and craft villages is still limited. Some traditional occupations are at risk of fading away due to competition from similar industrial products such as weaving, forging agricultural tools, brooms, etc.

Therefore, in order for traditional industries and craft villages to develop further, it is necessary to link the craft village development plan with the socio-economic development of the locality. Promote cultural values, enhance product value, and link craft village production activities with service tourism, eco-tourism, and community tourism.

Focus on preserving and developing crafts and craft villages on the basis of preserving and promoting cultural traditions and customs of each locality with the participation of the community. Promote in-depth investment to increase competitiveness, diversify products and apply new technologies; closely combine traditional elements and advanced technology to create products that are both traditional but sophisticated and modern with high commercial value.

It is especially important to focus on information and propaganda activities on policies to encourage the development of rural industries. Introduce and promote products of craft villages and traditional craft villages with typical characteristics associated with tourism activities to create jobs for rural workers.

Create favorable conditions and support rural industry establishments and craft villages to conduct trade promotion activities according to current regulations of the National Trade Promotion Program (building an electronic information page to introduce products, sell online; design product models and packaging; build brands, geographical indications of origin of goods, protect brand ownership; organize competitions, fairs... for rural industry and craft village products).

According to Mr. Hoang Minh Tri, the inevitable trend is to focus on developing craft villages in the direction of concentrated production associated with preservation, processing and consumption of products on the basis of promoting regional advantages. Encourage establishments to invest in equipment, production premises, build factories, and innovate technology to diversify products, meeting the increasing demand of the market. Support the application of technology and advanced production equipment in the field of rural industries to serve more and more effectively the National Target Program on New Rural Construction.

Tu Linh

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