Soldiers guide villagers in growing fruits and vegetables on sloping land to escape poverty.

TPO - Inspired by the border guard's model, many households in Chieng Tuong commune (Yen Chau district, Son La province) have escaped poverty thanks to fruit trees. The once barren hillsides are now covered in the green foliage of plum trees, providing a stable and sustainable income.

Poverty reduction through plum trees.

Crossing the rugged mountain slopes of Chieng Tuong commune (Yen Chau district, Son La province), we found a unique economic development model: fruit tree cultivation on sloping land, initiated and supported by the soldiers of the Chieng Tuong Border Guard Post since 2016.

On the more than 1-hectare orchard of Mr. Phàng Lao Lang, a Hmong man born in 1983, the plum trees are laden with fruit, signaling another sweet harvest season. “Back then, I was planning to plant fruit trees but didn’t know where to start. When the soldiers came to help with seedlings, planting, and technical guidance, my family was overjoyed. Since then, the trees have grown well, bearing fruit consistently, and selling at a good price,” Mr. Lang shared.

Lang's family currently has about 550 plum trees.

Lang's family was one of the first households to participate in the fruit tree planting model on sloping land, implemented by the Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station since 2016.

At that time, the hilly land around the village was mainly used for growing corn and cassava, resulting in unstable income and low efficiency. With the support of the border guards and local authorities, his family received more than 550 saplings. Currently, Mr. Lang's plum orchard has about 550 trees. Besides the trees, he and other participating households also received guidance on planting, caring for, pest and disease control, and fertilizing according to each stage of the growing season.

The process of growing plums is now perfected: after harvesting in July, he fertilizes and sprays biological pesticides to clean the trees, and prunes the branches at the end of the year. In February of the following year, when the plums bloom, he sprays pesticides to protect the flowers and fruits, and fertilizes to ensure the trees have enough strength to nourish the fruit. All pesticides are biological products of natural origin, ensuring safety and environmental friendliness.

"Thanks to the plum trees, my family has a stable income, earning tens of millions of dong each year. We have money to support our children's education, repair the house, and buy household items. Growing fruit trees is now a sustainable path," Mr. Lang shared.

For the first three years, the officers and soldiers of Chieng Tuong Border Guard Post accompanied the local people from the purchase of seedlings to the care and harvesting of the fruit.

Soldiers went down to the villages, working alongside the people to protect the land and develop the economy.

According to the Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station, since 2016, the unit has surveyed and collaborated with local Party committees and authorities to select households with the need and conditions to pilot the "Fruit Tree Planting on Sloping Land" model. In the border area, there is a lot of sloping land, but the people lack technical skills, investment capital, and long-term production planning. "We have supported four households with a total of over 2,000 plum trees, planted on approximately 4.7 hectares of sloping land . For the first three years, officers and soldiers regularly went to the fields with the people to care for the trees, provide technical guidance, and accompany them through each harvest season," said Captain Vang A Nu, Team Leader of the Community Mobilization Team at the Chieng Tuong Border Guard Station.

According to Captain Nu, the model not only helps people stabilize their livelihoods and increase their income, but also contributes to land conservation, erosion control, forest protection, and gradually changes farming practices. "Each household currently earns between 70 and 100 million VND per year, a very encouraging figure in this border region which still faces many difficulties," he said.

This model has helped Mr. Lang's family and other households develop their economy and improve their living standards.

In addition to initial support, the military also connects farmers with agricultural technicians, introduces markets for their produce, and encourages them to switch to crop structures that are suitable for the terrain and climate change.

Building on initial success, the model of fruit tree cultivation on sloping land in Chieng Tuong is being encouraged for expansion. Each season, the white blossoms on the hillsides not only promise sweet fruits but also serve as proof of the transformation brought about by the hands, minds, and companionship of the soldiers on the border. “The soldiers helping the people is not just about protecting the forests and land, but also about protecting the villages and livelihoods. In a difficult place like Chieng Tuong, that companionship is invaluable,” shared Mr. Giang A Nu, head of Pa Kha 1 village.

The story of Mr. Phang Lao Lang and his plum orchard today is a typical example of the right direction in the sustainable poverty reduction program, which relies on the people's own strength, is supported by local forces, and most importantly, involves a change in production mindset. On these sloping lands, the future is blossoming from the sweet harvests.

Hai Duong

Source: https://tienphong.vn/bo-doi-huong-dan-ba-con-trong-hoa-qua-tren-dat-doc-de-thoat-ngheo-post1753017.tpo