The door has opened.
According to a report by the State Bank of Vietnam, Region 15, by the end of 2024, outstanding loans to the agricultural sector accounted for over 60% of the total outstanding loans in the province. This is a significant proportion, demonstrating the crucial role of the agricultural sector in the local credit strategy. However, behind this positive figure lies an uneven reality: the majority of capital still flows primarily to large enterprises or production households with collateral, while thousands of small-scale farmers, operating spontaneously without guaranteed purchase contracts and clear business plans, remain in the high-risk group. For them, accessing capital has never been easy.
The inability to obtain loans, or loans with low limits, complicated procedures, and inflexible conditions used to be inherent barriers that pushed many farmers out of the mainstream credit market. However, in recent years, especially since the widespread implementation of value chain-based credit, the door to access to loans has gradually opened, no longer remaining "partially closed" as before.
In the rice fields of Tan Phu commune, Thoi Binh district, Mr. Nguyen Van Tri, a member of Tan Tien Cooperative, shared: “Before, rice farming had an unstable market; we couldn't even cover the cost of fertilizer after selling the rice. Now, being part of the cooperative, we receive guidance on selecting seeds, caring for the crop, harvesting, and preserving it. Plus, we have businesses that guarantee the purchase, so we no longer face the situation of being forced to accept low prices in the middle of the season like before.”
According to Mr. Tri, the biggest turning point was when the cooperative signed a cooperation agreement with a bank under the value chain credit model. Thanks to this, cooperative members can easily access loans without collateral, requiring only a feasible production plan. “My family cultivates over 2 hectares of rice, earning more than 60 million VND per harvest. With readily available capital and a stable market, we can now confidently plan for the long term,” Mr. Tri happily stated.
Credit has become a practical support system not only for rice farmers but also for many rural women. Ms. Huynh Thi Hong, residing in Hamlet 5, Tan Thanh Commune, Ca Mau City, shared: “Previously, I had to borrow capital from outside sources at exorbitant interest rates because I had no collateral. Now, with the bank's support, I received a 40 million VND unsecured loan, which I invested in improving my ponds and stocking shrimp at the right time, resulting in a good profit. Besides the money, I also received technical advice on farming and learned how to control the market for my produce.”
The story of Mr. Thach Van Tinh, a Khmer household in Ha Phuc Ung hamlet, Bien Bach commune, Thoi Binh district, shows that with the right policies, no one will be left behind. Starting from a point of extreme hardship, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the government and banks, from providing support with whiteleg shrimp fry to facilitating participation in microcredit programs, Mr. Tinh had a profitable first farming season. "Once we made a profit, we felt confident in reinvesting and gradually stabilizing our lives," Mr. Tinh said.
Mr. Thach Van Tinh developed his rice-shrimp farming model thanks to support from policy-based credit.
The most significant change, according to experts, lies in the fact that banks are no longer just providing individual loans but are proactively partnering with businesses and cooperatives to form production-consumption chains. In this model, farmers not only have access to capital but also receive ongoing support from technical assistance to market access.
In many shrimp farming areas of Ca Mau, people are now accustomed to measuring water quality using technological equipment, keeping electronic logs, and applying the "3 clean" farming method – a transformation unprecedented just a few years ago. Banks are no longer just lenders, but are becoming development partners.
Rural credit today is therefore no longer simply a matter of borrowing capital, but a comprehensive linkage between three pillars: banks, businesses, and farmers. Each party plays an essential role in a sustainable value chain.
Farmers are achieving high yields in giant freshwater prawn harvesting thanks to the application of a rice-prawn intercropping model.
Long-term partnership, building trust.
In March 2025, the State Bank of Vietnam officially issued the Plan for the Development of Credit for Agriculture and Rural Areas until 2030. This plan is not only a strategic step but also opens up a promising new direction for Vietnam's agriculture. Three pillars are clearly defined: increasing access to formal credit; promoting digital transformation in rural lending; and developing credit along the value chain.
A notable highlight is the pilot program for unsecured lending, based on more flexible criteria while still ensuring risk control: the borrower's actual production capacity, credit history, output guarantee contracts, community creditworthiness assessments through grassroots socio -political organizations, and an AI-powered credit scoring system.
In Ca Mau, this orientation is gradually being realized through specific models. Minh Duy Cooperative is a prime example. This cooperative is building a supply chain with a logistics company, committing to purchasing 100% of its products according to VietGAP standards. To support this, the Social Policy Bank, in coordination with local authorities and the Farmers' Association, reviews cooperative members, assesses their reputation and production capacity, and designs loan packages suitable to the needs and capabilities of each household.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Dong, Deputy Director of the Social Policy Bank, Ca Mau Provincial Branch, affirmed: “We believe that rural credit is no longer just about lending, but must be a comprehensive solution. Since the beginning of the year, the Bank has closely coordinated with the government, cooperatives, and purchasing enterprises to design credit packages according to the value chain. Restructuring credit in Ca Mau is an opportunity for us to ‘take root’ more deeply in rural areas, through trust and technology.”
In Tan Hung Dong commune, Cai Nuoc district, famous for its model of cultivating water spinach combined with raising blood cockles in shrimp ponds, the loan group of the Farmers' Association and the Women's Union of the commune is piloting a new method: online loan application via mobile phone application. This innovation not only helps shorten the processing time but also contributes to transparency in the process and improves access to capital for people in remote areas.
According to Mr. Mach Quoc Phong, Director of Kienlong Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Kienlongbank) Ca Mau Branch: "For the bank, credit restructuring is not just about bringing capital to the people, but a long-term process of accompanying them, through savings groups, member groups and a network of credit officers who regularly monitor the local area."
The shift in thinking and approach within the policy banking system, coupled with the close collaboration between the government, social organizations, and businesses, has brought about fundamental changes to rural credit in the locality. Here, each capital flow, in addition to its financial value, also carries a message of trust, support, and the aspiration for a better life for thousands of farming households. With this capital, many farmers have confidently thought further ahead, not just about a harvest to feed themselves, but about long-term, sustainable plans for the future of their entire family.
Huu Nghia - Viet My
Source: https://baocamau.vn/tai-cau-truc-tin-dung-nong-thon-a39112.html
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