Building a value chain for MS Nu hoang medicinal herbs

On August 28, in Xuan Hoa Ward, Phu Tho Province, the MS Thien Ngoc Project Coordination Board, in collaboration with the Phu Tho Medicinal Herbs and Safe Vegetable Cooperative, organized a ceremony to award certificates of completion for a GACP-WHO training course, sign cooperation agreements and announce the MS Nu hoang medicinal herb value chain.

The event was attended by representatives from regulatory agencies, research institutions, businesses and cooperatives, as well as 22 trainees who completed the course on Good Agricultural and Collection Practices for medicinal plants in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization (GACP-WHO).

Standardizing production from medicinal plant growing areas

The training course was organized by the Ha Noi Research Centre for Cultivation and Processing of Medicinal Plants under the Institute of Drug Quality Control of Viet Nam (Ministry of Health), focusing on the full production process, from seed selection, land preparation and cultivation to harvesting, preliminary processing and storage of medicinal plants in accordance with GACP-WHO standards.

According to the organizers, the 22 trainees came from various northern provinces and cities. Final assessments showed that all trainees scored at least 70/100 points.

Dr. Nguyen Van Khiem, Director of the Ha Noi Research Centre for Cultivation and Processing of Medicinal Plants, said that training personnel directly involved in production is an important step in controlling the quality of raw materials from the growing areas.

Completion of the training course provides the necessary human resources and technical foundation. However, recognition of growing areas or medicinal plant materials as meeting GACP requirements must be carried out through a separate assessment process in accordance with relevant regulations.

Alongside technical standardization, the project is also digitizing the management of medicinal plant growing areas through the VNPT Green platform, electronic cultivation logs, and RFID/NFT-based identification solutions.

According to the organizers, the digitalization initiative is designed to record the production process from the growing areas, support raw material quality control, and enhance traceability across the supply chain.

Vo Thi Ngoc, Director of MS Thien Ngoc Food Co., Ltd., said the project identifies science, standardized production processes, and partnerships as the foundation for developing medicinal plant products in a green and sustainable direction.

Linking production toward a 10-ha growing area

As part of the program, the parties signed a cooperation agreement on investment, production organization, and the consumption of MS Nu hoang medicinal plants, with a goal of developing a 10-ha raw material growing area in Phu Tho.

In the initial phase, a high-quality propagation area and an approximately 3-ha demonstration model will be established. Based on assessments of soil conditions, plant adaptability, and production efficiency, the raw material growing area is expected to expand to 10 ha.

The model aims to connect growing areas with seed supply, technical transfer, processing, and product distribution, thereby strengthening the linkage between raw material production and market demand.

Nguyen Kim Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Phu Tho Provincial Cooperative Alliance, said that the development of medicinal plants should be closely linked to value-chain partnerships, the application of science and technology, and stronger production management capacity among cooperatives.

According to Tuan, cooperation among the State, scientists, businesses, financial institutions, cooperatives, and farmers could help address challenges related to technology, financing, and markets. For the value chain to operate sustainably, the parties need to clearly define their responsibilities, raw material standards, purchasing arrangements, and mechanisms for sharing benefits and risks.

According to the MS Thien Ngoc Project Coordination Board, following the program, the parties will continue to assess soil conditions and cultivation capacity, develop plans for seed production and cultivation areas, connect funding sources, and finalize commercial agreements.

At the same time, a growing-area management and traceability system will be introduced to monitor the production, harvesting, and movement of raw materials.

The effectiveness of the model will depend on the ability to control raw material quality, ensure transparency in partnerships, and secure markets for products after harvest.