Shaping a path for craft villages to reach further

On the morning of September 25 in Da Nang, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the Da Nang People’s Committee, held a conference to review six years of implementing Government Decree No. 52/2018/ND-CP on rural industry development, and three years of implementing the Program on Conservation and Development of Craft Villages under the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 801/QD-TTg dated July 7, 2022, for the 2021-2030 period.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Hung chaired the conference, which gathered representatives from ministries, sectors, localities, associations, enterprises, cooperatives, and numerous artisans.

Reviving craft villages

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, after six years of implementing Decree 52 and nearly three years of carrying out the Conservation Program, many positive results have been achieved, making practical contributions to the new rural development program and sustainable agricultural growth.

Total revenue from rural industry activities reached VND 376.697 trillion (approx. USD 15.4 billion), an increase of VND 200.442 trillion compared to 2019. Nationwide, 63 traditional crafts and 81 craft villages at risk of disappearing have been restored and preserved. At present, the country has 263 traditional crafts and 1,975 recognized craft and traditional craft villages (including 1,308 craft villages and 667 traditional villages).

The rural industry workforce now exceeds 2.1 million people, an increase of 789,000 workers compared to 2019. Average income reaches VND 4–5 million (USD 160–205) per person per month, double that of pure agricultural laborers. Notably, handicrafts account for up to 35% of annual export turnover, while also creating opportunities for experiential tourism, product promotion, and showcasing craft village culture.

Alongside the positive results, delegates also pointed out numerous shortcomings. The supply of concentrated raw materials remains insufficient; criteria and procedures for recognizing craft villages are not yet harmonized; and support policies for artisans are not strong enough to encourage technological innovation and digital transformation. Many management, vocational training, and knowledge transfer models remain fragmented and lack value chain linkages. Several provisions of Decree No. 52/2018/ND-CP are no longer suited to current realities, particularly those related to infrastructure development, digital databases, digital mapping, green credit, and sustainable craft village criteria.

In addition, investment has been spread thin and lacks depth; brand-building efforts are inconsistent; and trade promotion and international integration activities remain limited, failing to unlock potential fully.

Craft villages as pillars in the socio-economic strategy

To ensure that craft villages not only “survive” but also “shine, go green” and reach global markets, the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development announced it will advise the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to propose amendments to Decree 52 to the Government. These amendments will include categorizing craft groups and introducing tailored policies for each. A key focus will be on developing raw material zones directly linked to craft villages, offering incentives for artisans and skilled workers, and strengthening trade promotion both domestically and internationally.

Digital transformation was also highlighted, with solutions such as digitizing data on rural industries and craft villages to connect domestic and international markets better; and supporting production to meet stringent requirements on quality and traceability, particularly in ensuring clean and green raw materials for potential markets such as Europe and the Americas.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Vo Van Hung stressed that rural industries and traditional craft villages not only generate economic value but also preserve cultural identity and the nation’s soul. He underlined that, for craft villages to become cultural and economic pillars in the sustainable rural development strategy, it is vital to promptly improve institutions and amend Decree 52 in the spirit of “greener, more digital, and reaching further.”

The Deputy Minister proposed standardizing the process of recognizing craft villages, linking development criteria with economic, environmental, cultural, and tourism requirements; developing raw material zones along organic and circular principles; enhancing promotion, market connectivity, and product value. At the same time, he emphasized the need to accelerate digital transformation, develop human resources, honor artisans, provide supportive policies, and nurture the next generation.

“In the new context, alongside many opportunities, there are also considerable competitive challenges. However, if we stand side by side with artisans, craft villages, farmers, and rural workers, we will certainly achieve promising results in the time ahead,” the Deputy Minister stressed.

The Deputy Minister called on all ministries, sectors, localities, and relevant agencies to uphold their sense of responsibility and contribute to improving the institutional framework, addressing overlapping, unclear, or ineffective regulations, and focusing on core issues. He stressed that this would ensure rural industry development, as well as the conservation and promotion of traditional craft village values, achieve more practical and sustainable results in the future.