Hà Nội promotes agricultural cooperative development

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội's agricultural cooperatives have developed well in recent years, gradually increasing incomes for members and contributing to the overall socio-economic development of the capital.

Statistics from the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development show that the city currently has 1,284 agricultural cooperatives.

These cooperatives have created jobs and significantly contributed to the poverty reduction programme and construction of new rural areas in the localities.

As an example, the 100-member Đức Phát Hi-tech Cooperative in Thanh Trì District produces and sells hydroponic vegetables. The members farm on an area of ​​about 120ha, with a contracted output of 450 tonnes per month. Thanks to farming together and their contracts, life for the members of the cooperative has improved.

In addition, the Quảng Phú Cầu Agricultural Service Cooperative in Ứng Hòa District works with the Đoàn Kết Agricultural Production and Business Cooperative to organise rice production in a chain from production to consumption, bringing higher economic efficiency.

Director of the Hà Nội Rural Development Sub-department Nguyễn Văn Chí said: “In recent years, agricultural cooperatives have played an important role in organising production in the capital. Hà Nội currently has 70 cooperatives participating in chains with production associated with consumption. As many as 50 cooperatives apply high technology.”

Agricultural cooperatives have always been an important component in the socio-economic development of Hà Nội, he said.

Hà Nội regularly issues cooperative economic development plans and promotes education to raise awareness about cooperatives, in addition to spreading advanced agricultural cooperative models, especially in new business fields.

It also creates good conditions for cooperatives to expand their operations and prioritises the development of agricultural cooperatives associated with the value chain, cooperatives for seeds and agricultural products preservation and processing of agricultural products, said Chí.

Thanh Hà Agricultural Cooperative is one of the units supported by the Hà Nội Rural Development Sub-department. Its members have participated in many training classes to improve management and operations. Since then, the co-operative's sprouts products have been trusted by more and more domestic and foreign consumers.

Deputy director of the Hà Nội Rural Development Sub-department Hoàng Thị Huyền said: “In 2020, Hà Nội has supported five agricultural cooperative models with production linkages and chain linkages, and at the same time organised 25 training courses for agricultural cooperative managers."

In 2021, along with strengthening training and support for good examples, Hà Nội aims to perfect mechanisms and policies to promote agricultural cooperatives to develop with a combination of high technology and rural tourism.

Tạ Văn Tường, deputy director of Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: "Hà Nội will promote the development of agricultural cooperatives associated with new rural construction.”

It also aims to build through consulting and guiding activities to establish new cooperative groups and cooperative unions.

In addition, the capital city will develop processing, perfect products, develop consumption channels for consumers and attract businesses to work with cooperatives to develop value chains.

At present, there are many brands of rice, he said, but good rice with beautiful designs would be more welcomed by the market. Therefore, cooperatives need to renew their thinking about farming and marketing to improve production and business efficiency.