Da Nang's agricultural and forestry development space has expanded after the administrative merger. The city is seeking to shift from agricultural production to an agricultural economy in which market demand and added value measure success.
Statistics from the municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment show that Da Nang now has more than 203,000 hectares of agricultural production land, 442 farms, 654 cooperatives and 477 products under the One Commune, One Product (OCOP) programme.
Nineteen products have been exported, and export revenue is projected to exceed 100 billion VND (3.86 million USD) in 2026. Forests and forestry land cover more than 744,000 hectares, including over 688,000 hectares of natural and planted forests. This provides a foundation for developing the forestry economy and cultivating medicinal plants.
However, the scale of these resources has not yet produced comparable economic returns. Vu Thi Bich Hau, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Environment, said the priority is to improve the quality of development rather than simply expand production. Authorities also want to determine how much value each garden and farm can generate and where that value can be increased.
Growing medicinal plants under forest canopies alongside livestock farming and ecotourism is emerging as a development direction for mountainous communes. The model is intended to generate income while maintaining forest cover.
In the border commune of Hung Son, medicinal plants and tourism have been identified as priority areas. Nguyen An, Chairman of the commune People's Council, said local authorities are helping residents grow medicinal plants under forest canopies, introducing payments for forest environmental services and examining ways to earn income from forest resources, including the possible use of carbon credits.
The commune has successfully transplanted and trialled Ngoc Linh ginseng while developing other valuable medicinal plants.
For cooperatives, short-term income is important for sustaining long-term investment. Bh'ling Mieng, Director of the Loc Troi Agriculture, Medicinal Plants and Tourism Cooperative in Tay Giang commune, said medicinal plants including ba kich (Morinda officinalis How) and Paris polyphylla take around five years to mature for harvesting. Relying only on income from these crops would make it difficult for growers to continue production.
The cooperative therefore combines medicinal plant cultivation with livestock and poultry farming and on-site ecotourism to generate short-term cash flow.
The Loc Troi cooperative has been recognised as a tourist destination but is not yet able to receive international visitors. Mieng called on the city to establish an appropriate management framework that would allow foreign tourists to stay at ecotourism sites near the border.
Building on forests, gardens and local knowledge, Da Nang can develop value chains linking agriculture with processing and services. When residents can earn a sustainable living from forestry, local products have stable markets and more value remains in communities, the shift from agricultural production to an agricultural economy can begin to produce sustainable results.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
