Reviving the ‘Precious Grain’ of Phan Son Highlands

Preserving the Soul of Ancestral Rice

"Mother rice" is a rare, traditional upland rice variety cultivated by the K'ho and Raglai ethnic groups on highland swidden fields. It is distinguished by its large, milky-white grains, fragrance, and deeply sweet flavor. It is called "mother rice" because this variety is tied to the spiritual belief honoring the "Rice Mother," regarded as a sacred source of life and the ancestral origin of other rice varieties in long-established farming traditions.

For the K'ho and Raglai people in Phan Son, mother rice is not only a food crop but is also tied to spiritual life, the New Rice Festival, and many customs passed down through generations. Therefore, despite the emergence of many new rice varieties, quite a few families persistently preserve the rice of their ancestors.

Village elder Mang Ngoc Van is one such person. His family has maintained the cultivation of mother rice for generations as a way to preserve tradition. However, in recent years, the area dedicated to mother rice has increasingly shrunk due to low yields and unstable market outlets, causing many households to lose interest. The restoration of this rice variety, the establishment of raw material production zones, and the involvement of businesses committed to purchasing the product have provided fresh motivation for the locals to return to the traditional crop.

"This year's New Rice Festival will be much more lively because many households in Phan Son have replanted mother rice," shared village elder Mang Ngoc Van of Phan Son commune, with excitement.

Sharing this joy, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a member of the Phan Lam Mother Rice Cooperative, believes that the most precious thing is not just selling the rice, but helping more people understand the value of this variety.

"Rice is the source of life, the 'pearl' of heaven. I hope more and more people will learn about mother rice so they can better understand the culture of the ethnic minority communities and appreciate products made in harmony with nature," Ms. Hoa shared.

Awakening the Value of the "Pearl"

From the desire to preserve the indigenous rice variety, in 2024, Mr. Nguyen Van Chung, Director of the Phan Lam Mother Rice Cooperative, began restoring mother rice using organic methods with technical support from the Southern Region Agricultural Science and Technology Institute. Starting from a trial area of 2 hectares, the model quickly yielded positive results. By 2025, the cultivation area expanded to nearly 5 hectares and has now grown to nearly 10 hectares with the participation of many local households.

At the beginning of 2026, the Phan Lam Mother Rice Cooperative was established, creating a centralized nexus for production linkage and consumption. Following the completion of National Highway 28B, the cooperative is also finalizing its product exhibition area to promote mother rice along with distinct local organic agricultural products.

One of the factors building trust among local residents is the support of enterprises. Mr. Luc Hoa, a representative of Bach Moc Global Co., Ltd., stated that the enterprise provides seeds, materials, capital, and guidance on organic production processes, while also committing to purchasing the products if residents strictly adhere to the farming protocol.

In addition to producing safe, high-quality products, the model helps local farmers reduce chemical use, secure stable buyers, and gradually improve their incomes. If the Mother Rice project proves successful, the company plans to invest in developing other indigenous plant varieties in Phan Son.

According to Mai Hong Dang, Chairman of the Phan Son Commune People's Committee, mother rice is one of the products bearing a strong local identity. Therefore, alongside expanding the raw material zones, the commune continues to support the Phan Lam Mother Rice Cooperative in developing more organic agricultural products, creating sustainable livelihoods for the people.