Ninh Binh mountainous communes break through from local advantages

With the active initiative of the entire political system and the innovation and creativity efforts of the people, in recent years, the rural appearance and life of people in ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Ninh Binh province have had remarkable developments.

The upcoming off-season custard apple crop of Mr. Nguyen Dinh Quy's family (village 4, Phu Long commune) promises to yield high yields.

"In difficulty, invention appears"

Limestone mountains, with their barren and infertile soil, used to be the biggest obstacle to the livelihoods of people in the mountainous communes of Ninh Binh. Agricultural production faced numerous difficulties, especially when irrigation was completely dependent on rainwater, leading to low crop yields. However, “in need, there is wisdom”, with flexibility, the people here are gradually turning the harsh soil challenges into unique local advantages.

The key strategy is not to follow unsustainable mass models, but to persistently choose to develop native crops and livestock, which have proven to be highly adaptable to rocky mountain climate conditions. The combination of traditional farming experience and the application of science and technology has created effective and valuable economic models, helping people get rich right on their homeland.

People of Cuc Phuong commune harvest honey.

The story of Mr. Bui Van Thuan and Mrs. Dinh Thi Thuy's family in Nga 3 village, Cuc Phuong commune is a vivid proof. Taking full advantage of the forest hills, developing 100 bee colonies and 22 deer, each year Mrs. Thuy's family earns nearly 200 million VND. She shared that in the past, farming was hard, having to "look to the sky, look to the land, look to the clouds", every year with unfavorable weather, there was a crop failure, there was hunger... But now, we no longer have to bear the pressure of productivity, only focusing on clean farming, without chemicals to make food for deer, because a good deer gives tens of millions of antlers each year. The advantage of these native animals is that they are very disease-free, easy to care for, and do not cost much. because it is possible to take advantage of available and sustainable food sources from forest trees, corn, potatoes, and cassava.

Deer is one of the indigenous animals with high economic value of people in the highland communes of Ninh Binh .

Like Cuc Phuong, Phu Long is also a commune located in a mountainous, rocky area with many ethnic minorities living. In recent years, people have found a way to get rich from custard apple trees, a fruit tree that seems difficult to grow. Mr. Nguyen Van Thuat, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of Phu Long Off-season Custard Apple Cooperative, Safe Fruit Consumption, shared: This area is mostly exposed rocky land, agricultural machinery cannot be brought in, farmers work very hard, the main crops are corn and cassava with low productivity and low economic value. However, about 10 years ago, some farmers brought custard apple trees back to plant on a trial basis. Unexpectedly, custard apple trees are suitable for this barren land. From the initially modest custard apple area, the cooperative's custard apple area has now expanded to more than 200 hectares. For each hectare, after deducting expenses, farmers "pocket" about 300 million VND, many times higher than previous crops.

Visiting the vast custard apple hills, covering the previously barren hills, we met Mr. Nguyen Dinh Quy and his wife (village 4, Phu Long commune) who were diligently taking care of and pollinating the off-season custard apple crop. Mr. Quy shared: last season, his family sold 15 tons of fruit, with an average price of 25,000 VND/kg, earning nearly 200 million VND in profit. Now, he and his wife have started taking care of the off-season custard apple crop. Mr. Quy is proud that the soil here produces delicious custard apples that are rare elsewhere. Moreover, now we have been transferred VietGap standard cultivation techniques, learned more experience in adjusting custard apples to produce off-season custard apples, and the product is recognized as 4-star OCOP, so the value of custard apple trees is even higher. Mr. Quy was moved: "I didn't think I would one day get rich on the land that people often jokingly call "dogs eat stones, chickens eat gravel".

Innovation in production methods - creating breakthroughs in economic development

The success of the economic models is the basis for local Party committees and authorities in mountainous communes with large ethnic minority populations in Ninh Binh to build more concentrated and sustainable economic development strategies in the coming time.

In Cuc Phuong commune, after merging with Van Phuong commune, it has a large natural area (132.68 km2) and a population of 8,650 people. With the advantage of forest terrain, mountains and rich natural landscapes, the commune has great potential to develop tourism and services. The Resolution of the Commune Party Congress for the term 2025 - 2030 has set a goal: by the end of the term, the average income per capita will reach 150 million VND or more. Affirming the determination to achieve this goal, Ms. Dinh Thi Van, Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, emphasized: In the coming time, Cuc Phuong will focus on developing tourism and ecological services based on the unique national cultural identity and the advantage of being located in the buffer zone of Cuc Phuong National Park. In addition, it will be closely linked with agriculture and specialty livestock to create a sustainable value chain... Synchronous solutions implemented by the locality include: encouraging land accumulation to develop farm and family economy with specialty livestock models; organizing training courses to transfer science and technology; participating in e-commerce to expand the market; and planning investment attraction and regional linkage areas.

As for Phu Long commune, after merging with Ky Phu commune, entering the new term, the locality also set a goal: focusing on promoting rapid and sustainable economic development, improving the quality and efficiency of agricultural, forestry and fishery production. Comrade Pham Van Truong, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Phu Long Commune Party Committee, affirmed: Implementing the dual economic restructuring strategy, Phu Long is entering a breakthrough development phase: both creating a brand for local agricultural products and restructuring the economy through industry. Accordingly, the commune focuses on specializing in key agricultural products such as pineapple, off-season custard apple, Thuong Sung areca nut sticky rice; at the same time, building geographical indications and local OCOP brands for honey, deer antlers, Ky Lao fruit. Promoting the construction of Phu Long Industrial Park, aiming to form industrial, urban and service zones, creating strong changes in production structure, ensuring rapid and sustainable development...

The steady steps of the mountainous communes of Ninh Binh affirm that sustainable development must originate from the correct and successful exploitation of local advantages. The custard apple orchards, deer farms, and high-value bee colonies, the stories in Cuc Phuong and Phu Long are vivid proof of the spirit of daring to think and daring to do.

With a systematic strategy, from building the OCOP brand for typical products to planning industrial, urban and service zones, the mountainous communes of Ninh Binh are constantly improving the value of products and income for the people. This transformation is not only a change in material aspects but also a strong rise in thinking and production methods, opening up a new future of development, turning the once difficult land into a rich and potential countryside.

Nguyen Luu

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/cac-xa-mien-nui-ninh-binh-but-pha-tu-loi-the-ban-dia-251010142715747.html