Dong Anh: Commune Leaders “Go Live” to Tell the Story of Local Specialties

Leaders of the Dong Anh Commune People’s Committee directly participated in a talk show and livestream alongside businesses and cooperatives to introduce OCOP products and tell stories about local craft villages and culture. This approach not only contributes to promoting local specialties and expanding consumer markets but also gradually spreads the mindset of digital transformation in grassroots trade promotion.

At 8 p.m. on August 1, the first livestream talk show, themed “Dong Anh – Bringing Local Specialties into the Digital Space,” was broadcast on the “Discover Dong Anh” Fanpage. The program’s distinguishing feature was the direct participation of leaders of the Dong Anh Commune People’s Committee together with businesses and cooperatives.

Unlike conventional sales livestreams that focus on product uses, prices or promotions, the program devoted considerable time to telling stories about products, raw material areas, craft villages and local cultural values. The first products selected were medicinal herb products from the KOVI High-Tech Medicinal Herb Agricultural Cooperative – a four-star OCOP producer in Dong Anh.

In addition to introducing products, viewers were also guided in experiencing the DongAnh Discovery platform, scanning QR codes to trace product origins, learn about product information and points of sale, and connect with online shopping.

Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Anh Commune People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Luong (center) and representatives of the KOVI High-Tech Medicinal Herb Agricultural Cooperative participate in a talk show and livestream promoting OCOP products. Photo: Mai Khoi

According to Nguyen Thi Luong, Vice Chairwoman of the Dong Anh Commune People’s Committee, the program’s goal goes beyond simply supporting product sales.

“The talk show and livestream are not only trade promotion activities but also a forum for OCOP producers to gain access to digital business methods and gradually master e-commerce, thereby helping improve the competitiveness of local products, expand consumer markets and promote the digital economy in rural areas,” Nguyen Thi Luong said.

For businesses, what makes the program attractive is the direct support of the authorities.

Ngo Quoc Hung, Director of the KOVI High-Tech Medicinal Herb Agricultural Cooperative, said the cooperative decided to participate because the local authorities had proactively created a common “platform” to support OCOP producers in promoting their products in the digital environment.

According to Hung, KOVI had previously sold products through Facebook, Zalo, its website and other online platforms, but its biggest challenges remained reaching customers and building trust. With the authorities’ involvement in the program, the products are introduced in an official setting, giving consumers greater confidence in their origins and quality.

“When a cooperative livestreams on its own, its reach is limited and advertising costs are high. When the locality takes the lead in connecting stakeholders, small cooperatives have an opportunity to reach a broader market at a lower cost,” Hung said.

According to the Dong Anh Commune People’s Committee, the livestream activity is part of Plan No. 340 implementing the 100-day peak campaign to carry out key digital transformation tasks under Plan No. 277 of the Hanoi People’s Committee. The commune aims to put 100% of its signature products on e-commerce platforms; maintain at least one livestream session per week with the participation of local leaders, introducing at least 30 OCOP products, agricultural products, craft village products and creative products, along with cultural and tourism destinations.

Previously, digital transformation was mainly associated with administrative reform and the digitization of records. It is now being expanded to economic development, supporting businesses in building brands and connecting with markets on digital platforms. According to Nguyen Thi Luong, the locality is developing the Dong Anh Digital Agricultural Products Database on the DongAnh Discovery platform.

“Each product will have a digital profile containing images, videos, a QR code, the product story, traceability information and points of sale. When information is transparent, consumers will have greater confidence in local products. That is also the value that digital transformation brings to OCOP products,” Luong said.

OCOP products of Dong Anh Commune are being actively promoted on digital platforms, contributing to expanding consumer markets and increasing product value. Photo: Mai Khoi

Not only businesses but also many residents view this as a new approach to promoting local specialties.

According to Nguyen Thi Mai (Tay Ho Ward, Hanoi), who followed the first livestream, what impressed her was not the promotional offers but the way products were introduced through stories about the locality and the people who make them.

“When local leaders and businesses introduce the products together, I feel that the information is more reliable. Having a QR code to check the origin also gives consumers greater confidence when deciding to make a purchase,” Mai said.

Meanwhile, Pham Van Hoa (Dong Anh Commune) believes the model will be effective if it is maintained regularly and expanded to include more OCOP producers.

“Many local specialties are still not widely known. If there is a product introduction session every week, combined with tourism and craft village promotion, it will not only help sell products but also contribute to promoting the image of Dong Anh,” Hoa said.

Source: Vietnam Business Forum