Craft villages and OCOP:

In recent years, the emergence of the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Program has become an important lever, helping craft villages both preserve traditional heritage and develop in a modern and sustainable direction.

Introducing the silk production process at Van Phuc craft village (Ha Dong ward). Photo: Nguyen Quang

OCOP brings traditional quintessence far and wide

Bat Trang, the cradle of ceramics, is a clear example of change thanks to OCOP. If in the past, Bat Trang ceramics mainly served domestic needs, now, thanks to this program, ceramic products have been greatly improved in terms of design, model and quality, meeting international standards. A series of products such as tea sets, bowls, vases, ceramic art paintings of companies, cooperatives, and production households in the village have met 4-star and 5-star OCOP standards and are present in demanding markets such as Japan, the US, Europe, etc. The combination of modern production lines and manual techniques has helped the ceramics profession increasingly affirm its position, contributing to the average income of about 87 million VND/person/year for local people.

Vice Chairman of Bat Trang Commune People's Committee Do Thanh Thuan said that after implementing the 2-level local government model, the commune has 3 ceramic craft villages: Bat Trang, Giang Cao, Kim Lan with more than 6,000 households developing the profession. The commune has 173 artisans in the field of fine art ceramics who have been awarded titles by the State. Bat Trang currently has 49 products with valid OCOP certification, many of which have achieved 5 stars and have the potential to achieve 5 stars.

Not only Bat Trang, Chuyen My commune is also witnessing a transformation thanks to OCOP. The mother-of-pearl inlay craft, which is famous for the craftsmanship, is now expanding its market through OCOP products such as inlaid boxes, wall paintings, and souvenirs. Instead of small-scale, fragmented production, establishments have built collections, clearly segmented customers, and put their products on e-commerce platforms. This not only helps increase revenue but also brings the essence of mother-of-pearl inlay closer to modern life.

According to statistics, Hanoi currently has more than 1,350 craft villages and villages with crafts, accounting for over 60% of the total number of craft villages in the country. This is an extremely valuable resource, creating jobs for hundreds of thousands of rural workers and contributing to changing the face of the new countryside. Currently, Hanoi has 929/3,463 products (accounting for 26.8%) of craft villages and villages with crafts that are rated at 3 stars or higher. However, the challenges are not small: Products still lack diversity, weak brands, and promotion work is not really synchronized.

Supporting craft villages, spreading traditional values

The greatest value that OCOP brings to Hanoi's craft villages lies not only in the economy but also in preserving and spreading traditional culture. If craft villages are places that preserve the memories and quintessence of Vietnamese people, OCOP is the "bridge" that brings those values into the flow of modern development. Bat Trang pottery, Chuyen My mother-of-pearl inlay, Van Phuc silk or Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan weaving... each OCOP product tells a unique story about the hands and soul of the craftsman.

OCOP has created conditions for craft village products to step out of the rural market, becoming branded goods. Thanks to the standardization of quality, packaging, labels, geographical indications, craft village products have gained a foothold in supermarkets, shopping malls and on e-commerce platforms. Chuyen My mother-of-pearl inlay paintings are exported, Phu Vinh rattan and bamboo products have signed direct contracts with European customers, Van Phuc silk has become a tourist gift product..., all of which demonstrate the resilience of OCOP. On the contrary, craft villages are the foundation that helps OCOP Hanoi develop more outstandingly than many other localities. Because the products of craft villages inherently carry within them the value of identity - the most important criterion of the program. It is this enduring vitality that has helped OCOP have abundant resources to build a strong brand.

In 2025, craft villages are still completing their dossiers to submit to authorities for product evaluation and recognition. Particularly for Bat Trang, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee Do Thanh Thuan said that the commune plans to continue evaluating and classifying 16 more OCOP products and propose the city to evaluate and recognize 15 artisans. The commune also continues to complete and implement the project to develop craft villages associated with experiential tourism.

It can be affirmed that craft villages and OCOP are creating a "double push": Craft villages contribute to enriching OCOP with a treasure trove of traditional products, while OCOP adds vitality to craft villages by connecting with modern markets. As Mr. Do Thanh Thuan said: "Craft villages are the roots, OCOP is the arm reaching far. Without craft villages, OCOP will find it difficult to have products bearing cultural imprints; but without OCOP, craft villages will find it difficult to find a direction to adapt to the modern market." OCOP has become the wings that help the quintessence of Hanoi's craft villages fly high and far, beyond the boundaries of villages and communes to reach out to the world. At the same time, the longevity of craft villages is a solid foundation, creating a unique identity for the Capital OCOP Program. In the future, this resonance will not only preserve the craft but also enrich it, making a worthy contribution to the journey of building a civilized, creative, modern and integrated Hanoi.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/lang-nghe-va-ocop-cong-huong-de-giu-nghe-lam-giau-tu-nghe-718666.html