Page 50 - Agricultural innovation

projects on trade promotion of Kien Giang province. Through these activities, farmers can participate
in training, have faster access to scientific and technical achievements and products of enterprises.
In association with Bo De Joint Stock Company, the cooperative members have treated the farming
environment with Bo De biological products to create a good environment for shrimp and crabs to
grow, without having to use chemicals to create organic products.
In order to increase income for cooperative members, the cooperative has expanded into agricultural
product processing to take advantage of locally available materials such as shrimp and fish. In 2019, the
cooperative participated in Oxfam’s Project on Strengthening Gender Equality and Responsible
Agribusiness Investment in Southeast Asia Phase 2 (Graisea 2) to equip machines for processing dried
shrimp and fried fish cakes from tilapia creates jobs for female members of the cooperative. In addition,
the cooperative also produces fish cakes with 100% raw materials from natural tilapia raising in organic
shrimp and rice field. As a result, in 2021, fried fish cake was recognized by the People’s Committee of
Kien Giang province as a 3-star OCOP and typical rural industrial product of the province, and
received many orders outside Kien Giang province.

Figure 13. Product advertisment of Thuan Phat Cooperative at trade fair
Source: Research team 2022

With typical agricultural product brands of Kien Giang province, the cooperative has linked with
5 sales outlets in the southern market (Can Tho, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Rach Gia City) to
achieve monthly sales volume from 150 kg to 200 kg of tilapia cake and 50–100 kg of dried shrimp,
creating jobs and increasing income for 3–4 women.
In summary, the linkage model to build brands and participate in the promotion of agricultural
products has created the cooperative economic model to promote its strengths to be able to participate
sustainably in the supply chain of agricultural products in domestic or export markets to meet the
strategy of ecological agriculture development and regional and world economic integration.

4.7.3. Opportunities and challenges

Thuan Phat cooperative model has brought high efficiency based on organic rice production combined
with shrimp, crab and fish farming as well as fine processing which has enriched the multi-value
characteristics of the collective economic model. It has the opportunity to expand to many areas with
similar conditions. The development of agricultural product processing is current emphasis in the

Agricultural Innovation Review in CLV Countries 43