At 1,500 to 1,800 meters above sea level and in a temperate climate zone, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 18 degrees Celsius, the noted tourist destination of Sa Pa in Lao Cai province also holds advantages in growing medicinal plants. Many households have shifted cultivation away from rice to artichokes in recent years. Such new crops have helped farmers in Sa Pa bolster their earnings and improve their living conditions.
With the aim of promoting the value of local agricultural products, Lao Cai province has implemented a range of measures to bring the “One Commune One Product” (OCOP) programme to life. The province is leveraging the tourism advantages Sa Pa town and Bac Ha, and Bat Xat districts hold to sell safe agricultural products to more customers both at home and abroad.
With assistance from the government, the programme is effectively leveraging the advantages localities possess and gradually sending OCOP products to other markets, meeting demand among customers.
The OCOP programme has proven effective in restructuring Lao Cai’s agriculture sector towards leveraging the creativity and internal force of the community, while encouraging the application of technology to develop sustainable agriculture production chains./.
