 A medicinal herb garden in Tan Dan commune.
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Trieu Tai Cao in Bang Anh hamlet is in charge of protecting 9ha of natural forest in Tan Dan commune. In 2017 his forest was chosen as a model for growing medicinal plants.
His son, Triệu Tiến Lộc, said: “A Dao herbal bath is very good for a woman who has given birth. It helps her get well quickly. The plants grow abundantly in the forest. But now that the forests are being massively exploited, we plant certain types of plants needed for popular herbal medicines which help Dao households earn extra income.”
The Dao in Hoanh Bo are learning to grow new kinds of herbs. The Khang Thinh HB Pharmaceutical Farm in Tan Lap hamlet has piloted the cultivation of Sachi plants on a 1-ha farm. Sachi, a highly nutritious plant, is good for people with cardiovascular diseases or high blood pressure.
Ban Van Mao, head of the Khang Thinh HB Farm, says companies have contracted to buy all they produce.
”We didn’t know about Sachi until recently. We visited a few farms and decided to form a cooperative to grow Sachi. The plant is easy to grow and has a long lifespan. It can help people in mountainous regions earn enough extra income to escape poverty,” said Mao.
Although medicinal herb gardens are not highly profitable, the Dao and the local administration are determined to exploit the indigenous herbs to generate job and extra income.
Dang Van Chuong, Head of Hoanh Bo district’s health sector, said: “We have policies to encourage businesses, cooperatives, and farmers to grow medicinal herbs, such as a subsidy of 50% to 70% for seedlings and 50% for building processing facilities and warehouses. We have financed the application of technology in production and the creation of a provincial trademark.”
Growing and processing medicinal herbs in Hoanh Bo district has made use of local advantages to boost economic growth. But Dao farmers now need more capital, better infrastructure, better cultivation techniques, and a stable consumer market to sustainably expand medicinal herb gardens.