'Crossing the mountains' with technology

NGHE AN - From a small cooperative in western Nghe An, Tinh Sang Duong has forged a new path of development thanks to agricultural chemicals and digital transformation, bringing highland products closer to the larger market.

Aspiration for a better life from a disadvantaged land.

From the mountainous region of Tam Hop commune (Nghe An province), where the economy is still facing many difficulties, the Tinh Sang Duong Agricultural and Medicinal Cooperative is becoming a shining example thanks to its unique journey: combining indigenous knowledge with modern technology to develop medicinal plants. The entrepreneurial story of the three Thai brothers - La Van Duy, La Van Cuong, and La Van Khoi - is not only an effort to escape poverty, but also a testament to the sustainable path of mountainous agricultural economy.

The raw material area of ​​Tinh Sang Duong Cooperative. Photo: Pham Tuan.

On the hillsides at the foot of Len Xat mountain, the cooperative's more than 20-hectare medicinal herb garden is lush green with plants like Solanum torvum, Gymnema sylvestre, Trinh Nu Hoang Cung (a type of medicinal herb), and Stemona tuberosa, growing along contour lines. Each plant is grown, cared for, and harvested according to GACP-WHO standards – a standard that few cooperatives in the country have achieved.

Drawing on his knowledge of traditional medicine, Mr. Lá Văn Khôi, Head of the Traditional Medicine Department at Tây Bắc Nghệ An General Hospital, initiated a dream of cultivating medicinal herbs. His two older brothers, united in purpose, contributed land and labor, and together established a cooperative in April 2022. The path was not easy: a lack of capital, a lack of experience in modern production organization, and difficulties in mobilizing people to cooperate. But it was the family's unity and the support of the local government that laid the first foundations.

Workers wash raw produce after harvesting. Photo: Pham Tuan.

To date, the cooperative has formed a production-processing-distribution ecosystem including: a medicinal herb growing area of ​​over 20 hectares, two traditional medicine clinics managed by Mr. Khoi, two product stores, and dozens of sustainably linked households. The entire process is equipped with state-of-the-art heat dryers, cold dryers, extract cooking machines, powder grinders, film sealing machines, sterilization machines, etc., ensuring high-quality products.

Not only does the model provide a stable income for cooperative members, but it also creates new livelihoods for the people. Dozens of households participating in growing medicinal herbs and raising bees naturally can earn between 40 and 80 million VND per year. Many families who previously relied solely on acacia trees now have a more effective alternative.

Digital transformation - the key to bringing Tam Hop herbal medicine to the larger market.

If the raw material source is the foundation, then digital transformation is the turning point that propelled Tinh Sang Duong to breakthroughs. After the initial years of stable production, the cooperative began investing heavily in processing technology, production monitoring, and market access.

In the 500 m² workshop, modern equipment is integrated into the management software: monitoring dryer temperature, managing high-temperature cooking pots, controlling the cold drying process, and automating packaging. Thanks to the digitalization of the process, the cooperative can easily trace the origin and assess the quality of each batch and each harvest day.

The product processing technology system of Tinh Sang Duong Cooperative. Photo: Pham Tuan.

All products are labeled with QR codes; customers can scan them to see the entire journey from seedling to final product. This is a crucial factor enabling the cooperative to supply its products to supermarkets and specialty stores in Hanoi , Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and many other provinces and cities.

Not content with just production, Tinh Sang Duong quickly embraced the online market. The cooperative built a website, a fan page, a TikTok channel, a livestream sales system, and implemented a nationwide online collaborator model. As a result, e-commerce revenue accounts for up to 70% of total revenue, a rare figure for cooperatives in mountainous regions.

Currently, the cooperative has 40 consignment points and 5 agents in Que Phong, Quy Chau, the former Thai Hoa, Dien Chau, and urban wards in the former Vinh City, along with hundreds of sales collaborators in the digital environment. Reaching customers is no longer limited by geography; with just a click, products from Tam Hop can reach consumers nationwide.

Products from Tinh Sang Duong Cooperative are gradually expanding into the market thanks to digital transformation. Photo: Pham Tuan.

Mr. Lá Văn Duy shared: “Digital transformation has helped us bridge the gap between mountainous and urban areas. With just a phone and the internet, people in the highlands can sell their products all over the country.”

Thanks to this strategy, 5 products of the cooperative have achieved OCOP 3-star rating and quickly spread throughout the market. Many product lines such as powders, tea bags, honey, etc., are completing their OCOP applications for next year, promising to expand their commercial scale.

Tinh Sang Duong is not only a story of poverty alleviation but also a valuable model for many mountainous cooperatives, combining indigenous agriculture with modern technology, linking production with digital transformation, and connecting communities for shared development.

That journey originated from the philosophy in the cooperative's very name: "A calm mind, a clear intellect." A calm mind is necessary to persevere through difficulties; a clear intellect is needed to find the right path in this era of fierce competition.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/vuot-nui-bang-cong-nghe-d785963.html