Developing multi-value agriculture in Yen Bai: Opportunities and challenges - Part 1: Increasing product value for farmers

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Developing multi-value agricultural models

Ms. Dinh Thi Duong, a Muong ethnic in Phuc Son commune, Nghia Lo town, has been a pioneer in community tourism with the focus on helping tourists enjoy experiencing and exploring the indigenous culture of the Muong ethnic. Starting with the very simple name "Homestay and Muong Kitchen Cuisine ", Ms. Duong has built tours and routes to take tourists cycling around the peaceful village.

There is a Muong village space that helps visitors feel the unique cultural values of the Muong people with typical house architecture, daily cultural activities, beliefs and folk festivals that are still preserved today.

Ms. Duong shared: "As the name "Homestay and Muong Kitchen Cuisine" suggests, we personally cook and introduce local agricultural products right on the unique dinner tray. Not full of meat, sticky rice, fish, but only the green color of vegetables, wild bamboo shoots, fish from the pond, chickens in the garden..., all from Phuc Son fields. Up to now, after 2 years of "Homestay and Muong Kitchen Cuisine" being in operation, the number of tourists has increased and travel agencies have signed contracts to serve tourists."

Tourist Ha Van Cong in Hanoi shared: "My first impression when coming here is that the space is very spacious, comfortable, the air is very fresh. Especially the stilt houses of the Muong people make me feel very excited, the cuisine here is also very delicious, the people are warm and friendly. My family members and I had very meaningful experiences when coming here."

"We have received high appreciation and support from customers, especially those who love to experience and explore the culture and people of Muong Lo. Thanks to that, my family has earned nearly 1 billion VND/year. Not only my family but also other households in the area have income from selling agricultural products to tourists and participating in Muong cultural performances whenever customers request," Ms. Duong confided.

Tourists come to visit, experience and explore the land and people of Muong Lo.

For many years, the terraced fields in the mountainous district of Mu Cang Chai have not only brought rice to the Mong people, but the values from nature, soil, and ethnic culture from these fields have brought immense value.

The story at the Raspberry Hill Tourism Cooperative in La Pan Tan Commune, Mu Cang Chai District is an example. The Cooperative was established in July 2022 with 7 members. The Cooperative is currently renting nearly 5 hectares of terraced fields in the Raspberry Hill area to grow rice and do tourism. During the peak months of the tourist season, the Cooperative creates jobs for over 10 seasonal workers and manages 500 motorbike taxis to take visitors to visit the Raspberry Hill area, creating a significant source of income for local people.

Ms. Giang Thi Bau - Ta Chi Lu village, La Pan Tan commune said: "Not only do we rent land to the cooperative, but our family also directly works for the cooperative with a salary of 150,000 VND/day. In addition, I also rent traditional costumes to tourists and sell traditional products of the Mong people to tourists to earn more income. Since working in tourism and having the cooperative, our lives have been better than before."

Director of Mam Xoi Hill Cooperative Ly A Do said: "The cooperative has hired people to work right on their own fields to increase income. At the same time, it has linked the people's terraced field farming activities with tourism development, widely promoting the image of Mam Xoi Hill to domestic and foreign tourists. It helps people have more opportunities to develop the economy and reduce poverty sustainably right on their homeland. The cooperative is one of the cooperatives in Mu Cang Chai district owned by farmers that has promoted economic efficiency, creating jobs for them right on their homeland."

Multi-value agriculture - opening the way for farmers to get rich

After visiting a fruit tree growing model that brings high economic value such as: Black Summer grapes, Peony grapes, Brazilian Cherry trees, Indian red pomegranates... in the provinces of Bac Giang, Vinh Phuc, Son La, in June 2023, Mr. Phung Duc Nghia established Tinh Nghia Agricultural Production and Tourism Cooperative with the business of growing fruit trees, aquaculture, raising livestock and poultry and making agricultural tourism and experiential tourism models.

