Representatives from CJ Group and the Korea International Cooperation Agency work with Ninh Thuận authorities on the project's expansion. — Photo courtesy of CJ Group
CJ Group and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), will continue to support an expansion of a chilli project in Ninh Thuận Provine, aiming to improve the livelihoods of people in the region.
From July 2024 to June 2026, the two sides invest VNĐ4.2 billion (nearly US$466,000) into the project's expansion.
Together with coordination from the provincial departments, the project will focus on implementing material support programmes to expand farmer participation and increase outputs.
Top priority will be given to implementing material and human support programmes to expand farmer participation and increase output, strengthening the operational system of cooperatives and processors through optimising the business model from cultivation to consumption and sending Korean experts to the region to support chilli cultivation by farmers and production by the plant.
The initial project, implemented from 2014 to 2017, achieved significant milestones such as improving living conditions in Tầm Ngân village in the province's Ninh Sơn District and increasing agricultural income through chilli pepper cultivation contracts.
Particularly, the project enhanced the agricultural value chain in Ninh Thuận and connected with CJ's food sector to maximise project effectiveness, including establishing CJ's agricultural processing plant in Tầm Ngân to ensure market outlets for locally grown chilli.
After the project concluded in 2018, CJ continued efforts to support cooperatives and expand the chilli powder market. However, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to reduced participation of farmers in chilli cultivation and temporary shutdowns of the plant, posing challenges for cooperative activities and farmers' incomes. Nevertheless, since 2022, CJ has continued to support the project with emergency funding to repair the plant and encourage farmers to resume cultivation.
In late 2023, CJ supported the Tầm Ngân Cooperative in replanting chilli and addressing food safety requirements. As a result, Ninh Thuận powder products began to be reintroduced to the market in 2024. However, limited farmer participation has led to lower yields and a shortage of labour in cooperatives and processing facilities.
CJ and KOICA said they hoped that this cooperation would continue to bring positive achievements in improving the livelihoods and sustainable development of the farming community in Ninh Thuận.
Vice chairman of the provincial People's Committee Trịnh Minh Hoàng praised the support from the two sides, saying that it will lead to long-term improvements in the lives of people in the area.— VNS