Stories

The cultivation of a homeland’s rice brand

Read the story in Vietnamese here “This area is home to delectable rice - rice grown on shrimp-farming land.” Ms. Dieu swiftly packed the five-kilo bag of rice branded “Tri Luc” as she spoke. She didn’t hide the regret that her cooperative used to sell raw paddy to the enterprises, making little...

The head of health station's dream

Eager to provide health information to local people in a practical way, Mr. Nguyen Van Kien, Head of Son Trinh Village Health Station in Tan Lam Huong Commune, turned communication classes on “Hygiene promotions, commu-nity-led WASH-COVID-19 risk prevention” into exciting activities. The sessions...

The side hustle of a heroine

Along the winding river in An Minh district, Kien Giang, it is not difficult to spot the restless figure of Ms. Lam checking the quality of a new tilapia batch. She opened up: “In this area, tilapias are plentiful and cheap. People usually just chop them up as food for crabs. Such wasteful practice...

Những đôi bàn tay xù xì, thô ráp

Con đường đi từ trung tâm huyện Lạc Sơn vào Xóm Trắng Đồi, xã Yên Phú ghé ngang qua những cánh đồng ngô. Những viên đá tảng nằm điểm xuyết trong bức tranh đồi núi trập trùng. Năm gười phụ nữ tập trung tại nhà văn hóa cùng tiếng cười vang lên rộn ràng...

The water whisperer

Read this story in Vietnamese here It was a sweltering spring afternoon when I first conversed with Ms. Linh. Having just finished a communication session on using and storing clean water, Ms. Linh struck me as nimble and spirited. “It is currently the dry season here at U Minh Thuong. Clean water...

The artisan mother and her entrepreneur daughter

Mats in Vietnamese culture are emblematic of close-knit, sacred unions. They are where families gather to share the food tray for meals, and sometimes to huddle for intimate discussions. In the olden days, layers of mats were where local musicians sat, forming a stage during festivals to play...

Building a Vietnamese brand at home

“Once you get here, you just know these trees are going to offer the tastiest teas,” Nguyen Thi Tham, CEO of tea company TAFOOD, said of Ban Be, a village near the peak of Ta Xua mountain in Vietnam’s northern Son La province. To its H’Mong villagers, the ancient snow shan tea forest is their...

Nurturing Sustainable farmer - trader partnerships

Nguyen Van Lanh claims to be particularly picky when it comes to choosing a business partner. “It’s like finding a wife, you must find someone honest,” the tan-skinned farmer said of his vision of ideal companionship as he sat by a water-filled ditch in the middle of his pomelo garden. As a person...

When waste reduces environmental pollution - a story from Dinh Hoa, Thai Nguyen

Tea is one of the vital agricultural industries in Thai Nguyen. However, the process of drying tea raises many concerns about its negative impact on the environment and the health of producers. On the other hand, a large amount of waste from agroforestry production is a potential, but currently...