Up to now, the Cooperative has planted more than 2,500 Black Summer grape trees, Peony grapes; 150 woody grape trees; 150 Brazilian Cherry seedlings and some other ornamental flowers and fruit trees. According to the assessment, all the plants have grown well. Black Summer grape trees and Brazilian Cherry trees have produced fruit after 6 months of planting. The quality of the fruit meets the requirements in terms of size, color, and weight. The investment cost for 1 hectare of grape growing is about 3 billion VND. "Although the cost is quite high, with an average yield of 16 - 18 tons/ha, the selling price is 120,000 - 150,000 VND/kg, it is estimated that after 2 years of growing grapes, the capital can be recovered" - Mr. Nghia happily boasted.

When choosing the location for the project, Tinh Nghia Agricultural Production and Tourism Cooperative chose Tan Huong, a purely agricultural commune in Yen Binh district. The Cooperative has applied new scientific and technical advances and high-value plant varieties to create commodity products, gradually forming a product consumption chain to change awareness and increase income for the people.

Successfully building a high-tech grape growing model combined with agricultural tourism to gradually create a chain of product consumption links. From there, the cooperative will develop a concentrated, sustainable, and safe growing scale; ensuring food safety and hygiene, high quality products.

"This is a new direction in agricultural production towards promoting new varieties of specialty crops and livestock; creating jobs, increasing income for people, gradually forming a value chain for product consumption. The success of the cooperative will contribute to creating conditions for the development of agricultural tourism, experiential tourism, attracting tourists to visit the model and enjoy local specialties. From there, people will have more income, opening up many opportunities to get rich for farmers" - said Tran Quang Trung, acting Chairman of Tan Huong commune.

In reality, Yen Bai is a province with strengths in agriculture and farmers have exploited the added values from agriculture, combining culture, tourism... to create a destination that attracts tourists. Developing cooperatives combined with tourism activities will promote clean agriculture; attract and create jobs for local workers. If well managed and exploited, it will be a bridge to promote local products and combine eco-tourism development, limit environmental pollution, and raise awareness of the importance of agricultural tourism for workers in potential areas.

Multi-value integrated agriculture is to create optimal added value per unit of cultivated area, in the context of increasingly narrowing agricultural land area and being affected by climate change, natural disasters, and epidemics. Multi-value integration is the crystallization of indigenous resources, with advanced processing techniques and technologies, and cultural and social identities, creating brands for agricultural and rural products; harmoniously connecting traditional agriculture with organic, smart, and circular agricultural models...

Na Hau Nature Reserve, Na Hau Commune, Van Yen District

For example, the sturgeon farming model combined with tourism development of Na Hau Agricultural and Tourism Cooperative, Na Hau Commune, Van Yen District has brought maximum benefits to the people. Sturgeon farming in clean water areas in Na Hau not only takes advantage of natural resources but also creates products with great commercial value, supplying the market. People have income from sturgeon and other agricultural products, helping to improve the lives of local people, create jobs and sustainably reduce poverty.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha - Director of the Cooperative said: The sturgeon farming model is associated with sustainable standards to help protect clean water sources. Visitors to Na Hau can participate in the experience of sturgeon farming, learn about sustainable production processes, and explore the natural landscape and local cuisine. This is an attractive highlight, attracting tourists and enhancing the value of the agricultural model. Through tourism activities, people and visitors are raised awareness of nature conservation and sustainable economic development.

In Yen Bai, many localities have strengths in agriculture, people also exploit the added value from agriculture, combining culture, tourism... to create an attractive destination for tourists. Localities are increasingly moving towards an effective, sustainable, multi-value integrated agriculture in the direction of: increasing added value and competitiveness.

Manh Cuong

(Lesson 2: Creating a breakthrough towards sustainable development)

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/12/348474/Phat-trien-nong-nghiep-da-gia-tri-o-Yen-Bai-Co-hoi-va-thach-thuc---Lesson-1-Tang-gia-tri-san-pham-cho-nguoi-nong-dan.aspx