Empowering ethnic minorities with digital innovation

Recently, Khanh Hoa Province has promoted digital transformation and information technology (IT) applications in ethnic minority areas, thereby helping to speed up the implementation of policies related to ethnic minorities and mountainous areas.

Cau Ba Commune, Khanh Vinh District has 733 households with 2,946 people, of which 99% are from ethnic minorities. For some minorities, access to digital transformation and information technology is challenging. Realizing the importance of digital transformation and IT applications, the Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee of the commune have promptly implemented tasks related to these, gaining satisfactory results.

Guiding access to public administrative service in Cau Ba Commune.

Accordingly, the commune has established 2 community digital technology groups with 24 members to support people in using apps on their phones for public administrative services, e-commerce, as well as many other services.

The commune has also invested in installing 15 IP broadcasting systems, smart broadcasting systems via computers or phones connected to the Internet; and installing 2 free wifi stations, thereby increasing Internet access to nearly 90%. The commune's departments and organizations have fanpages on Facebook, Zalo, and a number of other social media to publicize policies and laws.

Ha Quyen, Da Trang Village, Cau Ba Commune said, “I used to know nothing about smart phones or the Internet. Since implementing the livelihood model under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of the Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas, I have learned how to use Facebook and Zalo to get connect with others and get updated information. I find IT very helpful in life."

According to Pham Duy Khanh, Deputy Head of the Provincial Ethnic Committee, in 2023, the Provincial Ethnic Committee offered 87 audio-visual devices to prestigious people from ethnic minorities; many cultural houses and communities have free wifi, helping the ethnic minorities get updated information about the Party's guidelines, the State's policies and laws; and other social aspects.

Livestreaming to promote products.

Applying information technology in marketing

As one of the first community tourism models in Khanh Son District, Khanh Son Eco (To Hap Town) is attracting a large number of domestic and foreign visitors. According to Le Thi Phuong Trinh, a founder of Khanh Son Eco, this is an eco-tourism model combining tourism with safe agricultural products by a group of young people from ethnic minorities in Khanh Son District. The young people connect with gardeners applying advanced technologies in farming, creating safe agricultural products for tourists to explore. The group also promotes tourism products and the destination of Khanh Son via social media such as Facebook and TikTok Khanh Son Eco.

Cao Van Huy, Khanh Vinh Town, Khanh Vinh District established a local agricultural product store under the brand name Uc Farm in 2020 with the desire to promote ethnic minority products to consumers inside and outside the province. In 2023, he set up his fanpage to livestream his products. His business has expanded to  Dien Khanh Town and Nha Trang City.

Recently, the Provincial People's Committee, Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh districts have issued many documents on promoting digital transformation and applying IT to improve the effectiveness of the National Target Program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021 - 2025; oriented cooperatives and people from ethnic minorities to apply advanced science and technology in production and marketing on e-commerce platforms and social media.

Currently, the province's OCOP products are introduced on the Khanh Hoa E-commerce Platform (http://khanhhoatrade.gov.vn/), contributing to promoting the local digital economy. Khanh Vinh District has also focused on gradually exploiting the potential of the digital economy in developing OCOP products via social media to help overcome the challenges of bumper crops leading to drops in prices and farm incomes.

According to Pham Duy Khanh, in the coming time, the province's authorities will continue strengthening propaganda and promoting access to digital solutions and abilities to access information for residents, organizations and businesses in ethnic minority areas and mountainous areas in the province.

M.P

Translated by N.T