Developing small-scale handicrafts through restoring traditional occupations, introducing and developing new occupations. This is the solution that many localities are implementing to create jobs and increase income for rural workers. Thereby, contributing positively to the process of economic restructuring, creating a new look for rural areas.

The lantern weaving profession in Hai Nhan commune (Nghi Son town) creates jobs for hundreds of local workers.

Previously, in addition to farming, Ms. Ha Thi Ly, Lan Ngoai village, Lung Niem commune (Ba Thuoc) did not have any other side jobs. Life was therefore quite difficult. Since the locality implemented the Program for Preserving and Developing Traditional Crafts and Villages in Ethnic Minority Areas, Ms. Ly, as well as many other women in the village, have had the opportunity to restore and continue to engage in the traditional weaving profession of the locality. Currently, the brocade weaving profession is being responded to and participated in by many women in the commune, and many families have escaped poverty thanks to brocade weaving. Ms. Ly said: “Brocade weaving has been associated with Thai women for a long time. Later, there were many industrial fabrics and wool threads replacing manual materials, so the craft was somewhat lost. Since the locality implemented the Program to Preserve and Develop Traditional Crafts and Villages in Ethnic Minority Areas, weavers like us have been given the opportunity to preserve the craft and pass it on to the next generation. In addition to weaving products for use, we also weave souvenirs to sell to tourists coming to Pu Luong.”

It is known that the brocade weaving profession in Lan Ngoai village, Lung Niem commune has been recognized by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee as a traditional profession, craft village, and traditional craft village since the end of 2021. Along with that, from the funding source of the Project "Preserving and developing traditional crafts and craft villages in the Thanh Hoa ethnic minority area in the period of 2016-2020" and the support fund of the Provincial Women's Union, Lung Niem commune has mobilized people to invest in buying sewing machines, brocade weaving looms, restoring and developing the traditional weaving profession, both creating jobs, increasing income for people, and having more products to serve community tourism activities. Up to now, the whole commune has more than 80 households participating in production, with 71 looms and 13 display points for brocade embroidery items. Thanks to the traditional brocade weaving profession, the average income of each worker in the village reaches 58 million VND/year; In addition, every year the village also welcomes about 11,000 tourists to visit and experience the craft village.

In order to carry out economic restructuring, create jobs, and increase income for people, especially in rural areas, in recent times, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a number of support policies, such as: investing in technical infrastructure for production; purchasing raw materials, machinery, equipment, production lines; investing in waste collection and treatment systems, concentrated production water in craft villages... At the same time, it has directed sectors and localities to seriously and effectively implement the "Program for preserving and developing Vietnamese craft villages, period 2021-2030" according to Decision No. 801/QD-TTg dated July 7, 2022 of the Prime Minister. Thanks to that, small-scale handicraft industries in the province are developing quite strongly, creating many jobs, increasing income, eliminating hunger, reducing poverty, and improving the lives of rural workers. Rural industrial establishments have created increasingly diverse products, gradually meeting the production and consumption needs of local people, contributing to promoting the process of industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

Along with taking advantage of available raw materials in the province, some establishments have boldly invested in machinery and applied science and technology to production. Brand building and trademark registration have been of interest to craft villages. Vocational training, skill improvement and vocational development activities are increasingly closely linked between vocational training establishments and enterprises. Up to now, the province has 31 craft villages and 61 traditional craft villages recognized. In terms of rural labor and production sectors, the province currently has 1,070 enterprises, 569 cooperatives, 61 cooperative groups and 23,746 households participating in production and business. The total number of workers participating in production and business in rural industries is 126,314 people; of which, regular workers account for 76.5%, seasonal workers account for 23.5%. Income from small-scale handicrafts ranges from 4 to 12 million VND/person/month, depending on the number of products made. However, working hours are not restricted, can take advantage of idle farming time and are especially easy to do, so they attract a large number of middle-aged and over-working-age workers to participate. Vocational training forms are also quite diverse, contributing to the expansion and development of the profession in many localities. To date, craft villages have built 50 OCOP products; total revenue from production and business activities in craft villages in 2024 will reach 11,338 billion VND.

The development of small-scale handicrafts in rural areas creates conditions for the restructuring of agricultural production and rural labor towards industrialization and modernization. Thereby, creating jobs, improving the material and spiritual life of the people, contributing to the effective implementation of the New Rural Development Program.

Article and photos: Khanh Phuong