Encouraging the Sustainable Progress of Medicinal Plant Cultivation in An Giang

An Giang Province, located in the heart of Vietnam's Mekong Delta, is making significant strides in the cultivation of medicinal plants. The province's rich biodiversity, favourable climate, and diverse soil types have enabled it to develop several successful medicinal plant cultivation models.

One of the key models in An Giang is the cultivation of Moringa oleifera (chùm ngây), a plant valued for its rich nutrients and medicinal properties. Other notable models include the extensive cultivation of Agarwood trees, the growth of Spiny bitter gourd, Periwinkle, and the management of 61 hectares of medicinal plants by the Oriental Traditional Medicine Association.

The total medicinal plant cultivation area in An Giang reaches 322 hectares. These models combine conservation of biodiversity with economic development, integrating traditional knowledge and modern market needs.

To further support the medicinal plant sector, An Giang is investing in processing facilities and modern factories, building a medicinal plant museum and wellness resorts, promoting product branding, geographical indication registration, and OCOP (One Commune One Product) product development. The province is also enhancing cooperation with research institutes such as Cần Thơ University and expanding international collaboration to standardise production for domestic and export markets.

An Giang's efforts are tied to its rich ethnic diversity and longstanding tradition of traditional medicine, making it a leading province in medicinal plant cultivation in the Mekong Delta region. Notable examples include Châu Thị Nương's mushroom farm, which earns annual revenue of VNĐ800-900 million and employs more than 30 workers, and Thái Minh Nguyên Service - Trading One Member Limited Company, whose honeysuckle tea has been certified as a 3-star product under the country's "One Commune - One Product" programme.

In addition, An Giang is developing agroforestry models linked to eco-tourism in the Báy Núi region, growing honeysuckle and sâm cau (Curculigo orchioides). The province is also currently acclimatizing and testing rare medicinal plants such as Angelica acutiloba, Fallopia multiflora, Solanum procumbens, Celastrus hindsii, and dandelion for cultivation.

An Giang aims to build a medicinal plant ecosystem in the Báy Núi (Seven Mountains) region and has more than 96,800 hectares of forest and forestry land. The province operates a network of traditional medicine centres, with the Traditional Medicine and Rehabilitation General Hospital being one of the notable centres.

With its commitment to sustainability, modernisation, and traditional practices, An Giang continues to develop new medicinal plant cultivation models, making it a beacon of medicinal plant cultivation in Vietnam.

[1] Source: Vietnam News [3] Source: Vietnam Insider

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