PROJECT LAUNCHING: APPLYING AI TO SUPPORT COOPERATIVES IN LAO CAI PROVINCE
In the morning of January 8, 2026, the Females from Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas Research and Development Center (FEMMA)- Thai Nguyen University, in coordination with the Lao Cai Provincial Farmers’ Association, organized the Project Launch Workshop for the project “Applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Sustainable Production and Market Promotion for Cooperatives in Lao Cai Province.”
The project is funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) through the Embassy of Canada in Viet Nam, to enhance digital capacity, promoting gender equality, and supporting economic development for cooperatives in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
Participants at the Workshop included:
• Mr. Do Minh Huan – Vice Chairman, Lao Cai Provincial Farmers’ Association
• Ms. Vu Thi Hanh – Deputy Head of the Farmers’ Affairs Division, Lao Cai Provincial Farmers’ Association
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Viet Khanh – Former Vice President of Thai Nguyen University, Senior Advisor to FEMMA
• Dr. Nong Hong Hanh – Deputy Director in charge, Females from Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas Research and Development Center (FEMMA)
• Dr. Pham Ngoc Phuong – Information Technology Expert, Thai Nguyen University
The Workshop was also attended by representatives of cooperatives across Lao Cai Province, the majority of whom are ethnic minority women, the project’s primary beneficiaries.
In her remarks at the Workshop, the representative of FEMMA emphasized the importance of bringing AI technologies, such as free, user-friendly, and easily accessible to women and cooperatives in mountainous areas, thereby improving production efficiency, strengthening product branding, and expanding market access.
The launch workshop marked not only the official start of the project but also demonstrated a strong commitment and close collaboration among Thai Nguyen University, FEMMA, local authorities, mass organizations, and the cooperative community, toward inclusive and sustainable development.
The project will continue with training courses, on-site expert mentoring, and the establishment of an AI network for cooperatives in the coming period.
#CFLI #CanadaFundForLocalInitiatives #CanadaInVietnam #TNU #FEMMA #WomenEmpowerment #AI #BinhDangGioi #ChuyenDoiSo #PhuNuDanTocThieuSo #HopTacXa
