The resilience of the land and people of the border region
The northern border highlands stretch across the provinces of Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang, Dien Bien, Son La, Cao Bang, Lang Son... This place has complex terrain and harsh climate, but possesses a diverse ecosystem, rich soil, suitable for many specialty crops, such as: Tu Le sticky rice, Cao Phong oranges, Ta Xua tea, Moc Chau plums, Tuyen Quang buckwheat, cardamom, medicinal herbs... These products not only feed the people, but also affirm the brand of highland agricultural products in the market. However, relying solely on agricultural production is not very effective, especially when market prices are unstable. Meanwhile, the majestic landscapes and unique cultural identity open up a new direction: combining agriculture with experiential tourism. Tourists not only buy products to enjoy, but also want to directly participate in the process of planting, harvesting, and processing, thereby fully feeling the value of the land and people of the mountains.
In recent years, the story of agricultural development associated with experiential tourism in the highlands and northern border areas has become a promising direction, opening up opportunities to escape poverty and rise up to become rich for ethnic minorities. From corn fields, terraced rice fields, green tea gardens or plum and peach blossoms blooming white on the mountain slopes..., all can become products serving community tourism, if organized properly. This is not only a shift in business thinking, but also a strategic choice to exploit the potential and advantages of the mountainous border areas in a sustainable way.
Different from the usual resort tourism model, experiential agricultural tourism in the border highlands is closely linked to the daily life of the people. There, terraced fields in the ripe rice season become a "golden stage" for tens of thousands of tourists to take pictures and enjoy. Plum and peach gardens in spring are brilliant check-in locations. Buckwheat flower fields stretching across the rocky plateau turn into colorful festivals that attract visitors from all over. More importantly, visitors can also hold hoes, baskets, and knives to sow seeds, pick tea, harvest plums, dig potatoes, then sit by the fire listening to village elders tell stories, learn how to cook thang co, make corn wine, and weave linen.
These “unique” experiences make them more attached to and appreciate the cultural and economic values of the border people. In many places, this model has proven effective. In Sin Suoi Ho commune (Lai Chau province), homestays associated with clean vegetable gardens and poetic landscapes have helped the Mong ethnic community have a stable income. In Moc Chau ward (Son La province), many households have converted plum and strawberry gardens into tourist attractions, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. In the border area of Tuyen Quang province, buckwheat is not only a food crop but has become a national tourism “brand”, bringing in tens of billions of VND in profits from festival activities and accompanying services.
“Double” benefits for the community and the country
Developing agriculture associated with experiential tourism in the border highlands not only brings direct economic benefits to people, but also creates many strong spillover effects.
The first thing that is easily seen in the development of agriculture associated with experiential tourism is that it contributes to increasing income and sustainably reducing poverty for ethnic minorities in the border highlands. If in the past, people were only used to selling raw agricultural products to traders at unstable prices, now, with the same product, they can "sell" experiences, increasing the value many times over. In Moc Chau ward (Son La province), during the plum season, tourists not only buy a few kilos of plums to eat, but are also willing to pay a fee to enter the garden, pick the fruit themselves, take pictures, and enjoy it right there. The value of a kilo of plums is only a few tens of thousands of VND, but the plum picking experience service can bring in several hundred thousand VND for each visitor. Or in Lao Cai province, the model "Experience a day as a farmer" allows tourists to plant and care for organic vegetables with locals, then process them into family meals. Each group of visitors not only pays for the service, but also buys additional products to bring home, helping the household income double or triple compared to before. This is clear evidence of the smart way of “selling added value”, helping people escape poverty with their own labor and hometown resources.
The next noticeable thing is to help preserve and promote indigenous cultural identity in a skillful way. When tourists come to the highlands not only to sightsee, but also to live, eat and dress with the indigenous people, traditional culture becomes a valuable "tourism resource". Colorful brocade dresses, the gentle sound of Mong flutes, the bustling Thai xoe dance or the customs of cooking corn wine, making thang co, weaving linen... are all enthusiastically experienced by tourists. In Tuyen Quang, the Buckwheat Flower Festival not only attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, but also creates conditions for artisans and village elders to introduce Then singing, Mong flutes, and Be flutes to the public.
And the most important thing is that sustainable socio-economic development is a solid foundation for maintaining national defense and security. When having a stable livelihood, people can rest assured to stay in their villages, protect the forest, protect the land, not migrate freely, not listen to bad guys. In Tuyen Quang province, many households have long been associated with community tourism services and have become "extended arms" of the Border Guard in managing and protecting border lines and landmarks. In Dien Bien province, homestay models of Thai and Mong people not only create stable income but also attach people's responsibility to preserving the environment, landscape and security of villages. Each household and each village becomes a "living landmark" on the fence, contributing to building an increasingly solid national border defense posture. Agriculture combined with experiential tourism not only enriches the community, but also strengthens national strength in all three aspects: economy, culture and national defense.
However, the path to developing this model is not smooth. Highlands and border areas are still places with many socio-economic difficulties. Traffic infrastructure is not synchronous, electricity - water - telecommunications are not enough to meet the needs of large-scale tourism. The management and service organization capacity of the people is still limited, many households are not familiar with tourism, it is still spontaneous and unprofessional. Some places follow the trend, do tourism massively, leading to the destruction of the landscape, environmental pollution, and commercialization of ethnic culture. In particular, the issue of linking value chains has not received due attention. Agriculture and tourism still exist in parallel and are not closely linked. Lack of key enterprises, lack of planning of production areas associated with tourism, lack of specific tourism products means that many potentials have not been effectively exploited...
Towards a sustainable future
For agriculture to be associated with experiential tourism in the highland border areas to develop sustainably, there needs to be a synchronization: infrastructure is invested, roads are spacious and clean; people are trained, to work together through cooperatives; businesses invest capital; each locality affirms its own brand, promotes in digital space. And above all, development must go hand in hand with environmental protection and cultural preservation, for the highlands to develop sustainably.
Developing agriculture associated with experiential tourism is not only an economic solution, but also a way to integrate the highland border areas with the overall development of the country. When corn fields, peach gardens, and tea hills become tourist destinations; when the Khen dances and Then singing resound by the fire in the stilt house welcoming international guests; when the people can get rich right on their land... that is the affirmation of a bright, sustainable future in the fence of the Fatherland. Developing agriculture associated with experiential tourism in the highland and northern border areas is the right choice, both in line with the trend and ensuring long-term benefits for the community and the country. That is the path that requires the joint efforts of the State, businesses, people and functional forces, to develop the border areas, spread cultural identity and national pride.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/phat-trien-nong-nghiep-gan-voi-du-lich-trai-nghiem-o-bien-gioi-phia-bac-post881192.html
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