'Leverage' to develop craft villages

(Baonghean) - Resolution 06-NQ/TU of the Provincial Party Committee on industrial development, small-scale industries and craft village construction in the period 2011 - 2020, continues to create momentum to promote the craft development movement, contributing to giving Nghe An countryside a new look...

Exciting craft villages

We went to Quynh Hung commune, Quynh Luu district, where there are two famous carpentry villages: Thuan Giang and Nam Thang. As soon as we arrived at the village, we could hear the bustling sounds of chiseling and sawing wood. The craftsmen with their talented and skillful hands carved and crafted sophisticated wooden products that no machine could replace. Both villages have about 770 workers in this profession.

Quynh Hung’s household wooden products are not only sold in the province but also penetrated the market in Hanoi and many southern provinces. The craft village has created stable jobs, the average income per capita of the commune is among the top in the district. Households participating in the craft actively participate in local movements, especially in building new rural areas.

Talking to us, Mr. Le Ngoc Khoa - Nam Thang carpentry village (Quynh Hung commune) said: "Thanks to the local Party Committee and government's active attention and direction in building the craft village, along with specific support policies and solutions such as coordinating with banks to provide preferential loans to households who want to expand production. From there, it creates motivation for those in the profession like us to think about and unite together to build the craft village to develop more and more."

Quynh Hung carpentry village (Quynh Luu).

The orientation of developing craft villages in a sustainable direction is one of the directions in leading local economic development. That orientation has been concretized by the Project "Improving the quality of craft villages in Quynh Hung commune in the period of 2015 - 2020" and resolutions to improve the quality of craft village development, in which the development of craft industries and fine art carpentry villages is always identified as one of the key programs for socio-economic development of the commune. "To develop craft villages in a sustainable direction, in recent times, Quynh Hung has prioritized planning for concentrated craft village clusters with a total area of ​​8.96 hectares.

In addition, actively propagandize and mobilize people to build and upgrade roads to facilitate exchanges between regions and communes, contributing to promoting the development of craft villages. Every year, the commune organizes training, vocational training and vocational development" - Comrade Nguyen Xuan Nien - Secretary of the Quynh Hung Commune Party Committee said.

Not as noisy as the carpentry village, coming to Hau Hoa village, Nghi Hoa commune (Nghi Loc) in the last days of November, you can still feel the busy atmosphere of the profession. From a purely agricultural village, thanks to the vermicelli and cake making, Hau Hoa village has changed dramatically, out of a total of 106 households, 70 households make vermicelli and cakes; people have jobs so their lives are increasingly improved; security and order are maintained, the economic structure is shifting in a positive direction...

Receiving us, Mr. Nguyen Van Toan - owner of the Hau Hoa vermicelli and cake production facility (Nghi Hoa commune) shared: "Since the Resolution on developing craft villages of the province, Hau Hoa vermicelli village has been interested in building and recognizing as a craft village. Thanks to that, the business of the people is more favorable, Hau Hoa vermicelli is not only sold in Nghi Loc but has expanded to many districts in the province. The people's lives are improving day by day".

Rice paper craft village of Dien Ngoc commune (Dien Chau). Photo archive

In fact, craft villages play a very important role in shifting the economic structure, promoting sustainable socio-economic development of the locality. The development of craft villages and craft villages has created a new look for Nghe An countryside. Typical examples include Cua tile village in Tan Ky, carpentry village in Quynh Hung (Quynh Luu), Nghi Thiet shipbuilding craft (Nghi Loc), Quynh Nghia, Tien Thuy (Quynh Luu), Cua Hoi fish sauce processing craft, Van Phan (Dien Chau), Quynh Di seafood processing village (Quynh Luu), Nghi An flower village, Nghi Lien (Vinh City)... That shows the effectiveness of Resolution 06 on industrial development, small-scale industry and craft village construction in the period 2011 - 2020 of the Provincial Party Committee.

Sustainable development

However, the development of craft villages today still has many problems. The current general situation is that craft villages in our province are developing in a "each family's own light" style, lacking connection, fragmented production, not paying attention to building brands and labels, and unsustainable consumption markets. Many craft villages are formed according to market trends, so they face many difficulties and have to stop operating...

In addition, most craft villages develop spontaneously, located in residential areas, affecting the living environment of the people. This reality requires solutions to develop sustainable craft villages in parallel with environmental protection.

Producing peanut candy at Vinh Duc peanut candy village, Do Luong town.

As a locality with a large number of craft villages, identifying craft village development as one of the solutions to improve the lives of people in rural areas, implementing Resolution 06-NQ/TU of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee, Quynh Luu issued Resolution 07-NQ/HU of Quynh Luu District Party Committee on "Developing industry and handicrafts and building craft villages". The resolution has contributed to strongly stimulating the potential for developing handicrafts and craft villages in the whole district.

To date, 29 craft villages have been recognized by the province, and 10 villages have been recognized by the district. However, the production of craft villages in Quynh Luu is still spontaneous, lacking connection, the products of the craft villages with branded goods are still too modest, and the products of Quynh Luu district have not made an impression on consumers.

Comrade Hoang Van Bo - Standing Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee said: “One of the tasks that the Party Committees at all levels in Quynh Luu district are paying attention to is leading and directing the implementation of the Resolution of the XXVII Party Congress, term 2015 - 2020 into life. That is building the brand of Quynh Luu products. At the same time, the district has issued a number of policies and mechanisms to encourage, attract support and create favorable conditions for organizations and individuals to produce and process using the brand; build raw material areas, link value chains, improve product quality, and manage quality”.

In order for craft villages to have a foothold in the market, in addition to focusing on building brands, environmental issues and food hygiene and safety must be thoroughly resolved. Only then can craft villagers have a prosperous and sustainable life thanks to traditional occupations. At the same time, there must be policies to encourage and create favorable conditions for traditional occupations and craft villages to develop sustainably.

Discussing solutions to develop craft villages, comrade Phan Sy Duong - Secretary of Nghi Loc District Party Committee said: “Nghi Loc's success in directing the development of handicraft villages, thereby creating jobs for people, is a suggestion for the direction of the district. In the coming time, on the basis of reviewing and building a Development Project for the next phase, the district has made assessments and solutions to remove difficulties for key craft villages. In addition, new suitable occupations accepted by the people will continue to be considered by the district for support to create more jobs and income for the people".

Broom products of Hoa Hoi craft village, Nghia Hoi commune.

Mr. Tran Van Chuong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial Cooperative Union said: "The Cooperative Union will advise the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee to direct districts to supplement the planning for craft village development until 2020, focusing on vocational training for workers to improve their skills in craft production; amend, supplement and perfect a number of support policies for craft village development such as focusing on investment in infrastructure construction, building small industrial clusters to bring craft villages into concentrated production to minimize environmental pollution. Support training policies, trade promotion policies, brand building, and promotion of craft village products. Mobilize the establishment of craft village cooperatives to act as "midwives" for craft village development"./.

Thanh Le