Consumers’ preferences for Vietnamese OCOP jerky beef: a market driving force for sustainable livestock development and poverty alleviation in the mountainous regions

The OCOP (One Commune One Product) program has been vital in reducing poverty, creating jobs for ethnic communities in Vietnam, and contributing to sustainable development. This is why the OCOP is prompted by its integration into government policies. In Ha Giang, one of the country’s poorest provinces, OCOP jerky beef produced from golden cows has supported local economic growth, preserved valuable rare genetic resources, and improved farmer livelihoods. However, the OCOP jerky beef production has faced difficult issues, mainly due to the lack of understanding about consumer preferences and the attributes they find valuable. This study examines market drivers for OCOP jerky beef production by analyzing consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for attributes such as: product origin, health claims, emission reduction, biodiversity, and price. Data from 320 consumers in Hanoi, collected via convenience sampling, reveal that Vietnamese consumers are heterogeneous and willing to pay premiums of 13.17% and 15.83% for emission reduction and biodiversity attributes, respectively. This motivates OCOP jerky beef producers to reduce emissions during raising and processing as well as to preserve the valuable genes of golden cows, which helps to position OCOP jerky beef towards sustainable products. Interestingly, product origin and health claims do not significantly influence WTP (all p > 0.05), which suggest that stronger branding, storytelling, certification for geographical indications (GIs) and consumer trust in health labeling are needed to increase the credibility of OCOP jerky products. These findings highlight consumer preferences for OCOP jerky beef and provide actionable insights for policymakers to support the long-term production of OCOP jerky beef.