Nam Co Awakens: Unlocking Economic Potential in Vietnam's Mountainous Region
Nam Co, a mountainous region in Vietnam, has undergone significant development in recent years. The area is home to the ethnic Mong people, who have traditionally relied on agriculture as their primary source of income. However, with limited access to markets and services, many locals struggled to make ends meet.
In an effort to address this issue, local authorities have been actively encouraging the community to diversify their crop structure and shift towards a market-oriented economy. This approach has led to the development of specialty crops such as Tan sticky rice, hawthorn, and cardamom medicinal plants, which are now being cultivated in large areas.
The transformation has had a positive impact on the local economy, with forest resources being transformed into a sustainable source of livelihood. The area has seen an increase in forest cover from 46% to 67%, with over 850 hectares newly planted between 2020 and 2024. This has resulted in significant revenue generation, with hawthorn and cardamom trees contributing approximately 31 billion VND and forest environmental services adding over 6 billion VND annually.
The poverty rate in the commune has decreased to 46.3% and is expected to reduce by another 13% this year. The local authorities are now aiming for high-value-added agriculture, with a focus on developing distinctive products that can compete in the market. The Tan Nam Co sticky rice brand is being developed, and low-yield rice fields are being converted into areas for cultivating mustard greens, corn, sweet potatoes, and sugarcane.
Tourism has also become an important source of revenue, with over 25,000 visitors welcomed in the first six months of this year. This has created new job opportunities for locals, with each tourist generating approximately 600,000-700,000 VND per round-trip tour. The local authorities aim to develop ecotourism, community tourism, experiential tourism, and agricultural tourism in Lung Cung village and Lung Cung peak.
The transportation infrastructure is also being improved, with inter-village roads being reinforced and the Tu San bridge connecting the area to the IC15 interchange of the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway. The goal is to reach 35,000 tourists per year by 2030 and achieve an average income of 52 million VND per person per year.