Party member Chang A Nghe pioneers in promoting hometown specialties

BHG - Party member Chang A Nghe, born in 1986, Secretary of the Party Cell of Na Lau village, Ngam La commune (Yen Minh) has pioneered in building a brand, turning local Shan Tuyet tea products into commodities. Thereby, exploiting strengths, increasing income, helping people sustainably reduce poverty.

Elected as Secretary of the Na Lau Village Party Cell in 2020, Comrade Chang A Nghe has promoted the spirit of exemplary economic development, guiding the villagers to convert ineffective land to other crops. Realizing the potential of local Shan Tuyet tea but production is still small-scale and has not yet built a brand, in 2021, he boldly established the Ngam La Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative (HTX) specializing in producing products from local tea trees. With 8 members participating, from the abundant raw material area, his Cooperative focuses on purchasing fresh tea to process into dried Shan Tuyet tea and yellow tea.

Party member Chang A Nghe (middle) picks Shan Tuyet tea from a hundreds-year-old ancient tree.

Sharing about the idea of ​​establishing a cooperative, comrade Chang A Nghe said: The whole commune currently has over 143.6 hectares of Shan Tuyet tea, of which Na Lau village alone has 50/62 households growing and processing tea. With the extensive experience in tea cultivation of the local Dao people, I believe that establishing a collective economic organization will create a "leverage" to develop this crop locally. The cooperative has taken on the responsibility of consuming fresh tea materials from the people to process and produce goods; on average, we collect about 6 tons of fresh tea buds each year. We also regularly organize activities to exchange production experiences, encourage people to care for and harvest on time to increase the value of tea trees.

Ms. Ly Thi Hoa, a resident of Na Lau village, Ngam La commune, shared: My family has about 2 hectares of tea. Previously, we paid little attention to planting and caring for it, mainly letting it grow naturally, with low economic quality. After receiving attention from Secretary Nghe and the Ngam La Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative, my family has been more proactive in caring for it, regularly replanting, weeding and fertilizing. All harvests are sold to the Cooperative, and now the family's economy is more stable.

Shan Tuyet tea products of Ngam La Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative have achieved 3-star OCOP certification.

In recent years, Ngam La Shan Tuyet tea has increasingly received the attention of consumers because of its good quality, delicious and characteristic flavor and has been identified by the locality as a key crop. With the desire to build a brand and increase sustainable efficiency, Mr. Nghe discussed with the members of the Cooperative to focus on investing and developing into an OCOP product. With the guidance and support of the Commune People's Committee in completing the criteria, in 2024, the product "Nham La Shan Tuyet Tea" of the Cooperative was recognized as a 3-star OCOP product. This is an important milestone to help expand the Cooperative's consumption market, affirm and spread the local tea brand. Currently, the Cooperative's products have stable output, are produced according to orders and are sold at showrooms in the province.

As a Party cell secretary leading economic development, helping local ethnic minority households to escape poverty, Mr. Nghe encouraged people to take care of ancient tea trees, develop the economy from fields, grow rice and raise livestock and poultry. Thanks to the encouragement and close supervision of Secretary Nghe, people's lives have become increasingly stable, the whole village still has 25/62 poor households, and for many consecutive years the village party cell has successfully completed its tasks. Mr. Nghe also actively develops the family economy to set an example. In addition to income from tea trees, his family maintains raising 5 buffaloes and 15 pigs/year, earning about 300 million VND/year.

Ngam La Commune Party Secretary Ha Van Chinh commented that Party member Chang A Nghe is a young and enthusiastic Party Cell Secretary. In addition to his high sense of responsibility and creativity in economic development, he has connected people, promoted local Shan Tuyet tea products in a sustainable manner, and increased people's income. He has been commended many times by local Party Committees and authorities and has become a highly trusted role model.

Article and photos: NHU QUYNH

Source: https://baohagiang.vn/kinh-te/202504/dang-vien-chang-a-nghe-tien-phong-nang-tam-dac-san-que-huong-88b5cb8/