From subsistence to sustainability

The lush hills of Van Ban district in Lao Cai province, with their cascading rice terraces and pockets of dense forest, hold a wealth of natural resources. Among these, the bamboo shoot sector plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of the local people, particularly the ethnic minority women who have traditionally been central to its cultivation and harvesting.

These women have long toiled in the bamboo groves, their knowledge passed down the generations, contributing significantly to household income and livelihoods. However, their efforts were often characterised by arduous manual labour, unpredictable markets, and limited access to resources and fair prices.

Ms. Trieu Thi Lai, from Tu Ha village in Nam Xe commune, embodies the challenges and the subsequent transformation brought about with support from the GREAT initiative. For years, her life revolved around the rhythm of the bamboo forest. With 3-4 hectares of planted bamboo, she and her family relied on the seasonal harvest for a significant portion of their income.

In the past, Lai’s work was physically demanding and often yielded uncertain returns. Work life comprised the back-breaking work of digging and planting bamboo, navigating the dense terrain, and then harvesting the shoots. Marketing the shoots was equally challenging, often relying on individual efforts to find buyers, mostly local traders who dictated prices. This left her vulnerable to price fluctuations and limited her earning potential.

Planting the seeds of change

Participating in a bamboo shoot development project supported by the GREAT program in 2020 brought real and positive changes to Lai’s life and that of her husband, Trieu Van Thanh. Crucially, they gained access to improved farming techniques enabling them to optimise their bamboo cultivation, leading to higher yields and better quality shoots.

They recounted how this initiative enabled them to improve their land, plant more bamboo, and access markets beyond their immediate locality. Selling domestically in neighboring provinces, they witnessed a significant price increase for their peeled bamboo shoots, rising from 25,000 VND to 35,000 VND per kilogram. This surge in price translated into a substantial increase in their income, jumping from 20 million VND to 30 million VND per crop for their plantation area of three hectares.

In 2024, engaging with the second phase of the GREAT program (GREAT 2, 2022-2027), Ms. Lai’s expectations were more ambitious and targeted the root causes of hurdles facing her business and its expansion. Gathering sufficient quantities was often difficult, and finding reliable markets beyond local traders remained a concern. Prices, though improved, still fluctuated between 25,000 and 30,000 VND per kilogram.

With the support of GREAT 2 and its lead partner, CRED Tourism and Agriculture Company (CRED TAC), Ms. Lai and her husband have been able to leverage support from local authorities to co-found the Nam Xe Cooperative with nine other neighbouring households. Through the cooperative, they and their neighbours have been able to access advanced training on cultivation, thinning and harvesting techniques and establish a lucrative contract with a buyer – both developments being instrumental in overcoming these challenges.

The impact of this change has already surpassed Ms. Lai’s expectations. Previously, collecting even 1-2 kilograms of shoots and coordinating sales with other villagers was daunting. Now, with established processing and sales channels, she confidently handles 1-2 tons, buying also from fellow villagers keen to make the most of her know-how and market networks.

Prices have also increased as a result. During the last harvest season, she was able to purchase peeled bamboo shoots at 43,000 VND per kilogram whilst selling on through a secured 10-year contract with Kim Boi Company, guaranteeing a selling price of 48,000 VND per kilogram.

Scaling up: Cooperatives and market access

The success and dynamism these changes have triggered for Ms. Lai’s family and her neighbours have proven highly motivational to other women in Van Ban prompting others to establish similar cooperatives, capitalising on the burgeoning value of the bamboo shoot sector.

One such example is the Dan Thang Cooperative in Dan Thang commune, founded by 15 determined women, predominantly from the Dao ethnic group. Leading this cooperative is Ha Thi Thu Huong, the passionate Chairwoman and Director. With 15 years of experience in trading agricultural products, often facing the uncertainties of informal markets and even instances of fraud, Ms. Huong is driven by a vision to create sustainable business and employment opportunities for people in her community.

However, establishing and running the cooperative has not been without its difficulties. A significant challenge was convincing local farmers to invest further in bamboo cultivation without concrete evidence of consistent and profitable returns. Limited financial resources to purchase the entire harvest from community members also posed a considerable hurdle.

To address these challenges, Dan Thang Cooperative joined an inspiring visit to meet Kim Boi company, organised by the Van Ban district Department of Agriculture and CRED TAC. This visit culminated in the cooperative signing a similar 10-year business cooperation contract with Kim Boi encompassing technology transfer to support first-stage bamboo shoot processing and preservation.

Partnerships for prosperity

Kim Boi Company’s reputation as a large, reliable, and fair buyer has resonated strongly with cooperative members, amidst positive reports of their consistent and equitable purchasing practices. A major initial concern for the cooperative, particularly given the limited financial resources of its predominantly ethnic minority women members, was the risk of delayed payments. However, Kim Boi Company has already purchased 60 tons of semi-processed bamboo shoots without any payment delays, building both trust and confidence.

The company’s guidance and support for new partners has been a significant source of motivation for local women producers. Kim Boi Company has been instrumental in redressing the limitations of previous training provision by providing comprehensive guidance on handling and preserving bamboo shoots to prevent spoilage and transferring crucial preservation techniques. The cooperative now has strong faith in their partnership with Kim Boi Company and is optimistic about the future.

This success story underscores the rationale for GREAT’s support for the bamboo shoot sector in Lao Cai. Success requires a multi-faceted approach – in this case facilitating the establishment and development of cooperatives; enhancing business capacity and market-orientation; strengthening linkages with lead enterprises on a commercial basis; and leveraging government support to expand bamboo growing areas.

Kim Boi Company’s commitment to providing Dan Thang and Nam Xe Cooperatives with essential tools and technologies for semi-processing and preservation for the 2025 crop has been instrumental in improving the efficiency of the entire bamboo shoot supply chain. The contracts signed with both cooperatives for a total output of 200 tons of semi-processed and preserved bamboo shoots are projected to generate over 400 million VND in profit for these women-led enterprises. Recognising the need to meet this demand, the leaders of Dan Thang Cooperative have invested over 400 million VND in constructing a 160m² factory capable of handling an impressive 1,000 tons of fresh bamboo shoots annually.

Beyond the Kim Boi contract, the cooperatives maintain existing retail customers and anticipate trading a further 500 tons of bamboo shoots annually. The establishment of the local processing facilities and capability is poised to address long-standing issues such as price volatility and reliance on individual traders. Importantly, it is already creating local employment opportunities, including accessible roles for people with disabilities in the pre-processing stages like peeling, boiling, and preserving bamboo shoots.

The Dan Thang Cooperative alone is expected to provide regular employment for 15-20 people. The sweet shoots of bamboo in Van Ban are no longer just a source of livelihoods, thanks to these transformative changes in the bamboo shoot sector and the unwavering determination of women like Ms. Trieu Thi Lai and Ms. Ha Thi Thu Huong. These women are creating, not just benefiting from, the opportunities for economic empowerment, community development and a brighter future for themselves and generations to come.