Digital agriculture movement

Under the canopy of a 70-year-old longan tree in An Khang Hamlet, the familiar sighs of farmers facing pressure from middlemen have now been replaced by lively livestreams led by local youth and the constant ring of incoming orders. The initiative “Livestream Longan Sales – Connecting Consumers Through Digital Platforms,” launched by Nguyen Thanh Van, Vice Chairwoman of the Ward Fatherland Front Committee and Secretary of the An Tuong Youth Union, has opened a new, more effective consumption channel for farmers, helping them increase product value and income.

Youth members of An Tuong Ward assist farmers in selling An Khang high-quality longan.

To ensure accurate product information, Van and local youth visited each orchard before every livestream to learn about varieties and production processes. Despite meeting VietGAP standards, An Khang longan had long struggled with market access and dependence on traditional sales channels. Recognizing this gap, Van worked with the An Khang High-Quality Longan Production Cooperative Group, comprising 20 households and 96.47 hectares, to host livestreams directly from the orchards.

During the 2025 harvest season, Van organized five livestream sessions on Facebook, Zalo, TikTok, and e-commerce platforms, attracting more than 25,000 views, 3,800 interactions, and over 1,200 direct order comments. Within just two weeks, more than 2.3 tons of longan were sold, 60% to buyers outside Tuyen Quang Province. Average household revenue rose by 25–30%, with per-capita income in the production area reaching VND72 million per year.

Building on this success, the initiative has become a foundation for advancing digital transformation in agriculture. Van collaborated with the community digital technology team and the local Farmers’ Association to launch the model “Youth Supporting Farmers in Digital Adoption.” Four training courses on filming and video editing have been held for more than 120 participants, while 15 households have been supported in creating online storefronts and QR codes for product traceability.

Nowadays, over 60% of small producers and businesses in An Tuong Ward use digital platforms, an increase of 35% from 2024. The model has not only boosted economic value but also helped shift mindsets toward modern, tech-driven production. For her contributions, Nguyen Thanh Van was honored as one of 15 national recipients of the 2025 “Inspiring Changemakers” Award presented by the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, SABECO, and Dai Doan Ket Newspaper.

Trang Hoang