Its director, Nguyen Thi Hong Le, has helped drive sustainable development in this mountainous region by sharing her expertise, teaching farming skills, and inspiring others.
Born into a farming family, Nguyen Thi Hong Le understands the challenges faced by local farmers. Hoping to improve her family’s income and help others build better lives in their hometown, she established the Hanh Le Mulberry and Silkworm Cooperative.
The cooperative operates a facility for rearing young silkworms, alongside 2.5 hectares of mulberry plantations. Le hopes to make the cooperative a key link between hundreds of farming households and businesses, creating economic opportunities and supporting sustainable rural development.
"Mulberry farming provides a stable income for local farmers. Companies now buy silkworm cocoons directly from farmers at attractive prices, sometimes reaching 8 USD per kilogram. This gives farmers the confidence to continue growing mulberry trees and raising silkworms. Farmers from many other localities have come to learn from our experience," said Le.
The Hanh Le Mulberry and Silkworm Cooperative has brought together three farming groups with more than 110 members, helping them secure direct purchasing agreements with Yen Bai Sericulture Joint Stock Company. These agreements have provided farmers with a reliable market for their cocoons, boosted their incomes, and created regular and seasonal jobs, encouraging more local people to continue working in the industry.
"I've been working here for nine years, earning around 500 USD a month. The work isn't physically demanding, so it's suitable for people of all ages," said Nguyen Thi Nhung, a resident of Tran Yen Commune.
The Hanh Le Mulberry and Silkworm Cooperative supplies its members with high-quality young silkworms and improved mulberry varieties, while also providing technical training and promoting modern farming practices to improve production.
"Life used to be very difficult. Sometimes, we couldn't even afford to pay our electricity bills. But since we started growing mulberry trees and raising silkworms, our lives have changed for the better," said Dam Thi Dan, who has received training on developing successful mulberry-growing and silkworm-farming businesses.
The Hanh Le Mulberry and Silkworm Cooperative has embraced green agriculture and circular farming practices to cut production costs and protect the environment. It has set up composting facilities where pruned mulberry branches and stems are chopped up and fermented with beneficial microorganisms to produce organic fertilizer. This fertilizer is then used on the cooperative's fields, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and making farming more sustainable.
The cooperative has also tapped into the region's tourism potential by offering visitors hands-on experiences in traditional silk production, from picking mulberry leaves and feeding silkworms to reeling silk and weaving fabric. These activities have diversified its income. The cooperative now generates nearly 75,000 USD in annual revenue, with profits exceeding 35,000 USD.
"The Hanh Le Mulberry and Silkworm Cooperative is one of the most successful models in the area. By introducing advanced farming techniques and applying scientific innovations to mulberry cultivation and silkworm farming, it has increased cocoon production and improved mulberry leaf quality. These efforts have helped raise incomes not only for cooperative members but also for farmers and other residents throughout Tran Yen Commune," Nguyen Thi Nga, Chairwoman of the Tran Yen Commune Farmers' Association, said.
Nguyen Thi Hong Le's dedication and achievements have earned her numerous honors, including certificates of merit at various levels for excellence in agricultural production and business. In 2025, she received a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister for her contributions to Vietnam's new-style rural development program.
In 2026, Le was named one of three farmers from Lao Cai Province to receive the title of "Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer of 40 Years of Doi Moi (Renewal)" for her creativity, dedication, and commitment to improving the livelihoods of local farming communities.
