Sơn La Province develops various mechanisms and policies to support Agricultural Cooperatives

In the 2024-2025 period, Son La Province will focus on developing agricultural cooperatives as part of its agricultural restructuring and rural development strategy. The aim is to establish sustainable and effective cooperative models tailored to the province's specific agricultural sectors and key products. This includes the development of five cooperative models: Hưng Lộc Agricultural Service Cooperative in Tan Lap Village, Chieng Khuong Commune, Song Ma District; Agricultural Development Service Cooperative 19/5 in Km 122/180, National Highway 6, Chieng Di Sub-district, Moc Chau Town, Moc Chau District; Tan Lap Moc Chau Tea Production and Business Cooperative in Doi Village, Tan Lap Commune, Moc Chau District; Ngoc Hoang Agricultural Cooperative in Sub-district 7, Na Bo Commune, Mai Son District; and Hoi Duong Strawberry Cooperative in Tan Thao Village, Co Noi Commune, Mai Son District.

The province is focusing on supporting agricultural cooperatives through training and capacity-building initiatives aimed at enhancing the management skills and awareness of cooperative leaders and members. This includes the adoption of digital technologies in production, business operations, and cooperative management, such as accounting software, electronic production logs for tracking the entire process from production to harvest, processing, storage, and origin traceability, as well as participation in e-commerce. Moreover, investments will be made in infrastructure to support production, processing, and marketing activities, including the procurement of equipment and machinery for agricultural cooperatives, such as warehouses, workshops, internal transport, and raw material storage facilities. The province will also facilitate access to preferential funding from the Cooperative Development Support Fund and other suitable commercial credit sources.

Additionally, the province will support the transfer of technology to agricultural cooperatives, focusing on the cultivation processes for black grapes in greenhouses, Korean cantaloupe, strawberries, and ornamental velvet orchids. Efforts will also be directed toward developing ecological agriculture practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote a circular economy, and adapt to climate change. This includes providing assistance for the use of biological agents to process agricultural waste (such as straw and coffee husks) into organic fertilizers.

The province will invest in infrastructure to support production, processing, and marketing of agricultural products, including the procurement of equipment and machinery for agricultural cooperatives. Investment will also be directed toward developing and enhancing logistics infrastructure for agriculture, in alignment with planning. This includes optimizing the placement of facilities for raw material storage, processing, and preservation for agricultural cooperatives.

In 2024, training programs will be organized to enhance the management skills of cooperative leaders, and to provide knowledge in safe agricultural production, green economy, circular economy, and knowledge-based economy. Programs will also support the recruitment of young laborers and recent university, college, and vocational school graduates into cooperatives across various districts. Furthermore, support will be provided for cooperatives in trade promotion and for securing agricultural insurance, health insurance, and social insurance for managers, members, and workers.

These timely support policies are expected to play a crucial role in advancing green and knowledge-based economies, as well as ecological agriculture. They will create more job opportunities, enhance the status and role of local residents in agricultural development and rural construction, and contribute to the advancement of new rural development in the province.

Hong Le

Translated by Huyen Vu