I sell clean bamboo shoots, what is there to be afraid of?
My name is Ho Thi Tuong, people also call me Le. I am Bru Van Kieu. Before the project, my life was bound to upland fields, swidden plots, with farming as our main livelihood. But the hardest, most exhausting work was going deep into the forest to collect bamboo shoots.
Ms. Ho Thi Tuong, member of the community group involved in the bamboo shoot cultivation project, Truong Son Commune, Quang Tri.
When the project came, I joined immediately
During bamboo shoot season, I went alone into the forest, far from home. First 7 kilometers, then 10, sometimes even 15. On the way back, I carried the shoots myself, heavy loads of 30 to 40 kilos at most, or 10 to 15 in the dry season. It was exhausting, but hardship is something we are used to. To make a living, we go wherever the forest still has shoots, moving from place to place.
Now, being part of the bamboo shoot cultivation project, I feel both happy and relieved.
I see that this project fits our area well. This is an important lesson for development projects: projects should listen to local people - ask what they need, what they want to grow. When they asked me, I joined right away. The project guided us in choosing bamboo varieties suited to our land.
Our land has many stone quarries, and the air is thick with dust. If we grow fruit trees like oranges when they flower and dust settles on them, making it hard for fruit to grow and stay clean.
But bamboo is different. It also helps hold the soil, preventing erosion along the river and streams where we live. At the same time, it brings extra income, we can sell both bamboo shoots and bamboo poles.
Water trucks operate along the road to reduce dust generated by stone quarrying activities in the area
My family received support from the project: seedlings, fertilizer, and hands-on training. The guidance was very detailed: how to plant, how wide and deep the pits should be, the spacing between plants, when and how much to fertilize, and when fertilization is no longer needed. I learned so much.
The first year was the hardest. Heavy rains here often lead to flooding, and young plants can rot and die, not because of poor seedlings, but because of too much water. But once the bamboo grows taller than a person, after about one and a half to two years, it becomes strong. From then on, the more rain it gets, the better it grows.
Project households share experiences during community activities
When we joined the project, we worked together, guiding each other in planting techniques. The support in sharing local resources made a big difference. Those who started earlier, like Tam, shared what they had and lent young bamboo plants to others. Each of us contributed a bit of knowledge, a bit of labor, and our own experience. The work became lighter for everyone.
Linking with the cooperative
I believe growing bamboo shoots this way is very good. They are among the cleanest products, no spraying, no chemicals. And we ourselves enjoy eating them too (laughs).
We were also trained to process bamboo shoots: making canned, dried, and ready-to-eat products. The key is we linked up with a cooperative. If we want long-term growth, we have to link together. Before, when I collected wild shoots, I sold them on Facebook or at the local market; hard work, but small returns. Now, we see a clearer path forward.
Selling to the cooperative is more profitable. It helps maintain our product’s quality and brand, and working together is far more better than selling alone. Since joining the project, my income has improved, and the work is much less exhausting.
Ms. Tuong uses social media livestreaming to expand product distribution channels
Through selling on Facebook and at the market, I’ve grown more confident. I’m no longer shy. Now I speak up and promote my products with ease.
I often share selling tips with other women in the group. I told them: “If work is scarce, we can rely on the forest. Check demand first - post, see who wants to buy, confirm orders, then go collect. If it doesn’t sell, we share it among ourselves and ship together.”
What makes me happiest is being heard. I feel trusted.
Using short-term gains to support long-term plans
I learned how to use short-term gains to support long-term development. Previously, I planted lemongrass, supported by seedlings and fertilizer from another project. When the lemongrass declined, I interplanted acacia. Now, after selling the acacia, I plan to interplant bamboo shoots with lemongrass. Lemongrass yields quickly while bamboo takes one to two years, but once it grows, it can be harvested for a lifetime. It’s easy to plant and care for. As long as there is land, I believe every household can grow it.
My husband also supports my participation. He says: “Just join. Joining means learning more”. Compared to before, I no longer have to search for bamboo shoots or go deep into the forest. The project will end, but this work must continue.
Mr. Ho Van Suu, Ms. Ho Thi Tuong’s husband, Truong Son commune, Quang Tri province
A dream of expanding the bamboo garden
My wife and I work together. We dig the soil together, hoe together, and fertilize together. We rarely hire anyone. It is our land, so we know it well.
The project supported our family with two rods of land for bamboo planting. Right after planting, floods came. Survival rates were only about 90 percent, with losses due to prolonged flooding. The land is near a stream, so many plants died from inundation.
Previously, I had planted bamboo shoots on my own but failed. I planted dozens of plants, but nearly all died. The seedlings were bought online, at 40,000 VND (about 1.5 USD) per plant-quite expensive. I tried twice, and both times they died. The problem was seedling quality, which I did not understand at the time. The roots looked real in photos, but they were not new roots and lacked strength.
Now, seeing the seedlings provided by the project grow very well, I understand. The seedlings met standards proper age, sufficient roots before being given to us.
The bamboo shoot model suits our area very well, especially with a cooperative in place. If people can plant at scale, there will be stronger market opportunities.
The cooperative guides us in both cultivation and processing, from semi-processed to ready-to-eat products. We’ve been trained to make sweet-and-sour shoots, pickled shoots, crispy pickles, and dried shoots. People are very enthusiastic to learn as we are now learning techniques for crispy pickled shoots and dried shoots. Now, the cooperative is even working toward OCOP certification, opening the door for further growth.
Bamboo shoots brings in a long-term income. Unlike acacia, where after four years the return barely covers the investment, bamboo, once established, is resilient. After two or three years, it can be harvested, and whenever needed, we can sell shoots to support the family and our children’s education.
Seeing my wife’s dedication, I want to grow more. Now that we have good seedlings and the right techniques, I plan to expand. My dream is to grow this bamboo garden into something much larger.
Mr. Ho Van La, participant in the bamboo shoot cultivation project, Truong Son commune, Quang Tri province
Technical support is extremely important
I had never grown bamboo before. This is my first time. My family joined the project in the hope of escaping poverty. The seedlings were provided, so we didn’t have to invest upfront, which already made us happy. More importantly, the project staff shared their technical knowledge. It’s extremely important. Farming without technique is meaningless. Working blindly only makes you poorer.
Now, we work around our homes, which is less exhausting. Before, we worked as hired laborers. In the future, a day of tending our crops and harvesting bamboo may earn more than a full day of labor elsewhere. We no longer have to go deep into the forest. Even in rain or storms, we can stay nearby and harvest what we need.
We started small, following the project’s guidance. If it works, we’ll expand. It’s an opportunity, so we try. And when I began planting, I realized it felt simple, nothing to be afraid of (laughs).
Ms. Ho Thi Son, member of the community group participating in the bamboo shoot cultivation project, Truong Son commune, Quang Tri province
A longing to revive bamboo weaving
Beyond bamboo shoots, mature bamboo can be used to make pens or for weaving. The Bru Van Kieu people have a rich tradition of beautiful and durable bamboo weaving. It lasted through our grandparents’ generation, but by ours, it has faded.
I hope that one day, we can open a weaving class and bring this craft back to life. Through bamboo shoots, we begin to see bamboo not just as a livelihood, but as a way to restore and carry forward the cultural identity of the Bru Van Kieu people.