Story of getting rich on poor land

Three difficult areas of the province: Cao Tan, Co Linh and Cong Bang have merged to form Cao Minh commune. New vitality has opened up on old lands; opportunities for breakthroughs in socio-economic development have spread, promising great prosperity.

Thanks to the application of scientific and technological advances and the introduction of new varieties into mass production, the rice yield of Cao Minh commune has reached nearly 47 quintals/ha. In the photo: Farmers in Na Quang village harvest the winter-spring rice crop.

Breakthrough opportunity

As soon as the storm Bualoi passed, the storm Matmo continued to make land in Thai Nguyen province devastated by floods. Cao Minh commune also suffered heavy damage, but the officials and people in the commune quickly overcame the consequences, quickly stabilizing their lives and production. Peaceful scenes appeared in the countryside.

Sharing with us, comrade Lam Van Dien, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, said: Cao Minh has 33 villages, with more than 2,600 households, nearly 12,500 people of 5 main ethnic groups: Tay, Nung, Dao, Mong, Kinh. Currently, 100% of villages have national grid electricity. From the commune center to the villages are basically concreted. The average income is more than 21 million VND/person/year. Currently, the commune has nearly 1,800 poor and near-poor households.

To help Cao Minh gradually overcome difficulties, the State has invested and supported the locality with billions of dong to build social welfare projects. Poor and near-poor households have received the State's attention and support in terms of capital, plant and animal varieties, science and technology... to develop the economy and stabilize their lives.

In the last 5 years alone, the State has invested in Cao Minh commune a total of over 160 billion VND in basic construction, with 63 projects implemented. The national target program for sustainable poverty reduction has also been implemented with a total capital of over 6.6 billion VND, with 21 projects implemented with 374 households participating.

Also during this time, the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas had 17 projects implemented, with 452 households participating, with a total implementation capital of more than 10.7 billion VND.

From the commune center, looking up at each field hanging on the steep hillside, we saw the silhouettes of people bending over to do the planting work, making us feel more fully the spirit of hard work and diligence of the people here.

Mr. Ta Van Sin, Khen Len village is a typical example. Without the support of the State, his family would have to live in a house that is leaky and windy. From 2020 to now, Mr. Sin and 560 households in the commune have received support from the State to build houses, of which 150 houses in Cao Tan area; 200 houses in Co Linh; and 210 houses in Cong Bang have been rebuilt.

The area is large, the farthest village is 24km from the commune center. Especially due to the complex terrain, steep hills, deep ravines, the fields basically depend on rainwater. The whole commune has more than 1,100 hectares of agricultural land, with 928 hectares of rice land but only 562 hectares of land can grow 2 rice crops.

In the villages of Na Chao, Phieng Luong, Coc Nghe, Na Lai... most of the fields are terraced. Despite the difficulties, in recent years, Cao Minh people have flexibly applied and focused on investing in agricultural and forestry production, shifting towards commodity production and improving product quality.

No longer a difficult land

To succeed in economic development, local authorities actively coordinate with State agencies to strengthen the organization of training courses to transfer science and technology in cultivation and animal husbandry to the people; build typical economic models, and when effective, popularize and replicate them on a large scale.

Most of the land areas for single-crop rice cultivation are then used to grow winter corn and vegetables after harvest. The areas for low-yield rice, corn and other crops are converted to grow crops of high economic value.

Cao Minh land has been changing thanks to pioneering farmers on the front of sustainable poverty reduction. Mr. Duong Van Phu, Hung Thinh village is proof. He said: Previously, the garden was used for firewood. Thanks to agricultural officers' guidance on planting and caring for fruit trees, I boldly set aside 3 hectares of land to grow tangerines and oranges. Thanks to proactive application of science and technology, growing fruit trees yields 21 tons of fruit per crop, earning 420 million VND.

From 2 hectares of tangerines, Mrs. Duong Thach's family in Hung Thinh village has an income of more than 100 million VND/crop.

Generations of farmers in Cao Minh commune have changed a poor land with their own creative hands. Through the management and direction of local leaders, farmers in Cao Minh commune have gradually abandoned fragmented production methods and moved towards concentrated commodity production.

Based on production practices, crops suitable to the soil conditions of each commune are selected and developed en masse. For example, Cao Tan region has seedless persimmons, chestnuts, ginger, turmeric, and vegetables. Co Linh region has cardamom and turmeric. Cong Bang region has peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, tangerines, and taro.

Families who have become rich on their homeland are now appearing more and more, such as the family of Mr. Ma Van Hoanh in Ban Cam. With 1 hectare of land for growing tangerines, thanks to proper technical care, the garden has brought a good and stable income for the family.

Mr. Hoang Van Dai, Coc Nghe village, said: Boldly converting 2 hectares of mixed garden land to grow oranges, for more than 3 years now the garden has yielded 16 tons of fruit/crop, bringing in an income of more than 320 million VND for the family.

The fattening cow model has brought additional income to Mr. Duong Van Thanh's family in Khuoi Tra village of nearly 600 million VND/year.

Market mechanism, most of the agricultural products of the people are negotiated by traders in the garden, there is no price pressure. An advantage is that in recent years the local trade network has been expanded, in addition to 3 markets, there are more than 40 organizations and individuals participating in the service of buying and selling agricultural, forestry and household products.

The bustling scene of buying and selling is a vivid proof of a prosperous land, where the economic life of the people has improved. If in 2020 the average income reached 18.5 million VND/person/year, then by 2024 it will reach 21.3 million VND/person/year.

The income level is still modest, but for the people of Cao Minh commune, it is a success in changing the way of thinking and doing. Especially after merging into a new commune, new vitality has also blossomed so that Cao Minh can gradually overcome, no longer a difficult land...

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202510/chuyen-lam-giau-tren-dat-ngheo-043432f/