Cooperatives lead the craft village economy

Leading in technological innovation

Located in the middle of a long-standing wood craft village in Khuc Toai quarter, Kinh Bac ward, Khuc Xuyen Fine Arts Wood Cooperative has 15 member households and is the main consumer for many households producing wooden paintings, stair railings, tables and chairs, mahogany beds, cabinets in this area... With the desire to both preserve the quintessence and develop wood product lines suitable to market demand, the Cooperative actively researches and applies new technology to improve productivity and product quality.

Phu Lang Ceramic Service and Tourism Cooperative connects households to develop craft village tourism.

As one of the founders of the Cooperative, artisan Nguyen Van Hung, the “father” of the unique wood mosaic painting line, said: “In the context of economic development, the need for trade is increasing, whether it is a production facility specializing in fine art or civil wood, all need machines to replace human labor. Therefore, we encourage households to use machines according to the requirements of each production stage such as: saws, planers, milling machines, sanders, drills, presses and high-tech computerized wood cutting machines…, to better meet market demand and increase revenue for the facilities”.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Trung, a member of the Cooperative, excitedly said: “Thanks to joining the Cooperative and learning from experience at a number of wood production facilities in and outside the province, we have installed a high-precision computerized wood cutting system, shortening production time. For example, if we invest in a 4-6 drill head wood carving machine, we can simultaneously carve 4 to 6 identical pictures at a continuous speed, making it easy and uniform to carve surfaces, letters, details, and decorative patterns on many different types of wood materials.”

In addition to supporting and guiding members and craft households in choosing technology and installing equipment suitable for scale and needs, Khuc Xuyen Fine Art Furniture Cooperative also acts as a focal point, presides over, and links in building brands to enhance the prestige and expand the reputation of traditional products. In 2024, the collective trademark "Khuc Xuyen Fine Art Furniture" was granted to the subject, Khuc Xuyen Fine Art Furniture Cooperative; 20 typical production households were awarded certificates of the right to use this collective trademark, facilitating product promotion.

Diverse services

Phu Lang pottery village, Phu Lang commune currently has about 250 households producing pottery, creating jobs for 500-600 workers. Although it is becoming more and more widely known, households still basically do it manually, have not linked the craft village with tourism, and lack facilities for tourists to experience. Some establishments only operate on weekends, holidays, and Tet, and are not maintained regularly. In early 2024, Phu Lang Pottery Service and Tourism Cooperative with 15 members was established, opening up opportunities to develop tourism, promote pottery products, and improve economic efficiency.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Ngoc, Director of the Cooperative, confided: “We realize that developing craft village tourism not only brings profit, helps people increase their income but is also a way to preserve and conserve the traditional cultural values of Phu Lang pottery village. Therefore, the action plan of the Cooperative is to gather households, set out production plans, and provide services on a voluntary and cooperative basis in accordance with market demand.”

Sharing her desire to join the cooperative, Ms. Dang Thi Tam, owner of Minh Tam pottery establishment, affirmed: “Joining the cooperative helps establishments more clearly orient their service sector. Currently, my family and some households contribute capital to build the Center for Preserving Vietnamese Culture - Phu Lang Traditional Pottery Village. This is the first model of the craft village combining with businesses and travel agencies to organize tours and experiential tourism routes. There are many items such as product display and pottery making experience that attract many tourists.”

It can be seen that the majority of cooperatives and enterprises born from craft villages are playing a role in expanding the connection of production and business establishments, promoting and introducing the beauty of traditional crafts. Many cooperatives are the focal point for transferring science and technology, teaching traditional crafts of the locality to the next generations. Cooperatives all want to access appropriate support policies and mechanisms to invest in technology, capital, train human resources, production premises, promote trade, etc. Thereby creating favorable conditions and strengthening the strength of cooperatives, towards the sustainable development of craft villages.

Article and photos: Song Giang

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/hop-tac-xa-dan-dat-kinh-te-lang-nghe-postid421545.bbg