Lai Chau's green aspiration: Precious medicinal herbs on Sin Ho plateau

Reviving Sin Ho medicinal herbs from indigenous knowledge

The Sin Ho Plateau (Lai Chau) has long been endowed by nature with a year-round cool climate, comparable to temperate regions such as Sa Pa or Da Lat. These unique natural conditions have created significant advantages for cultivating valuable medicinal plants.

In the memory of many people, the 1980s marked the most prosperous period of the local medicinal herb sector, when Sin Ho became one of the country's largest suppliers of medicinal herbs, with quality assessed as superior to that of many other regions.

Beyond its favorable natural conditions, Sin Ho also possesses a valuable repository of indigenous knowledge of the Dao ethnic community, particularly the Dao Khau people. Through generations of living in close connection with the forests and mountains, they have accumulated diverse experience in using medicinal herbs for healing. These traditional remedies carry not only medical value but also represent a distinctive cultural heritage.

Among them, the My Dao traditional remedy for rheumatism stands out as a typical example. The remedy is widely known for its effectiveness in treating musculoskeletal diseases, aches and pains, and limb numbness. The remedy is the result of a combination of folk knowledge and the family's long-standing accumulated experience.

Born and raised in Sin Ho, Tan My Dao soon became stuck with the forests and medicinal plants. Witnessing patients recover sparked a deep passion for medicinal herbs in her. From there, an aspiration to preserve and develop indigenous medicinal herbs gradually took shape.

In 2005, she was admitted to Tay Bac University with the aspiration to preserve and advance her family’s traditional remedies. During her studies, she actively researched indigenous medicinal plants and achieved many notable accomplishments.

It was also there that she met Giang Xuan Cuong, who would later become her husband and career partner. After graduation, both returned to Sin Ho to live and work in the public sector. However, their passion for medicinal plants continued to drive them toward seeking their own path. "Indigenous medicinal plants are the motivation for me to help local people stabilize their livelihoods. If we do not act, these valuable remedies may be lost," she shared.

Recognizing the significant potential of local medicinal resources, Tan My Dao began dedicating time to researching and developing products based on her family’s traditional remedies. This path’s greatest challenge lay in persuading local residents to engage in medicinal plant cultivation due to high initial investment costs and long payback periods. With an investment of nearly VND 100 million/ha, many households could not afford to pursue it.

For more than a decade, Tan My Dao persevered in her research, spending her entire income on product development. This persistence gradually helped realize her dream.

A valuable remedy from 19 medicinal herbs.

After years of effort, the My Dao herbal bath product was launched, marking a major turning point. The remedy is formulated from more than 19 precious medicinal herbs found on the Sin Ho plateau, combining the family’s experience with modern scientific knowledge. The product not only preserves its traditional value but has also been improved to better meet consumer needs.

Currently, the product is available in three main forms: oral medicine, herbal bath, and massage oil. Its uses are diverse, from supporting blood circulation and relieving musculoskeletal pain to providing postnatal care for women. Thanks to its stable quality and clear effectiveness, the product has been increasingly well received by the market.

The recognition by the Lai Chau Department of Health in 2019, followed by the 3-star OCOP certification in 2020, marked an important milestone affirming the product’s credibility and quality in the market. To scale up production, Tan My Dao established the Tan My Dao Cooperative together with a group of young members sharing the same passion. Notably, the cooperative's Director is Giang Xuan Cuong, who left his public-sector job to pursue the medicinal herb sector.

The cooperative currently has around 10 ha of medicinal plant cultivation, mainly Angelica sinensis, while linking with households in neighboring communes to expand its raw material zones. This linkage model helps stabilize output for local farmers, with average incomes of VND 7–15 million/household/month.

In addition, the cooperative has invested in a modern, high-capacity herbal drying system to enhance product value. Each year, the unit supplies around 40 tons of fresh medicinal herbs to the market and also develops deeply processed products such as herbal extracts and massage oils.

Beyond production, the cooperative also focuses on conserving valuable medicinal plant genetic resources. The application of vegetative propagation methods helps maintain crop quality while ensuring a stable supply of seedlings for local farmers. This is a key factor in promoting the sustainable development of the local medicinal herb sector.

In the future, the Tan My Dao Cooperative aims to integrate medicinal herb development with experiential tourism. Tourists will be able to explore the Sin Ho plateau, learn about the growing and processing of medicinal herbs, and experience herbal-based health care products.

With a vision to preserve and promote precious medicinal resources, Tan My Dao's model not only contributes to economic development but also helps safeguard the traditional cultural values of the Dao community. It stands as clear evidence for the effective integration of indigenous knowledge and modern science, creating a sustainable development pathway for the northwestern highlands.

$1 = VND 26,355 - Source: Vietcombank