In the context of digital transformation and green development becoming inevitable trends, the project entitled “Digital Knowledge Ecosystem Integrated with E-commerce to Support Sustainable Development and Consumption of OCOP Products” (KCS Gateway), led by Thai Nguyen University, has been developed with the goal of creating a comprehensive digital platform that enables local people—particularly women from ethnic minority communities—to enhance their digital competencies, improve livelihoods, and expand access to markets.
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The project is being implemented in three pilot communes: Sin Cheng, Muong Hum, and Hanh Phuc in Lao Cai Province.
The KCS Gateway Project is funded by the Women-Led Green Partnership (PWG) Initiative, managed by Oxfam in Vietnam under the Women-Led Green Partnership Programme, which is supported by the European Union (EU). The Lao Cai Campus of Thai Nguyen University serves as a key partner in supporting local communities throughout the project implementation process by strengthening capacities, facilitating knowledge sharing, and promoting market development for OCOP products in the three pilot communes of Sin Cheng, Muong Hum, and Hanh Phuc.
Sin Cheng Commune is known for its strengths in traditional agricultural production, with distinctive products such as red peanuts, green soybeans, seeded bananas, indigenous ducks, and many other unique agricultural products. Muong Hum Commune is famous for its stunning natural landscapes, traditional weekend market, and agricultural products including tea, pears, and plums. The commune also possesses significant potential for community-based tourism development linked to OCOP products. Meanwhile, Hanh Phuc Commune has been gradually developing commercial agricultural production models, local specialty products, and household economic activities, making it a promising area for applying digital technologies in product promotion and marketing.
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Project staff provides guidance and support to ethnic minority women in enhancing their knowledge, developing products, strengthening community connections, and bringing OCOP products closer to consumers.
Through the model of “Learn – Apply – Connect – Market,” the KCS Gateway Project aims to build a digital ecosystem that empowers women to expand their knowledge, improve product development, foster community networks, and increase the visibility of OCOP products among consumers. Beyond creating opportunities for higher incomes, the project also contributes to enhancing the role and status of women within families and society, promoting gender equality, supporting green economic development, and fostering sustainable livelihoods for local communities.
From Sin Cheng, Muong Hum, and Hanh Phuc, the project is opening a new journey in which digital knowledge, technology, and aspirations for development come together to create sustainable values for the people of the highlands of Lao Cai.
