Using machines to cut banana leaves at the “Banh Ba Thao” facility. Photo: An Nhien

Digitalization and technology innovation

The street stall selling banh nam and loc of Mrs. Ha Thi Thao in Huong So is familiar to many people in Hue . However, since her son - Dinh Van Tuan - took over and brought technology into production, the scale and operation have changed. Mrs. Thao's house at 39 Nguyen Van Linh has become a "factory", and the "store" is located on the Banh Ba Thao fanpage. Customers order via social networks, pick up or have it delivered to their home.

Visiting the “factory” of “Banh Ba Thao”, I was taken on a tour and went from one surprise to another. Everywhere there were people operating machines, such as dough kneading machines, shrimp braising machines, banana leaf washing machines, leaf drying machines, shrimp rolling machines, fat cutting machines... In fact, over 70% of the cake making process is done by machine. I asked if there was a difference between making it by hand and by machine, she said, with a daily production of over 150 kg of flour, meaning making about 12,000 banh loc and 5,000 banh nam, it cannot be done by hand. It can be seen that “Banh Ba Thao” is one of the typical models of applying technology to production to preserve and spread the value of Hue’s traditional craft.

Digital technology in promotion and trade has been widely applied in traditional crafts in Hue. In 2022, Mr. Nguyen Duc Tung, CEO of X10 Digital Company Limited, supported an agarwood production enterprise in Hue to put its products on the e-commerce platform and the economic efficiency was clearly seen when the enterprise's revenue doubled compared to the previous year. On the other hand, the use of tools such as WooCommerce helps artisans create booths, manage orders and reach domestic and foreign customers.

Currently, the first digital craft village models have appeared in Hue (langnghehue.online) integrating digital maps, QR codes and smart chatbots, helping tourists and consumers easily look up information, products and purchase processes for products such as Thanh Tien paper flowers or Sinh village paintings. Short videos (30 - 40 seconds) introducing products and the cultural stories behind them, such as Phuoc Tich pottery, are used to attract customers on social networks. This helps increase interaction and market access.

In production, many units have boldly improved technology. Thien Huong Company Limited invested in modern equipment to produce sesame candy and traditional cakes more effectively. Bao La bamboo and rattan weaving village has created additional products such as bookshelves and decorative hanging lamps to meet the needs of the international market. Waste treatment technology is applied to reduce pollution from craft villages, such as bronze casting or Phuoc Tich pottery, ensuring sustainable development and protecting the tourism environment.

In fact, the application of technology to traditional craft production and business in Hue is also facing many challenges. In general, many craft villages still produce on a small scale, spontaneously, using manual methods, leading to low productivity and difficulty in competing with industrial products. In addition to the consumer market mainly depending on domestic tourism, not yet expanding strongly to the international market, the lack of investment capital and digital technology skills is a major barrier, especially for older artisans. Therefore, there needs to be close coordination between the government, businesses and the community to invest in technology, training and trade promotion, ensuring that craft villages both preserve their cultural identity and develop sustainably in the digital age.

Hue City currently has 86 craft villages, 57 traditional occupations operating separately, with a large number of skilled and talented craftsmen. Thuan Hoa and Phu Xuan districts (old Hue City) alone have occupations such as: Hue sesame candy, Thuy Xuan incense, Phu Duong banh tet - banh chung, Hue ao dai sewing, Bao Vinh blacksmithing, Thuan An fish sauce, Phuong Duc bronze casting, Thanh Tien paper flowers, Sinh village paintings... Accordingly, there are about 800 craft establishments, including 2 cooperatives, 20 enterprises and more than 770 establishments; creating jobs for about 3,500 workers.


Khang Ninh

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/kinh-te/ung-dung-cong-nghe-de-giu-nghe-truyen-thong-157099.html