Ignite the desire to contribute.

Building the Han Da green tea brand.

Tea growers in Han Da commune, Yen Binh district, can be proud today that their Han Da green tea product has been awarded a 3-star OCOP certification. The person who ignited the spark and laid the foundation for this new shift in tea production thinking in the area is none other than Tran Tuong, Chairman of the Veterans Association of the commune. Through his story, one can sense his sincerity and passion.

Mr. Tran Tuong shared: "I am proud to have served in the military for four years, from February 1979 to 1984, at C18, Regiment 752, Brigade 355, on the northern border front. After being discharged and returning to my hometown, I have held various positions: Secretary of the Youth Union, Head of the Commune Police, and Chairman of the Veterans Association of Han Da Commune from 2012 to the present. My family doesn't grow tea or engage in agriculture , but I recognize that the local raw materials are readily available, and the people have experience and techniques in producing green tea. In particular, Han Da is located in the downstream area of Thac Ba Lake and borders the Chay River, so it has high humidity and a favorable climate; there are no factories in the commune, and the clean environment is an important condition for producing clean tea products… This led me to the idea of establishing a cooperative with the desire to gather households determined to build a concentrated raw material area, helping people stabilize production, and further "We have built a brand and reputation for the quality of Han Da's green tea products."

Perhaps the military environment has tempered this soldier, preventing him from shying away from hardship. In 2015, the Veterans' Association Cooperative in Han Da commune was established with 13 members, and the Chairman of the Veterans' Association, Tran Tuong, is the Director. Currently, the cooperative has grown to 34 members, mainly veterans from the commune, and 126 members involved in the production and processing of green tea products. The cooperative has developed a tea raw material area of over 70 hectares according to VietGAP standards.

Mr. Tran Tuong stated: "Currently, the entire Han Da commune has nearly 400 households producing green tea, with a local tea cultivation area of nearly 200 hectares. The cooperative has collaborated with various sectors, associations, and Thai Nguyen University to organize training and provide technical guidance to its members and affiliated households producing green tea, implementing cultivation and harvesting processes according to VietGAP standards. The cooperative's raw material area has 5 hectares of tea that have been granted a planting area code certificate."

In 2024, Director Tran Tuong of the cooperative boldly invested in new technological equipment for production, using a biomass gasification heating furnace and a fully electric drying oven to improve quality and ensure clean and safe products. Han Da green tea products have been promoted at many fairs in provinces such as Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Son La, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Ha Tinh, and Thanh Hoa; participated in the Northwest and Southeast regional fairs held in Lao Cai province, the Red River Delta regional fair held in Hanoi ; and attended product introduction activities with other countries in Yen Bai organized by the Provincial Department of Industry and Trade. Since the end of 2024, Director Tran Tuong has experimented with a new type of fertilizer for tea cultivation, yielding good results and initially connecting with product outlets, including exporting over 5 tons of dried tea buds as raw products…

Director Tran Tuong added: "Currently, the cooperative is focusing on promoting and encouraging households to invest in proper care and deep processing techniques to produce high-quality tea products that meet market demands. The goal is to develop products that meet standards for supermarket chains and complete the necessary standards for Han Da green tea to achieve OCOP 4-star status in the coming years."

Inspiring and connecting the community.

It can be seen that the movement of war veterans engaging in economic activities in Yen Bai not only contributes to household economic development but also serves as a channel for inspiring and connecting the community. Through their prestige and experience, these veterans have been and continue to be the ones who ignite the desire to contribute in the younger generation; guiding people towards sustainable production, applying science and technology, preserving the environment, and conserving cultural identity. Few know that Lam Thi Kim Thoa, Director of Suoi Giang Cooperative in Van Chan District, spent two and a half years serving in the Provincial Military Command. The success of Suoi Giang Cooperative today is due to the resilience of a soldier, the spirit of self-reliance, the boldness to innovate in thinking and doing, and breaking away from conventional approaches to find a suitable path.

The soldiers on that new front still vividly remember President Ho Chi Minh's teachings: "Loyal to the Party, filial to the people, complete every task, overcome every difficulty, defeat every enemy." As a member of the Veterans Association of Van Chan district, Ms. Kim Thoa always keeps in mind the words of General Vo Nguyen Giap: "The prerequisite for everything is that our veterans have the qualities and faith, and must also have the spirit of self-renewal. The 'Ho Chi Minh's Soldier' qualities give each veteran the determination and strength to overcome difficulties in all tasks, including the task of always being exemplary in all aspects, contributing to economic and social development, and legitimately and legally enriching themselves."

To test herself in a challenging area, in 2007, the Suoi Giang Cooperative was established, also known as the "Ethnic Minority Cooperative" because its members are mainly Hmong people. With the capabilities of the Suoi Giang Cooperative, with its unique approach, overcoming its own limitations and the hesitant, distrustful glances, the resilience of a soldier did not allow her to falter.

Through persistent efforts to help the Mong people in this area transform their production methods from small-scale, extensive, self-sufficient, and low-efficiency to larger-scale cooperative and commercial production along the value chain, Suoi Giang Cooperative has become one of the units with a skilled workforce in tea production and processing in the province.

The factory has met HACCP standards; the raw material area has been granted Geographical Indication certification; the tea plants are numbered for traceability of the growing region; and the Tuyet Son Tra product of Suoi Giang Cooperative has achieved OCOP 4-star standard. Currently, the cooperative has 6 types of Tuyet Son Tra products of good quality, packaged in attractive designs, and is gradually conquering domestic and international markets.

Director Lam Thi Kim Thoa confided: "I truly feel very happy. My years in the military have forged the confidence I needed to enter the business world. The resilience of a veteran has helped us achieve initial success, maintaining credibility in business, ensuring product quality, and securing a stable market share. Production and business activities have improved year after year, making a significant contribution to the socio-economic development of the locality. This shows that the cooperative has identified a direction suitable to the regional conditions, contributing to job creation, poverty reduction, and improving the lives of ethnic minorities in Van Chan, creating a stable income for the people, and playing an important role in preserving and developing ancient tea gardens and building new rural areas in the locality.”

Veteran Lam Thi Kim Thoa - Director of Suoi Giang Cooperative, Van Chan district, introduces tea products to the delegation of veterans from Emulation Cluster No. 2 of the northern provinces.

In Mu Cang Chai district, the courage and tradition of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," tested in the military environment with the spirit of setting an example and leading by example, have helped many veterans return to civilian life and earn the trust and respect of the people. Many models of veterans with creative and effective approaches that bring high economic value have been maintained and developed sustainably, such as: encouraging children and grandchildren to attend school regularly; caring for and protecting forests by veterans in Che Tao commune; the "3 Green" movement of the Veterans Association branch in Lao Chai village, Lao Chai commune; participating in caring for and instilling discipline in boarding and semi-boarding schools, and educating the younger generation about revolutionary traditions by the Veterans Association of Nam Khat commune; and experiencing traditional Mong community culture tourism by the Veterans Association branch in Hang Chua Xay village, Che Cu Nha commune…

It is evident that, on the journey of innovation and development of their homeland, the veterans of Yen Bai today continue to affirm their pioneering and exemplary role in economic development. They carry with them the spirit of soldiers, the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers," unafraid of difficulties and hardships on the production and business front, enriching their families and making practical contributions to the community. These persistent and silent efforts of these tireless soldiers have contributed, and continue to contribute, to making Yen Bai a more beautiful and prosperous homeland.

Minh Thuy

Source: https://baoyenbai.com.vn/12/349254/Thap-len-khat-vong-cong-hien.aspx