Phu Tho’s craft village development targets

The Phu Tho Province People’s Committee has issued a master plan to develop provincial rural craft villages in the 2016-2020 period. Targeting to develop large-scale industries, prioritizing potential products and mobilizing resources for development, Phu Tho is attempting to change the face of its craft villages. 

                                                               Photo: Can Dung

Uneven development

Phu Tho had 69 certified rural craft villages totaling 30,740 employees and more than VND1.14 trillion in revenue in the 2011-2015 period. They included 38 villages involving farm produce, forest products, seafood processing and preservation; 20 fine art and handicraft villages; two construction and building material villages; and nine pet and bonsai production and trading villages.

From 2011-2015, Phu Tho carried out many activities to support craft village development. The province approved a master plan for development of rural industries and craft villages, craft village conservation, and craft village propagation. Provincial craft villages have been growing well. Annually, they had notable products chosen for showcase in trade fairs and exhibitions, through which they had found outlets and developed brands.

The province spend VND1 billion to support the certification of 32 new craft villages; VND640 million to assist 60 craft villages to participate and showcase products/services in trade fairs/ exhibitions; VND4.62 billion to support vocational training for 2,169 people; and VND5.68 billion to support production equipment innovation and branding.

In general, provincial craft villages have a stable growth while creating a large number of jobs and improving rural workers’ incomes. Many products of provincial craft villages have nice design and high quality, satisfying consumer’s tastes. Craft villages have been contributing to the development of local service and tourism industries.

Small production scale is a problem of provincial craft villages, while raw materials have become increasingly scarce and more expensive. Most of craft village products haven’t had brands or haven’t been registered for intellectual property protection. Their quality remains unstable so they are mainly sold in the domestic market. Environmental pollutions are still a problem that needs to be solved. Craft village-related infrastructure is inadequate and needs to be invested consistently. Policies for craft village development need to be more specific to be applied conveniently.

The above-mentioned problems explain modest revenues and rambling development of provincial craft villages. From 2011-2015, few craft villages earned high revenues, including the Thuy Tram Village (fishery production and services) in Son Thuy Commune in Thanh Thuy District - earning revenue of VND27 billion, Viet Tien Village (carpentry) in Tu Xa Commune in Lam Thao District (VND66 billion). Other provincial craft villages recorded low revenues, including Van Hung Village (tea production) in Tay Coc Commune, Doan Hung District and Chu Hung Village (tea production) in Am Ha Commune, Ha Hoa District - annually earning only VND50 million in revenue each, and Minh Hoa (weaving) in Minh Hac Commune, Ha Hoa District (VND1.2 billion).

New goals

To solve problems and create favorable conditions for craft village development in the coming period, the Phu Tho Province People’s Committee issued Plan 5025/KH-UBND to develop rural craft villages in the 2016-2020 period with total estimated investment capital of VND18.86 billion. Of this, the province would spend VND550 million to support the evaluation and certification of new craft villages; VND4.55 billion on vocational training for rural workers; VND600 million to support branding, and VND4 billion to solve craft village’s environmental pollution problems.

Phu Tho will create favorable conditions for certified craft villages to apply advanced technology in commodity-oriented production and develop production connection models. Craft villages are recommended to combine handicraft and modern production methods to create sophisticated products. The province will develop farm produce, forest products, seafood processing villages pertaining to raw material production and supply development to ensure food safety and ecological security. At the same time, Phu Tho will focus on improving product design, protecting the environment, and building industrial zones for craft villages (including industrial parks for small to medium-sized enterprises).

In tourism, Phu Tho will focus on promoting strengths of each village, such vegetable production in Tan Duc Village, tea production in Dich Qua and Van Luong villages, and brocades of Kim Thuong Village, all located along the Viet Tri - Xuan Son route; soybean jam of Duc My Village, snake-based products of Tu Xa Village, palm-leaf conical hats of Sai Nga Village, noodles of Hien Da Village and tea production in Ha Hoa Village along the Hung Kings Temple - Mother Au Co Temple route. The province will build and certify villages involving new rural area construction based on specific conditions, and advantages and occupation development and training ability of each locality. In this regard, farm produce, forest products and seafood processing and preservation and fine art and handicraft production will be prioritized.

For early implementation of the 2016-2020 plan for provincial rural craft village development, the provincial people’s committee asked the provincial Department of Finance to arrange sources of capital on an annual basis in accordance with the plan to submit specific investment proposals to the provincial people’s committee for approval. Meanwhile, craft village-based producers will be encouraged to increase technological investment.

Phu Tho will prioritize development of local potential materials such as bamboo, rattan, wood, and tea, among others, make efficient use of existing material resources, and pay due attention to vocational training for rural people.

Viet Nga / ven