The South Korea’s Saemaul Globalisation Foundation (SGF) organised a meeting in Da Nang to boost exchanges on ‘Saemaul Undong’ (new village) rural development model.

The ‘Thai Lai - Saemaul New-Style Rural Village’ project is in progress. Photo: danang.gov.vn

Within the framework of the event, there were many activities such as training to improve cultivation and production capacity and promoting the products developed by Saemaul cooperatives.According to Mr. Kwak Busung, representative of Saemaul Foundation, the important purpose of implementing the project is to increase people's income. In particular, the cooperative model is the “midwife” to create sustainable economic development.

Till date, the South Korean agency has supported 8 Vietnamese provinces and cities to build new rural village projects in 14 villages and communes in Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Ninh Thuan, Hau Giang, An Giang and Dong Thap, thus significantly bringing about a facelift to them. 

In Da Nang, the ‘Saemaul Undong’ project was implemented in Thai Lai Village, Hoa Nhon Commune, Hoa Vang District according to a memorandum of cooperation between Hoa Vang District People's Committee and SGF signed in July 2020 with a total investment of VND 14.875 billion, of which VND 14,375 billion is from non-refundable aid investment and VND 500 million is Hoa Vang’s counterpart capital.

The project aims to support Thai Lai villagers to build an effective new-style rural model; develop production and increase income through agricultural mechanisation support; consult, research and test agricultural models suitable to the locality; build such infrastructure as cold storage, cultural house for community activities; and promote brand name, package and witness quality inspection of agricultural products.

The implementation period is running from 2021 to 2024.

It is known that the ‘Saemaul Undong’ project comprises of four contents: consulting to improve local governance capacity, training to enhance knowledge and skills, improve living environment conditions and increase income for people in rural areas.

The Saemaul Undong, also known as New Community Movement or New Village Movement, is a political initiative launched in South Korea in 1970 to modernise the country’s rural economy.

SGF is on its great missions on sharing South Korea’s experience in successfully promoting Saemaul Undong with the international community and enhancing the co-prosperity of mankind in a broad endeavor to practice universal love by contributing to poverty eradication and rural development in developing countries.

Reporting by VAN HOANG - Translating by A.THU