HCM City (VNS/VNA) - CentralRetail Vietnam in collaboration with the People's Committee of K'Bang districtin Gia Lai province has officially launched a project called ‘Livelihood forK'Bang Community’ at Big C Quy Nhon.

The project has attracted the participation of 48 farmer households in thedistrict’s Dong commune, of which more than 30 percent are Ba Na ethnicminorities.

After a period of implementation, fresh vegetables from Gia Lai mountainousarea for the first time are being sold at GO! and Big C supermarkets in the central region (Quy Nhon, Da Nang, Quang Ngai and Hue).

Le Thanh Son, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of K'Bang District, said:“The support from Central Retail Group has enabled vegetables produced byK'Bang farmers under the Livelihood for Community project to enter modernsupermarkets. This is a major turning point, bringing a stable income sourceand improving the livelihoods of the people here.

“K’Bang District will continue to coordinate closely with Central Retail Groupto be able to replicate and implement the project in a sustainablemanner."

Despite being directly affected by heavy storms in October, the project hashelped farmers sell more than five tonnes of fresh vegetables worth more than 100million VND (4,309 USD) in the first month of project. The products includetomatoes, cucumbers, bitter melons, string beans, and forest bamboo shoots.

Nguyen Thi Bich Van, communications director of Central Retail Vietnam, said:“This is the first Livelihood for Community project to be implemented in theCentral Highlands with the desire to improve the lives of people in mountainousareas from the agricultural products they plant.”

Under the project, the retailer instructs farmers in harvesting and packagingof their products in accordance with the supermarket's regulations and buys allthe products to sell at its stores, helping to add more value to the products.

In the coming time, the products will also be sold at the retailer’s stores inthe south, she said. 

In addition to this project, Central Retail Group has implemented seven otherLivelihood for Community projects in Son Ha, Van Ho, Binh Dinh, A Luoi, Sa Pa, MuongKhuong and Bac Kan.

Launched in 2017, the Livelihood for Community project aims to support thelivelihoods of farmers, fishermen and poor households with incomes under 5million VND (215.4 USD) per month in coastal, and rural and remote areas.

Over the past year, the project has helped to consume nearly 800 tonnes ofagricultural products through GO! and Big C supermarket chains, improving thelives of more than 500 farmer households participating in the projects./.