He explained that sturgeon farming, especially for caviar production, is an extremely complex process that requires precision and strict technical standards, from selecting fry, raising young fish, and developing sturgeon for meat and caviar, to extracting roe, preserving products, and many other steps.
According to Kuznetsov, more than ten K’Ho workers at his company are highly responsible and possess excellent working skills. They have met the job’s requirements exceptionally well, even surprising foreign experts.
Kuznetsov recounted a recent visit by a team of cold-water fish experts from Russia who came to provide technical guidance on sturgeon farming. That afternoon, the experts instructed the workers on how to feed the fish. However, the K’Ho workers, after observing the sky, water, and fish, firmly refused to comply, asserting that feeding the fish at that moment would lead to their deaths.
The experts insisted on taking full responsibility for their decision, so the workers reluctantly followed their instructions. As predicted, after eating, the fish died en masse.
From this incident, Kuznetsov concluded that beyond formal technical knowledge and scientific expertise, experience, skills, and indigenous knowledge are crucial. The winds, water currents, and mountains of this region have been home to the K’Ho people for generations. As the true stewards of these highland forests, they understand their environment better than anyone.
Another remarkable example is in caviar harvesting: while experts use ultrasound machines to determine the maturity of fish roe, K’Ho workers can simply run their hands over a fish’s belly and immediately determine whether or not the roe is ready for extraction.
Some businesses have previously complained about the work discipline of ethnic minority workers, citing issues such as low skill levels and inconsistent work quality. However, many other businesses that employ ethnic minority workers have had entirely opposite experiences. In the early stages, some ethnic workers tended to work based on personal motivation and disregarded workplace discipline, particularly during festival seasons or when family matters arose, leading to sudden absences.
However, with ongoing communication and guidance, many workers have come to understand the mutual benefits of employer-employee relationships and have become more committed to their jobs.
Ethnic minority workers are now demonstrating increasing responsibility and efficiency. For example, in Loc Tan Commune (Bao Lam District, Lam Dong), 13 investors, including seven fully foreign-owned enterprises, are engaged in high-quality tea cultivation for export to Japan, Taiwan (China), and Middle Eastern markets. These businesses provide stable employment for nearly 2,000 local ethnic minority workers.
Through their work at farms and factories, these workers have gained access to scientific knowledge, improving both their company’s productivity and their own agricultural practices. In the past, they used pesticides based on instinct; now, they understand which treatments correspond to specific plant diseases. As a result, many families have even successfully cultivated premium Oolong tea in their own gardens.
The local government has also piloted a model encouraging farmers to “contribute shares” by allowing businesses to use family-owned land for commercial farming, ensuring a profit-sharing structure that benefits the local people. So far, this model has yielded positive results, helping to improve the living conditions in ethnic minority communities.
