Nghe An develops medicinal plants sustainably.
(Baonghean.vn) - With nearly 1,000 species of rare and valuable medicinal plants, Nghe An has one of the richest sources of medicinal herbs in the country. Not only does it create a valuable source of raw materials, but medicinal plant cultivation projects have also made a significant contribution to increasing income and stabilizing the lives of people in the project areas.
Increase the income of people in the project area.
Located along the Lam River, for the past two years, the Dong Tre area in Thanh Tien commune (Thanh Chuong district) has become a vast, lush green field of medicinal herbs. In April 2021, a business collaborated with local people to lease land for production.medicinal plantsBesides land rental income, the 18 farming households also have stable jobs and an average income of over 5 million VND/month from planting, caring for, and harvesting medicinal plants.
With only 7 square meters of farmland for growing corn, during the off-season, Ms. Le Thi Doan from Giang hamlet, Thanh Tien commune, has to take on various odd jobs to earn extra income. Since last year, she has been hired to cultivate and care for medicinal herbs. "Previously, the area was small, and the daily wage was 120,000 VND, but since April this year, I've been paid 180,000 VND per day. The work is stable, close to home, and not too strenuous, so I'm very happy," Ms. Doan said.
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| Mint plants in Thanh Chuong district. Photo: Phu Huong |
After one year of implementation, Thien Minh Duc Company now has 20 hectares for producing medicinal plant seedlings in Thanh Tien commune. The plan is to expand to 50 hectares by the end of this year, and from that seed source, by 2024, the company will collaborate with households to mass-produce seedlings on an area of 3,000-4,000 hectares in many communes in the district, providing local raw materials for the factory.processing medicinal herbsIt is expected to be built right in Thanh Tien commune, in early Q1 2023.
These initial successes not only contribute to creating livelihoods and income for the people but also serve as an important foundation for Thanh Chuong district to continue transforming crop cultivation and increasing the value of agricultural production. According to Mr. Le Dinh Thanh, Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, developing medicinal plants is one of the important contents for effectively implementing the district's crop structure transformation project.
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| Leaders of Thanh Chuong district inspect the development of medicinal herb cultivation areas in Thanh Tien commune. Photo: Phu Huong. |
"Although it's a new model, practical testing has shown that these crops are suitable for the natural conditions and soil type of the alluvial plains in Thanh Tien commune, and will certainly be suitable for the alluvial soil along the Lam River throughout the district. In the future, when the enterprise expands its area and builds a processing plant in the district, this will be an effective approach that the district will direct to review on each specific plot of land, educate the people, and consider this a breakthrough in crop conversion, creating sufficient raw materials for the project area."
In recent years, TH Group's medicinal herb cultivation and production project in Ky Son district has not only created a medicinal herb growing area with many valuable medicinal plants, but has also significantly contributed to changing the face of villages and improving and stabilizing the lives of ethnic minority people in the project area. Currently, the area of medicinal herb cultivation has reached 136 hectares, attracting and creating jobs for nearly 20 local workers, with a stable income of 8-10 million VND/person/month. The company has also built a medicinal herb extraction factory with modern equipment and guarantees the purchase of all medicinal herb products in the area.
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| Vice Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee Hoang Nghia Hieu visits the medicinal herb cultivation and processing model of TH Group in Ky Son district. Photo: Nghe An Newspaper archives. |
During a recent visit to Ky Son district, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Hoang Nghia Hieu stated that the unique characteristics of altitude, climate, and soil in Na Ngoi and Muong Long communes are strengths in developing medicinal plants that are not found everywhere. Furthermore, not only does this provide raw materials for processing, but the medicinal plant growing area also has great potential for developing agro-tourism, making a significant contribution to the region.increase incomefor the indigenous people.
According to Mr. Trinh Hien Trung, General Director of TH Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company, in its production activities, the company always prioritizes creating jobs for workers.local labor.From farmers who only knew how to cultivate fields and gardens, these workers are recruited as factory workers, trained in modern farming techniques and factory production skills, improving their capabilities and easily adapting to modern production requirements, while also being guaranteed social insurance and health insurance.
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| Puxailaileng ginseng nursery in Muong Long commune (Ky Son district). Photo: Dao Tuan's archives. |
In particular, the company also aims to create model production sites for people to visit and learn from, so that they can produce their own crops with the company's support in both technical matters and product procurement and distribution, helping local people earn additional income right on their own fields. This approach is much more effective than clearing trees for slash-and-burn farming as before.
With its diverse and complex topography and abundant and varied resources, Nghe An has nearly 1,000 species of medicinal plants, including many rare and valuable species with high economic value.
Recognizing that developing medicinal plants is one of the important directions in developing production and increasing the value of agricultural production, in recent years, the province has focused on attracting businesses to participate in production and processing to unlock the potential of medicinal plants.
Currently, the province has three large-scale projects invested in and developed through joint ventures and production partnerships, covering nearly 2,000 hectares, including many rare and valuable medicinal plants. This is opening up many prospects for enhancing the value of medicinal plants and creating sustainable livelihoods.settled farming, settled livingStability for the people, especially in the western districts of the province.
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| The western region of Nghe An province, recognized by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve, possesses abundant potential in valuable medicinal plant resources. (Photo: Nghe An Newspaper archives) |
According to Mr. Nguyen Van De, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development: Income from growing medicinal plants is 4-14 times higher than from corn and 2-6 times higher than from acacia trees. However, medicinal plants require significant initial investment; and the infrastructure for medicinal plant growing areas is still lacking…
Therefore, if we want to develop medicinal plants, the most crucial thing is still...attracting businessesOrganizing production, procurement, distribution, and processing of products is the foundation for the province to implement policies to attract businesses to participate in the production, processing, and consumption chain of medicinal plants. In fact, some projects have initially proven very effective.
According to the plan, Nghe An province aims to develop nearly 18,000 hectares of medicinal plants stably by 2030. To achieve this goal, making medicinal plants a strength in the province's agricultural production and improving the lives of people, especially in disadvantaged areas, in addition to creating favorable conditions for investors to build processing plants and develop raw material areas, and establishing specific mechanisms to encourage businesses and medicinal plant producers, the province also needs to focus on protecting medicinal plants.preserving valuable genetic resourcesApplying scientific and technological advancements and high technology to develop and expand valuable product lines.
