Join chef Luke Nguyen as he visits an Oxfam project in Lào Cai province, and explores food, culture, and empowerment. Supported by the Australian Government, Australian Aid, and Oxfam in Vietnam, the 'Black Pig Project' is one of a series of projects that helps increase the economic empowerment of women.
In exploring the culinary culture in Lao Cai, Luke Nguyen had the opportunity to become familiar with a Mông family. Luke joined groups of black pig farmers participating in the "black pig project", implemented by Oxfam in Vietnam and supported by the International Development Agency of the Australian government.
After breeding sows received from the first calving, Lung's family paid for a pig breeding project. From pig breeding, the family has developed its herd. More than 200 families of ethnic Mong, Dao, and Nung minorities participated in 10 organized team activities. So far all the households now know how to choose a good black pig to develop production scale, how to care for the pigs to grow quickly and stay healthy, and increase value from raising to selling. Currently, black pig farmers are able to make about one thrid of their household income with their pigs. Through the prject groups, the couple not only learned how to breed and trade efficiency, but also learned how to share the work between spouses. Before joining groups Lung and her husband thought the man works and the woman tends the home, but now they share all manner of work together as a team.