“When you keep the chickens locked up in a coop, they get stressed and irritated. This will cause their muscle to secrete chemicals which spoil the taste of the meat. That is why we let them roam free in our forest,” said Nguyễn Văn Tuyên, looking at his prized herds of chickens running freely in the greenery of his backyard. As the leader of the Tân Phú Organic Free-Range Chicken Cooperative, Tuyên has pioneered an innovative forest and farm– model that is now transforming lives in rural northern Viet Nam.

Nguyễn Văn Tuyên, a former small-scale poultry farmer, knows firsthand the struggles that rural families face: unpredictable incomes, limited market access, vulnerability to economic volatility and environmental changes. But instead of leaving the land behind, he chose to lead a different kind of transformation. In 2022, with the facilitation of the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF), a partnership between FAO, IIED, IUCN and AgriCord, he co-founded the Tân Phú Organic Free-Range Chicken Cooperative, bringing together smallholder farmers to form a new model of integrated, forest-friendly agriculture. Today, he serves as the cooperative’s CEO, guiding 25 households to not only raise high-quality free-range chickens but also protect and restore local forests.

Through training and farmer-to-farmer exchanges supported by the FFF—covering cooperative management, organic and agroforestry practices, climate adaptation, and market linkages—members of the Tân Phú Organic Free-Range Chicken Cooperative have deepened their understanding of how forests sustain chicken production. This knowledge has given households the confidence to invest more in planting acacia trees alongside raising free-range chickens. “I wanted to create something where people don’t have to choose between farming and forests. We can have both,” Tuyên said.

Tuyên’s model is based on raising local chicken breeds—such as Egyptian chickens—under the canopy of acacia forests. The integration is mutually beneficial: chickens would forage naturally under the trees, while their droppings can be used to improve soil fertility, feeding both trees and soil organisms. Worms can also be raised, using repurposed chicken waste as organic feed, reducing production costs and supporting circular resource use. His cooperative also dabbles in chicken eggs farming, with production output averages around 90.000 eggs per year. Wood production and fruit farming under the canopy are another venue of income for the cooperative, with acacia woods, longan and grapefruit being the main products. 

This innovative system not only reduces input costs by 15–20 percent but also ensures a steady source of income while farmers wait for long-cycle harvests. Members earn, on average, 100 million VND (approx. USD 4,200) per year, with top households earning up to 400 million VND.

The cooperative adheres to VietGAP standards and has developed two OCOP (One Commune One Product) certifiedproducts: free-range chicken and dried lemongrass chicken. These are now sold across local eateries, restaurants, schools, markets, as well as online marketplaces such as Buudien.com, showcasing the popularity and the quality of Tan Phu’s chicken products.

Thanks to the support from the FFF program, local authorities and development partners, Phú Bình district has invested nearly 10 billion VND to develop the regional product branding of “Gà đồi Phú Bình” (Phú Bình Hill chicken). With a projected production target of 21,000 tonnes per year by 2025, this collective effort is boosting incomes and enhancing the resilience of the local poultry sector.

“We’ve learned that customers don’t just want chicken and eggs. They want healthy, traceable, local food that they can trust. That is what we are trying to give them,” Tuyên shared.

Under Tuyên’s leadership, the cooperative has embraced digital technologies. Products are marketed through e-commerce platforms like Shopee and Lazada, while QR codes enable traceability from farm to table. Basic automation in egg production—such as feeding, watering, and temperature control—has also been introduced. Mobile phones with CCTV help farmers remotely monitor their flocks. “Technology helps us control quality, connect to markets, and protect our reputation,” he says.

Still, challenges remain. Not all smallholders can afford the investment in digital tools. Tuyên emphasizes the importance of government and donor support to bridge the digital divide, especially for ethnic minorities and women. Low-quality and fake products, such as duped eggs, is another major challenge for the cooperative and the industry as a whole. Tuyên reinterates the need for institutional protection of the local industry from low quality products, and the urgency of quality control and tracing to maintain the reputation of the Phú Bình brand. 

Tuyên’s cooperative demonstrates how forest and farm integration can be a win-win for people and the planet. By linking chicken production to ecological conservation, farmers not only increase their income, but also contribute to soil health, biodiversity, and carbon storage. Programs like the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) and OCOP have played a key role in training, branding, and organizational support. Through these, farmers like Tuyên have gained access to new markets, processing equipment, and digital literacy.

“With the right support, I believe more chicken farrms like mine can also succeed accross the country. The forest gives us shade, but also opportunity,” Tuyên says with a smile.

As he walks through the quiet green canopy where chickens roam freely and leaves crackle underfoot, Nguyễn Văn Tuyên remains focused on the future: improving product quality, reinstating his brand reputation, expanding to new markets, and mentoring the next generation of young rural entrepreneurs. With his dedication, the Tân Phú cooperative is not just selling poultry products—it’s selling a vision of resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agriculture rooted in local knowledge and supported by innovation.

Photos and story – Minh Pham, FAO