Model for growing pineapples for raw materials in Muong Sai commune.

As one of the 13 provinces and cities participating in the project, Son La is implementing it in two phases in the following localities: Mai Son, Song Ma, and Moc Chau. The project focuses on investing in regional infrastructure, building standardized fruit-growing areas, high-tech application zones, and establishing production linkage models between businesses, cooperatives, and farmers, ensuring stable output.

The focus of the project is on quality standardization and technology transfer. Over the past three years, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has organized six intensive training courses on VietGAP techniques and business management for cooperatives; and provided online training for professional staff, cooperatives, businesses, and community agricultural extension groups. Simultaneously, it has attracted 13 cooperatives to manage nearly 440 hectares of coffee, tea, fruit, and vegetable growing areas; provided 945,000 pineapple cuttings, 3,400 passion fruit seedlings, and 980 fruit bagging bags to cooperatives and farmers; and implemented five intensive cultivation models of mango, pineapple, and passion fruit according to VietGAP standards in various localities, covering a total area of ​​45 hectares.

 

Officials from the Provincial Agricultural Technical Center are guiding farmers in Phiêng Pằn commune on passion fruit cultivation techniques.

The Song Ma Mango Agricultural Service Cooperative in Song Ma commune is one of five units supported by the project to build a model of intensive cultivation of safe fruit trees, aiming to achieve standards. Mr. Nguyen Van Vuong, Director of the Cooperative, shared: "Thanks to the support from the project, we have applied and been certified for safe mango production according to VietGAP standards on an area of ​​10 hectares. In 2025, the Cooperative will harvest over 200 tons of mangoes, selling them to traders at wholesale markets nationwide, domestic supermarkets, and exporting them to China."

The close linkage between cooperatives, farmers, and processing businesses is a key factor in stabilizing output and increasing the value of agricultural products. Son La has successfully attracted large investors, notably the DOVECO Son La fruit and vegetable processing plant, which consistently purchases 30,000-70,000 tons of raw materials for export. Businesses such as Nafoods Tay Bac and TH Group also contribute to ensuring output. To date, the province has successfully established 5 high-tech fruit growing areas for longan, custard apple, mango, and plum; built and maintained 160 safe fruit production chains with a production volume of over 43,000 tons/year; managed 202 export growing area codes covering more than 2,800 hectares and 8 fruit packaging facility codes; 31 agricultural products bearing geographical names have been granted protection certificates; and 59 OCOP products are produced and processed from fruit.

A model for safe passion fruit cultivation in Phiêng Pằn commune.

Community-based agricultural extension (CAE) is considered a strategic "lever" to help change farmers' perceptions from small-scale production to a modern, commodity-based agricultural economic mindset. During the period 2022-2025, the province established 99 CAE groups with 830 members. These groups organized 14 training courses, 5 workshops, and 2 visits to new-style cooperatives, attracting 600 participants. Notably, in collaboration with GIZ and JICA, 16 intensive training courses on the techniques of planting and caring for Arabica coffee and custard apples were organized for 400 participants, contributing to improved production capacity, quality management, and product consumption connections with large enterprises.

Ms. Ngan Thi Minh Thanh, Deputy Director of the Provincial Agricultural Technical Center, said: Implementing the project, the Center has supported the Community Agricultural Extension Groups in connecting with DOVECO Son La, Bao Lam, Nafoods Gia Lai vegetable and fruit processing centers and traders to sell 9 tons of pineapples, 172 tons of passion fruit, and 15 tons of custard apples for cooperatives and farmers. Along with that, it has encouraged the establishment of cooperatives and cooperative groups, fostering a modern agricultural economic mindset, contributing to strengthening community capacity and sustainable production.

 

The Song Ma Mango Agricultural Service Cooperative in Song Ma commune has been certified for production according to VietGAP standards.

Focusing on developing transportation infrastructure to boost production, the project has invested in a 6.8 km road connecting the Chiềng Sung production area to the Mai Sơn Industrial Park, which is being urgently completed. Of this, 4.3 km has already been paved with concrete and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

The pilot project to build standardized agricultural and forestry raw material areas contributes to improving the linkage infrastructure, changing the production mindset of farmers; creating a solid foundation from standardizing processes to expanding markets, affirming the position, and gradually bringing Son La agricultural products to the international market.