A Cơ Tu woman weaves brocade on a portable frame in central Việt Nam. Nam Giang District in Quảng Nam Province has successfully set up a sustainable development model to boost crafts through community-based tourism. VNS Photo Lê Lâm

QUẢNG NAM — About 80 local ethnic groups have been involved in developing 230 brocade products, offering 150 products to the market for sale and earning VNĐ2 billion (US$87,000) over past four years.

The Japanese non-governmental organisation Foundation for International Development/Relief (FIDR) has reported on the four-year Project for Rural Development by Local Initiatives of the Ethnic Minority Communities in Nam Giang District in central Quảng Nam Province.

FIDR said the project, which was implemented with the cooperation of the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA), FIDR and local authorities between 2016 and 2020 under JICA's Japan Partnership Programme had helped successfully build the ‘Nam Giang Model’ – a base structure for a craft network among ethnic groups in Việt Nam, while building brands and marketing systems for local products.

Following the project, a community-based tourism site in Nam Giang District was built and has welcomed 2,500 visitors over the past four years.

By building a network, the Nam Giang Model crafts is seen as a cheap and effective way of using available materials in poor mountainous areas.

The Cơ Tu ethnic community in Nam Giang have also developed an online and door-to-door delivery service to deal with COVID-19 infections in the local community.

Deputy Director of the Việt Nam Tourism Association (VNAT) Hà Văn Siêu highly appreciated the Nam Giang Model for boosting the ownership of local people while setting up a sustainable development model to expand nationwide.

Briu Thương, director of the Nam Giang Cơ Tu community-based tourism co-operative, said: "The project has helped craft connections from commune to commune and people to people."

The establishment of co-operatives in the district had helped people to share experience and create marketable products that met consumer trends as well as diversifying brocade products.

Last year, FIDR and JICA also helped set up the first weaving network for ethnic groups in the central and Central Highland regions that has helped build trade links and preserve traditional handicrafts.

The network involves the participation of 17 teams from seven ethnic groups, including Xơ Đăng, Ba Na, Tà Ôi, Cơ Tu and Mạ from the provinces of Quảng Nam, Thừa Thiên-Huế, Đà Nẵng, Kon Tum and Đắk Nông.

A brocade weaving demonstration event organised in Hội An to promote the handmade trade among ethnic groups living in central Việt Nam. VNS Photo Công Thành

FIDR helped the Cơ Tu weaving group build a base in Zơ Ra Village, Nam Giang District in 2004.

It was the first weaving co-operative to have 40 members and the group’s products have been exported to Australia.

A series community-based tourism destinations have also been built in Tà Bhing Commune, Bhơ Hoong and Dhroong villages, Tà Lu Commune in Quảng Nam Province and Tà Lang Village in Đà Nẵng to boost the brocade trade.

These Efforts have helped revive the brocade weaving craft through tourism promotions run by the Cơ Tu in Đà Nẵng, Thừa Thiên-Huế, Quảng Nam and Đắk Nông. — VNS