More than 20 km away from the district center, mountainous terrain with an altitude of nearly 600m above sea level, winding roads stretching halfway through the mountains. Sung hamlet, Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, Hoa Binh province is known as one of the extremely difficult hamlets of Hoa Binh province. People here often whisper a joke: “If you want to get to Sung hamlet, you must be swollen, both knees have to be tired”. Located at the foot of Bieu mountain, Sung hamlet is surrounded by a natural forest canopy with 76 ethnic Dao Tien households living, where the ancient cultural features of Dao Tien are still preserved. In addition to the traditional agricultural and forestry production, Sung hamlet is also endowed with a special type of natural tea, which is Shan Tuyet tea.
Ancient Shan Tuyet tea buds on Bieu Mountain are green
Shan Tuyet is a special tea that is only available in some provinces of Vietnam, grows at an altitude of 1000m above sea level and in suitable climatic conditions. It is estimated that there are more than 1,000 old Shan Tuyet tea trees in Sung hamlet that are 70 years old or older. The rest are more than 10 hectares of tea trees aged 15 to 20 years and newly planted tea. Shan Tuyet tea brings about 4/10 total income for households in Sung hamlet, but now with socio-economic changes, Shan Tuyet tea production in Sung hamlet has gradually declined. It isn’t cared for by the people, so the output and value are greatly reduced, the income from Shan Tuyet tea is less than 1/10 collected by the households.
Facing this situation, the Center for Research on Initiatives of Community development (RIC) cooperated with the Da river Protection Forest Management Board to implement the project “Cooperation in Song Da Protection Forest Management and development of ancient Shan Tuyet tea model in Sung hamlet, Cao Son commune, Da Bac district, Hoa Binh province”, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation – SDC, through the Mekong River Land Management Project (MRLG) in order to develop an effective model of production and trading of Shan Tuyet tea associated with sustainable forest management and protection. 
Expert guides group to synthesize data of Shan Tuyet tea plants
The project started to be implemented from 7/2019, up to now, it has achieved positive results: 01 Shan Tuyet tea production cooperative group in Sung hamlet was established and enhanced through technical skills training courses. Shan Tuyet tea processing, activities for implementing sustainable forest-based livelihood management, protection and development plans.
Group discussion during a training session
Experts share about tea preservation and processing
The project will end in August 2021, with a rare tea material area and the wishes of the people. The project is accompanying the people to achieve important goals and improve productivity, value and income for the people of Sung hamlet.
People are packing finished tea
