Improving the capacity of agricultural cooperatives

Thong Nhat Xuan Lam Agricultural Cooperative (Ha Tinh) uses a transplanter to produce organic rice on a large field.

Providing knowledge of science, technology, management... for the management board and members is considered a breakthrough in improving the internal capacity of current agricultural cooperatives.

Knowledge is the key

According to the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance, in the past year, 1,942 new cooperatives were established nationwide, bringing the total number of cooperatives to 33,557; of which, there were 22,415 agricultural cooperatives (accounting for 66.8% of the total number of cooperatives, an increase of 1,062 cooperatives compared to 2023). Many agricultural cooperatives operate effectively, creating jobs for rural workers. As a locality that identifies agriculture as its strength, Ha Tinh province currently has 1,009 cooperatives and 3 Cooperative Unions; of which, the agricultural, forestry, fishery and salt production sectors have 548 cooperatives (accounting for 54.3%); the rate of cooperatives operating well and fairly reached 42.8%, an increase over the same period in 2023. According to the Ha Tinh Cooperative Alliance, this is the result of many efforts in improving the capacity of cooperatives through training courses on industrial science and management.

Visiting Thong Nhat Xuan Lam Agricultural Cooperative, Nghi Xuan District (Ha Tinh), we realized the importance of improving knowledge as well as considering knowledge as the key to opening the door to success of the cooperative in economic development for its members. Operating in the field of production, trading of materials; managing the exploitation, use, and protection of irrigation works, operating irrigation water for agricultural production; purchasing agricultural products from people...

Thong Nhat Xuan Lam Agricultural Cooperative is a bright spot in the local multi-sector business model. Currently, 4/5 members of the Cooperative's Board of Directors have college degrees or higher, creating conditions for accessing industrial science, implementing production and business plans, and building a close and effective link between the state - farmers - scientists and businesses.

Mr. Bui Van Chien, Director of Thong Nhat Xuan Lam Agricultural Cooperative, said that the cooperative has done a good job of providing services and consuming products for 700 members. At the same time, it has developed a project to improve the fields, implementing a demonstration model of organic rice production combined with raising sandworms on a scale of 10 hectares along the Lam River. Thereby, creating OCOP products such as organic rice, frozen sandworms, sandworm patties, sandworm floss, sandworm sauce, etc., contributing to increasing the output of key local commodities.

Thong Nhat Xuan Lam Agricultural Cooperative (Ha Tinh) uses a rice transplanter.

Promoting the leading role of cooperatives in developing household economy in particular and rural economy in general is not only considered a breakthrough in agricultural economic development of Ha Tinh province, but also of most localities in the country.

In Ha Nam province, the cooperative economy has also seen remarkable growth over the past years. According to the agricultural sector of Ha Nam province, the average revenue of cooperatives in the province is about 1,250 million VND/cooperative/year; the average profit is about 70 million VND/cooperative/year. The average income of cooperative members is about 32 million VND/year.

Hoang Tra Cooperative, Phu Van Commune, Phu Ly City (Ha Nam) has 5 products recognized as meeting 3-star OCOP standards including: lotus tea, water lily tea, cordyceps, lotus wine, and cordyceps wine.

Mr. Tran Dang Nhan, Director of Hoang Tra Cooperative, said that the unit has signed consumption contracts with a number of enterprises and distribution units, participated in fairs, exhibitions, and promotions in the province, region, and nationwide to promote and expand the market. In the coming time, the Cooperative will continue to apply industrial science and modern production processes to maintain and improve product quality, striving to achieve 4-star OCOP.

Capacity building for cooperatives

To move towards a new look for a new type of cooperative with 5 criteria: New awareness; new knowledge; new consciousness; new determination and high income, contributing to creating more and more successful agricultural cooperatives, playing the core role in participating in economic and social development in rural areas across the country, economic experts said that agricultural cooperatives continue to focus on building a modern, smart and sustainable agricultural ecosystem, meeting the increasingly high demands of the market in the context of climate change and international competition; focusing on building comprehensive and transparent agricultural value chains with the goal of closely connecting production, processing and consumption, creating maximum value for products. At the same time, localities need to develop a traceability system built with block chain technology to ensure transparency, helping consumers track the detailed journey of products from farm to table; Focus on investing in international quality certification, developing high-value specialty products and building private brands; forming concentrated production areas, applying advanced technology processes and domestic and international standards.

According to Chairman of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance Cao Xuan Thu Van, to improve the capacity of agricultural cooperatives, it is necessary to innovate management and improve the quality of cooperative human resources. Strengthen the organization of training programs, foster knowledge of market economy, business administration, application of information technology, digital transformation in management and operation for cooperative management staff. Develop policies to encourage and attract young, highly qualified human resources to work in cooperatives operating in the agricultural sector, in rural and disadvantaged areas. At the same time, it is necessary to organize vocational training programs, improve professional skills for workers in cooperatives, thereby improving labor productivity and adaptability to modern production requirements.

Chairman of the Ha Nam Provincial Cooperative Union, Do Xuan Truong, also shared that in recent years, the training and fostering of cooperative management staff has been identified by the Provincial Cooperative Union as an important task to equip key cooperative staff with new knowledge, fully absorb and understand more deeply the new policies on collective economic development, cooperatives of the Party and the State as well as the province. In addition to studying and acquiring knowledge in class, the trainees also participate in extracurricular activities, exchange experiences, visit and study at typical cooperative models in and outside the province, thereby contributing to helping trainees improve their management capacity and production and business efficiency of cooperatives.

To support cooperatives in increasing their internal resources, in 2021, Ha Tinh province issued Resolution 56 and then Resolution 91/HĐND province on a number of policies to support the development of collective economy and cooperatives in Ha Tinh province until 2025 with many specific preferential policies for senior cooperative officials and cooperative members such as supporting workers who have graduated from college, university, and postgraduate to work at cooperatives with a monthly support level equal to 1.5 regional minimum wages, maximum 59,110,000 VND/1 worker/year. The maximum support period is three years, maximum 2 people for a cooperative...; support training for cooperative managers with 100% tuition fees, learning materials and support for accommodation expenses for students equal to 1.5 regional minimum wages...

Agricultural products of the cooperative are of interest to many people.

From the production facility perspective, according to Mr. Bui Van Toi, a member of Thong Nhat Xuan Lam Cooperative, if agricultural cooperatives want to develop sustainably, it is necessary to change the production and management mindset of the cooperative members. The management team and cooperative members need to actively approach new production methods, the most important thing is to abandon old farming practices and mindsets in agricultural production.

"With Thong Nhat Xuan Lam Cooperative, we always promote the spirit of honest farming, strictly follow the standard production process and ensure product quality to build the brand of 3-star OCOP standard rice. This is an effective and sustainable agricultural development direction for the 700 members of Thong Nhat Xuan Lam Agricultural Cooperative" - ​​Mr. Bui Van Toi said.

Creating strong enough internal resources to develop sustainable cooperatives, knowledge, science and technology, capital... are considered necessary and sufficient conditions. However, in order not to fall behind, cooperatives need to be dynamic and creative in adapting and applying policies to improve operational efficiency. This is also the key for agricultural cooperatives to dominate the game of agriculture, farmers, and rural areas.

According to nhandan.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/cai-thien-nang-luc-cua-cac-hop-tac-xa-nong-nghiep-post400601.html