Hanoi's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) has set a target that at least 30% of the city's handicraft villages will set up e-commerce shops, and produce vlogs and electronic manuals.

As part of the city government's master plan for the development of craft villages in the period 2025-2030, with a vision to 2050, traditional handicrafts with tourism potential will be prioritized for promotion.

Specifically, Hanoi will restore and preserve at least five traditional craft villages in danger of disappearing; recognize at least 10 other trades and 25 traditional craft villages; develop 10 villages from "craft villages" to "traditional craft villages"; and build 10 craft village tourism tours.

Conical hats are made by artisans in the Chuong traditional craft village in Hanoi's Thanh Oai District. Photo: VNA

It is also expected that by 2050, more than 80% of artisanal and traditional villages will be profitable, and at least 80% of workers in these villages will have received training in capacity building, occupational safety and hygiene, and basic information technology skills.

About 50% of craft villages and traditional craft villages will have One Commune One Product (OCOP) certified products with digitization support. At least 30% of craft villages and traditional craft villages will have products protected by intellectual property rights.

Environmental protection laws will be observed by all craft villages and traditional craft villages.

According to DARD statistics, the city currently has 327 craft villages and traditional craft villages in 24 out of 30 districts. About 47 out of 52 traditional crafts nationwide are practiced in Hanoi.

The total income of 327 artisan villages is estimated at over VND24 trillion (US$955 million) per year.

Some craft villages reported high earnings, including La Phu Village (Hoai Duc District) focusing on confectionery and knitting, Phung Xa Village (Thach That District) producing mechanical farming tools, Thiet Ung traditional handicraft village (Dong Anh District), and others.

Nguyen Xuan Dai, Director of DARD, said products from craft villages are increasingly diverse in types, beautiful in design and good in quality; some have competitive strengths in the local and international markets.

"In recent years, the city has made different policies to support the preservation and development of craft villages, but they are not comprehensive enough to ensure sustainable development," Dai said.

Therefore, the newly approved project will be important in preserving traditional culture and improving the income of workers in craft villages and traditional craft villages in Hanoi, the director stressed.

Meanwhile, Ha Thi Vinh, Chairwoman of the Hanoi Craft Village and Handicraft Association, said the approval of the "Master Plan for Craft Village Development in 2025-2030, with a Vision to 2050" continues to confirm the city's strong interest in the craft village sector.

"The launch of the project is of great significance and good news for Hanoi's craft villages. We hope that in the coming period, each agency and organization will engage in the implementation and local authorities will facilitate the development of economic sectors," Vinh expected.