Support from industry promotion programmes have helped to significantlychange the image of Hoa Binh province’s rural industry as the number ofindustrial production facilities has increased, production graduallymechanised and a large number of laborers found jobs with stableincomes, the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Vietnam Economic Newsreported.
Despite the socioeconomic difficulties in thenorthwestern mountainous province over recent years, the local ruralindustry has witnessed significant changes. Since 2008, the number ofindustrial production and handicraft facilities has increased to about500. The provincial traditional craft villages have also developedrapidly with their products having strengthened positions in the market.
According to the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, thestrong development of the provincial rural industry in recent years is aresult of industry promotion programmes.
In the 2008-2012period, with a funding of more than 4.043 billion VND (190,000 USD), theHoa Binh Industry Promotion and Development Consultancy Centre carriedout many industry promotion projects. It supported Hong Thang Company inMai Chau district to build a bamboo processing plant, set up industrypromotion consultancy centres and organised vocational training coursesfor 3,470 local workers.
In addition, the centre helpedrepresentatives of the industrial production facilities and enterprisesvisit and learn experience from adjacent provinces, adopt newoccupations and facilitate them to broaden production premises as wellas map out development plans for each group of communes, focusing onpotential occupations.
Notably, Hoa Binh industry promotioncreated attractiveness as reciprocal capital sources of thebeneficiaries are much higher than the support funding, at 11.462billion VND (538,700 USD).
In 2013, it continued to helpboost the local industrial and handicraft production. With more than 2billion VND (94,000 USD) from the national and local funding, the HoaBinh Industry Promotion and Development Consultancy Centre organisedvocational training courses for 920 locals and a trade fair forindustrial, handicraft and consumer products.
The industrypromotion programmes and projects encouraged the production facilitiesto expand investment, production and improve the competitiveness oftheir products in the market. Especially, through the vocationaltraining programmes, the laborers have been offered stable jobs.
However, according to the department, the provincial industrypromotion activities over the past years have not promoted fullefficiency and created broad influence as expected. The approach toindustry promotion policies of the provincial industrial productionfacilities still meets with many difficulties. The industry promotionstaff still have limitations in terms of professional skills andcoordination between the local authorities at different levels remainedloose.
Being aware that industry promotion is one of theimportant solutions to create changes for the rural industry, thedepartment will continue to facilitate industry promotion programmesthrough favourable mechanisms.
Accordingly, the province willboost support for local enterprises regarding vocational training,application of cleaner production, energy efficiency in production,supports for advertisement campaigns of the facilities and improvementof the staff’s professionalism.
The provincial Department ofIndustry and Trade will also coordinate closely with Economic andInfrastructure Departments of Hoa Binh city and districts to survey thedemand of enterprises and production facilities for correspondingsupport solutions.
It will also diversify industry promotionactivities in the society to take advantage of all resources for thedevelopment of industrial – handicraft occupations and craft villages.-VNA