Supporting rural industries in applying digital technology

Rural industrial products are playing an increasingly important role in economic restructuring, job creation, and the improvement of people's living standards. With thousands of rural industrial production facilities across the province, expanding production and business operations while boosting sales is inevitable and requires support from the State.

Toan Thang Agarwood Facility is stepping up its e-commerce efforts to boost sales. Photo: Vuong The

Recently, Dong Nai has implemented many solutions to support rural industrial production facilities in technology transfer, aiming for greener production and the application of digital transformation elements in their operations.

Efforts to apply technology and embrace digital transformation

Dong Nai currently has thousands of rural industrial production facilities in operation. Among them, enterprises and production facilities have more than 400 products certified as typical rural industrial products. However, objectively speaking, the biggest "bottleneck" for these typical rural industrial products at present lies in consumption. Although many products meet the 3-4-star standards of the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Program and have won national-level awards, many facilities still struggle with traditional sales methods and a narrow customer reach. Therefore, investing in technology, improving production capacity, and strengthening sales skills have become priorities that many units have worked to pursue in recent years.

Dang Tuong Khanh, Director of Trong Duc Cocoa Co., Ltd. (in Phu Hoa commune, Dong Nai province), said the company has been focusing on investing in technology and modernizing its production lines in order to enhance the value of local cocoa products. Thanks to careful investment in technology and cooperation with foreign partners, the company now has several products that meet national 5-star OCOP standards, and its products have also been recognized as national typical rural industrial products in 2025.

Alongside technological investment, digital transformation in sales is also a concern for many businesses. The Anna Dragon Fruit Wine production facility (in Dau Giay commune, Dong Nai province) has recently participated in many training courses and received guidance and support from experts and key opinion leaders in e-commerce. As a result, the facility has become more proactive in building TikTok livestream scripts, applying artificial intelligence solutions, and using keywords to increase viral reach, thereby improving the effectiveness of livestream sales.

Similarly, Pham Xuan Toan, owner of Toan Thang Agarwood Facility (in Long Khanh Ward, Dong Nai Province), said that livestream sales sessions are organized regularly. At the same time, the facility’s products are selling well on e-commerce platforms and are supplied to many provinces and cities across the country. This endeavor has enabled Toan Thang Agarwood to expand its 11-hectare cultivation area for Aquilaria crassna, creating a stable source of raw materials for production.

Accompanying and supporting development

As a locality with thousands of rural industrial enterprises and production facilities, over the past few years, the province has strengthened various support measures for development. During the 2021–2025 period, Dong Nai supported 37 rural industrial establishments in investing in modern machinery and equipment across sectors such as cashew processing, wood processing, mechanical engineering, textile fibers, food production, and construction materials. These policies not only helped enterprises increase productivity by 15–40% but also significantly improved product quality, reduced raw material losses, and ensured occupational safety.

In 2026, as part of the industrial promotion program, Dong Nai will continue to allocate significant resources to trade promotion activities, with a focus on larger scale and greater professionalism, and closer alignment with the actual needs of the market.

In the long term, the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee has issued the Industrial Promotion Program for the 2026–2030 period. The program aims to activate, mobilize, and effectively utilize all resources for the development of industry and handicrafts in connection with building new-style rural areas and restructuring the economy toward industrialization and modernization.

Key tasks in industrial promotion in the coming period include supporting the application of advanced technologies, energy-saving equipment, and automation in rural industrial production, as well as promoting technology transfer and modern production models. Enterprises are also encouraged to implement cleaner production models to support the development of a green and circular economy. At the same time, digital transformation will be promoted in governance, trade promotion, supply-demand connection, product traceability, and product quality management.

According to Nguyen Duc Trong, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Center for Industrial Promotion and Industrial Development Consultancy (Department of Industry and Trade), the 2026–2030 period will set very high requirements on digital transformation and environmental standards. The center will focus on consulting, technology connection, and accompanying rural industrial enterprises and production facilities in comprehensive innovation to enhance competitiveness, move toward greener production, and build sustainable product brands.

Rural industrial establishments also expect support from the State and the industry and trade sector in improving digital skills, especially in e-commerce, through hands-on training courses that guide them in operating online stores, conducting livestream sales, and using inventory and order management software on mobile devices.

By Vuong The – Translated by Minh Hong, Minho