Hanoi – The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Hanoi, within the framework of the Sistema Italia, participated in the opening ceremony of the “Man Khau – Rice Up Community Exhibition” held in Don village, Pù Luông district, in the northeast of Vietnam.
The initiative is part of the project “Preserving the Rice Culture of Pù Luông through Water Resource Management in the Tourism Sector,” that aims at promoting sustainable and inclusive tourism development in Don Village, leveraging traditional Thai knowledge of rice cultivation and water management to pilot a circular homestay model that generates green job opportunities.
The project is one of the winners of the Youth4Climate Call for Solutions 2024, a global program that supports inclusive, youth-led solutions to tackle environmental and climate challenges. The initiative is co-chaired by the Italian Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE), and by UNDP, the United Nations Development Programme.
Magnolia Sustainable Experiences, a social enterprise with expertise in sustainable tourism, is implementing the project in Vietnam in close coordination with the Italian Embassy in Hanoi and the local UNDP Office.
Don village, located at the heart of the Pù Luông Nature Reserve, is renowned for its spectacular terraced rice fields surrounded by majestic mountain landscapes. It is home to the Thai ethnic group, one of the 54 officially recognized communities in Vietnam, which has cultivated a deep cultural connection to rice growing over centuries. Today, this unique cultural landscape attracts both domestic and international travelers, making sustainable tourism a vital driver of local economic development.
The AICS Hanoi mission also provided an opportunity to explore the Thai community’s circular economy practices, such as integrating rice cultivation with fish farming and reusing rice by-products. These methods improve soil health, reduce waste, and diversify agricultural production, offering a replicable model for sustainable development.
This initiative is closely aligned with AICS Hanoi’s broader program to promote circular economy practices within Vietnam’s agricultural value chains, fostering a balance between economic growth, environmental protection, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
