Tangible results recorded

Doan Van Chau, Deputy Director of the Son La Department of Industry and Trade, said that between 2021 and 2024, the department implemented several industrial promotion projects to assist rural industrial production facilities in adopting technology and digital tools.

The provincial Center for Industrial Promotion and Industrial Development Consultancy, now operating as the Division of Industrial Promotion and Industrial Development under the Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion, supported 42 projects with a total budget of over VND 9 billion. These initiatives mainly focused on helping local businesses apply advanced machinery and equipment to improve productivity and product quality.

Acceptance of the project supporting rural industrial establishments with provincially recognized outstanding products in product display and introduction at their premises, implemented for Thanh Phuong One Member Limited Liability Company (Son La City, Son La Province).

For instance, Moc Chau Cordyceps Cooperative, based in Moc Chau Farm Town, Moc Chau District, received support to implement equipment in its cordyceps production. The cooperative also provided freeze drying machine improved both productivity and product quality. With the new equipment, the cooperative no longer needs to outsource drying services, which reduces production costs and increases income.

Dung Lam Tea Joint Stock Company, located in Chieng Khoa Commune, Van Ho District, also received assistance to apply modern equipment in tea processing. The tea color sorting machine helped speed up the screening process and retained only the finest tea buds.

In addition to supporting machinery upgrades, the Department of Industry and Trade has implemented several initiatives to promote digital transformation at rural production facilities. These include assistance in building and registering product trademarks, helping businesses develop websites, joining e commerce platforms, expanding distribution channels, and organizing training courses and seminars on digital transformation. These activities have helped businesses access modern technologies, enhance production efficiency, and broaden market reach.

The outcomes not only increase the value of local products but also create stable employment and promote economic development in rural and mountainous areas across the province.

Mobilising capital for technology adoption

Building on the achieved results, Doan Van Chau stressed that the application of advanced technology is bringing major changes to rural production, especially in agricultural processing.

However, Son La currently has around 4000 businesses and thousands of rural industrial production facilities. Most of them operate on a small scale, lack connectivity in value chains, and face challenges in uniformly adopting technological solutions and digital tools.

Financial constraints are also key issues. Investing in modern machinery and information technology infrastructure requires substantial capital, and many production units either cannot afford it or are reluctant due to potential risks. Industrial promotion funds remain limited and mostly cover only a portion of the costs, falling short of creating strong incentives for technology upgrades. In addition, there is a shortage of skilled technical workers, limited awareness and digital skills, and underdeveloped infrastructure.

To address these limitations, local authorities have increased outreach and consultation efforts to raise awareness among businesses about the benefits of applying technology and digital transformation. They are also seeking suitable funding sources. However, tangible improvements remain limited.

In the coming period, the Son La Department of Industry and Trade will continue reviewing, amending, and introducing new policies to meet actual needs. The department will implement more industrial promotion projects to support businesses in applying modern equipment, and will accelerate technology application, transfer, and technical innovation, especially in the development of key, distinctive, and high potential products in agroforestry processing.

More training courses and seminars on digital transformation will be held to improve awareness and skills, particularly for production facilities in remote areas. Businesses and producers will be supported in building brands, registering trademarks, and joining e commerce platforms.

The province also plans to work with relevant agencies and organisations to identify and mobilise funding sources to support businesses in digital transformation. Businesses will be guided in developing appropriate digital transformation roadmaps tailored to their production conditions and workforce capabilities.

Efforts are also underway to build a digital foundation for rural industry, including developing a digital database of businesses, products, and equipment. This will make it easier to analyse data, evaluate progress, and provide targeted support.

Production facilities will be encouraged to use e invoices, digital signatures, and management software to gradually digitise their business and production processes.