Con Cuong: Economic development from traditional occupations

Export weaving village

Diem Village, Chau Khe Commune is a purely agricultural village in a mountainous district.Con Cuong. There are more than 153 households of Thai and Dan Lai ethnic groups living here. In the village, the craft of weaving bamboo and rattan has existed since ancient times. People often weave during the off-season, making products for daily life such as fans, rattan trays, baskets, trays, sticky rice presses, etc. The surplus products are brought to the market to sell, exchange for other necessities. However, in general, the benefits from weaving bamboo and rattan products are insignificant.

Bamboo and rattan production at Ban Diem Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative, Chau Khe commune. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The bamboo and rattan weaving profession in Diem village has "flourished" since the joint guidance of all levels and the efforts of the people. Ms. Lang Thi Hoa, Head of the Ban Diem Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative, said: In 2014, with the support of the VIE 028 Project, the Oxfam Hong Kong Project, the VIRI Project on the development of rural industries in Vietnam, the Ban Diem bamboo and rattan weaving production group was born. In 2016, the production group participated in the Central Poverty Reduction Competition and won the Third Prize. From here, the production group received additional technical training from the Vietnam Rural Industry Research Institute. The district, province and commune supported machinery, display houses and introduced products everywhere. During the year, the production group became a cooperative...

With this guidance and support, the bamboo and rattan products of Diem village have left the rural market and reached the markets of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Japan, Germany, France, etc. From producing purely household products, the Diem Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative has produced souvenirs and decorations for tourists. The members of the cooperative are constantly creating new designs, patterns, and unique colors on the bamboo and rattan handicraft products, etc. By 2018, Diem village was honored to be recognized by the People's Committee of Nghe An province as a small-scale handicraft village.

The unique bamboo and rattan products of Diem village are increasingly diverse and unique, meeting the needs of domestic and foreign tourists. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Ms. Lang Thi Hoa shared: The unique bamboo and rattan products of Diem village are increasingly rich and unique, meeting the needs of domestic and foreign tourists. Orders are constantly coming in, 75 cooperative members are "busy as hell". With the bamboo and rattan weaving profession, each member of the cooperative (mainly the elderly, single women, poor health, unable to participate in farming and swiddening) has an income of 4.5 million VND/month. When they first joined, 8/54 households in the cooperative were poor households. After a period of time with increased income, 6 families have escaped poverty... During the 2 years affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the cooperative still ensured an income for members of 2 - 2.5 million VND/person/month.

Enhance the value of bamboo and bamboo trees

With little investment resources, the Ban Diem Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative has brought good results. This production model has taken advantage of idle human resources; exploited the large available bamboo and rattan resources in the area; preserved and promoted traditional crafts well... and has become an inspiration for startups, a legitimate motivation to get rich for many localities, businesses and individuals in Con Cuong district. Among them is Mr. Thai Dang Tien, in Khe Choang village, Chau Khe commune. Thai Dang Tien said: "My startup idea comes from the success of the Ban Diem Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative. From this model, I want to continue to increase the value of local bamboo and bamboo trees into household products, decorative handicrafts and displays."

Ban Diem Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative has become the inspiration for Mr. Thai Dang Tien to start his business. Photo: Ba Hau

After many years of working abroad in Taiwan, Mr. Thai Dang Tien returned to his hometown of Con Cuong to start a business. Inspired by the Ban Diem Bamboo and Rattan Cooperative, Mr. Tien realized that Con Cuong is a locality with abundant bamboo and rattan raw materials that can be regenerated in a short time. This source of raw materials can create environmentally friendly products. Household and handicraft products made from bamboo are currently popular in the market and will gradually replace products that are harmful to the environment in the future. In addition, in Con Cuong, there are many talented artisans who often create handicrafts from bamboo and rattan.

From this awareness, in 2019, Mr. Tien established the Tra Lan Con Cuong workshop and Cooperative. To turn bamboo into handicraft products, Thai Dang Tien has constantly worked hard, learned, and researched to find the secret to preventing termites, creating designs, and "breathing life" into the products. All parts of the bamboo tree can become good materials for the products. Bamboo trunks are used to make cups, teapots, flower vases, and decorations. Branches are used to make handles and faucets. Bamboo roots are used to make teapots. Products made from the roots of bamboo trees, even if they are of the same species, cannot be the same but will have their own unique features.

From bamboo and cypress trees, Thai Dang Tien has crafted hundreds of different products. Photo: Ba Hau

During the process of implementing the idea and establishing the cooperative, Mr. Tien received enthusiastic support from local government leaders and functional agencies. After 2 years of establishment, Tra Lan Con Cuong Cooperative established by Thai Dang Tien has been able to produce hundreds of different types of products from bamboo, including: bamboo spoons, pen holders, ballpoint pen bodies, drinking cups, vases or sophisticated, elaborate tea sets... These products have been displayed, introduced and sold to tourists at some tourist attractions in and outside the province. Many products have been praised for their unique ideas, delicate aesthetics and usefulness. The workshop has 15 workers (including 7 skilled workers, 3 disabled people), with an average income of 4-5 million VND/month. Also in this year, Thai Dang Tien boldly participated in the contest "Startup ideas and projects for young people in Nghe An province in 2021" with the project "Developing the value chain of indigenous bamboo in a sustainable direction" and won first prize.

Economic development from traditional occupations

Mr. Tien's idea of ​​producing handicraft products not only improves the economic efficiency of bamboo, which is abundant in the locality, but also creates jobs, increases income for people, contributes to environmental protection; at the same time, continues to open up prospects for both economic development from traditional occupations and preserving the national cultural identity of the district's people.Con Cuong.

Currently, Con Cuong district is constantly promoting the work of preserving, maintaining and promoting the effectiveness of traditional industries. Photo: Ba Hau

It is known that in recent years, Con Cuong district has continuously promoted the work of preserving, maintaining and promoting the effectiveness of traditional occupations. Through attracting programs and projects such as Project VE028, Program 135 opened traditional vocational training classes; forming craft villages such as Chau Khe rattan and bamboo weaving, Mon Son brocade weaving, Mau Duc wine in the area; attracting hundreds of workers to participate. Besides, the district has also increased joint venture activities, linking to find output and consumption of products... Reality shows that: Compared to other occupations, the income from traditional occupations is not high but is not picky about workers; solving jobs for people during the off-season, people over working age.

The development of traditional occupations in the mountainous district of Con Cuong in recent times has shown great promise and is moving in the right direction. However, in the development trend, traditional occupations in the locality still face significant challenges, such as: Lack of stable and long-term output; lack of young workers; strong competition from industrially produced products. Labor participation; the "quickly bored" nature of the market requires producers to constantly follow and anticipate customer tastes...

To solve these difficulties and problems, Con Cuong is currently promoting plans to open classes to teach traditional occupations; find outlets and guarantee products. Mr. Vi Van Quy, Vice Chairman of Con Cuong District People's Committee, said: In the coming time, the district will continue to connect and open more short-term vocational training classes to villages, hamlets and communes in difficult areas as well as find outlets for people's products. Another important solution is to develop traditional occupations associated with community tourism to create sustainable and breakthrough development and improve people's living standards./.