Amidst the deep green mountain slopes of Trà Leng commune, Da Nang city, the cinnamon regions have long been intertwined with the lives and livelihoods of the local people. Trà Leng Cinnamon is a product of economic value, and it is also linked to cultivation experience, indigenous knowledge, and the development journey of the highland community. Developing the cinnamon regions in a sustainable direction is opening up opportunities to increase income for the people, while also contributing to raising awareness of natural resource protection and preserving the green of the great forest.
In the context of increasing interest in green economic development, protecting forests in conjunction with developing Trà Leng Cinnamon is a direction that needs to be emphasized. When the raw material areas are properly planned, and cinnamon cultivation and harvesting activities are reasonably organized, cinnamon trees can become an important resource for local economic development.
Trà Leng Cinnamon – a product intertwined with the mountains, forests, and highland people
For many years, cinnamon trees have been present in the production lives of the people of Trà Leng. On suitable hillsides and cultivated areas, cinnamon is cared for through many seasons of rain and sun, becoming an important source of income for many households. The experience of selecting varieties, caring for trees, harvesting, and preliminary processing of cinnamon has accumulated over time, contributing to the formation of a distinctive feature in local production activities.
For the people of Trà Leng, each cinnamon region is the result of persistent labor. Cinnamon trees need many years to grow before harvesting, requiring growers to patiently care for and actively protect the trees from weather impacts. Therefore, the development of Trà Leng Cinnamon is also linked to maintaining long-term livelihoods, creating motivation for people to continue investing in production and enhancing the value of local agricultural products.
In addition to their economic value, the cinnamon regions also contribute to creating the distinctive landscape of the highlands. The green of the cinnamon trees blends with the mountains, forests, fields, and villages, creating a familiar image of Trà Leng. This is also one of the factors that can be exploited to promote the local image and connect with experiential tourism activities.
Developing cinnamon regions in conjunction with forest resource protection
For mountainous areas like Trà Leng, forests play an important role in protecting land, maintaining water sources, and preserving biodiversity. Therefore, the development of Trà Leng Cinnamon needs to be placed in a harmonious relationship with forest management and protection, and land use according to proper planning.
On permitted production land, planting cinnamon suitable for natural conditions, applying appropriate cultivation techniques, and maintaining vegetation cover can help limit soil erosion, especially in areas with steep terrain. Proper technical care of cinnamon regions also helps improve land use efficiency and reduce the risk of land degradation due to improper cultivation.
However, it is necessary to clearly distinguish between cinnamon plantations and natural forests. Natural forests have a special ecological role, serving as habitats for many species of flora and fauna and contributing to ecosystem maintenance. Therefore, the development of cinnamon regions must go hand in hand with the protection of natural forests, not expanding cultivation areas by illegally converting forest land or degrading valuable conservation ecosystems.
For the people of Trà Leng, protecting forests also means protecting water sources, agricultural land, and the community's living environment. When production activities are organized sustainably, cinnamon trees can contribute to creating livelihoods linked to the responsibility of preserving natural resources for future generations.
Enhancing the value of Trà Leng Cinnamon for green economic development
For cinnamon trees to achieve long-term economic efficiency, product value enhancement needs to be implemented synchronously from planting, caring, harvesting to preliminary processing, processing, and consumption. Instead of relying entirely on selling raw materials, cinnamon growers can increase opportunities to create added value by linking with cooperatives, processing facilities, and distribution units.
From cinnamon raw materials, many product lines can be developed such as dried cinnamon bark, cinnamon sticks, cinnamon powder, and cinnamon essential oil. Appropriate utilization of leaves, branches, and post-harvest by-products can also help reduce raw material waste. However, the effectiveness of each processing direction needs to be evaluated based on raw material quality, production costs, technology, and market demand.
In parallel, Trà Leng Cinnamon needs to focus on quality, origin, and product traceability. Building a brand, improving packaging, and developing OCOP products when conditions are met will help local agricultural products gain more opportunities to reach consumers. When the value chain is well organized, economic benefits can spread to cinnamon growers, preliminary processing laborers, and local production facilities. §18§ Therefore, green economic development from cinnamon trees needs to combine production efficiency, environmental protection, and improving people's lives. This is a suitable direction for Trà Leng to leverage its indigenous advantages, gradually enhance the value of agricultural products, and increase adaptability to market fluctuations.
Phát triển kinh tế xanh từ cây quế vì thế cần kết hợp giữa hiệu quả sản xuất, bảo vệ môi trường và nâng cao đời sống người dân. Đây là hướng đi phù hợp để Trà Leng phát huy lợi thế bản địa, từng bước nâng cao giá trị nông sản và tăng khả năng thích ứng trước những biến động của thị trường.
Connecting cinnamon regions with Trà Leng community tourism
In addition to agricultural development, the cinnamon regions also open up opportunities to connect with ecotourism and community tourism. With its distinctive mountain and forest landscape and the story of long-standing cinnamon cultivation, Trà Leng has the potential to create experiences that help visitors learn more about the local products and the lives of the local people.
Activities such as visiting raw material areas, learning about the cinnamon cultivation and harvesting process, exploring processed cinnamon products, or interacting with cinnamon growers can be researched and developed into suitable tourism experiences. When combined with traditional cuisine, handicrafts, and indigenous cultural activities, the story of Trà Leng Cinnamon will be presented more vividly to tourists.
For this direction to be effective, tourism activities need to respect production spaces, ensure visitor safety, and involve genuine community participation. Local people need to benefit from experiential services, local products, and cultural promotion activities. Through this, tourism can supplement agricultural livelihoods, create more job opportunities, and contribute to enhancing the value of the cinnamon regions.
Preserving the green of the great forest, nurturing a sustainable future for Trà Leng
The development journey of Trà Leng Cinnamon is a story about the bond between humans and the mountains and forests, between traditional livelihoods and new development opportunities. Cinnamon trees create income for the people, contribute to forming distinctive products, and open up potential for connection with agricultural product processing and community tourism.
For these values to be maintained long-term, there needs to be coordination between the government, cinnamon growers, production facilities, and the community in planning raw material areas, improving product quality, and protecting the environment. In particular, the development of cinnamon regions needs to go hand in hand with the protection of natural forests, the preservation of water sources, and land use in accordance with regulations.
Preserving the green of the great forest from the Trà Leng cinnamon regions is a journey towards harmony between economic development and responsibility towards nature. When cinnamon trees are properly cared for, products are enhanced in value, and forest resources are protected, Trà Leng will have a stronger foundation for sustainable livelihood development, preserving local identity, and nurturing the future for generations to come.
