Change the lakeside

100% of the internal roads are concreted, making it convenient for people to travel.

We returned to Bung En village, a village on the edge of Son La hydroelectric reservoir, home to the Thai ethnic group. In 2006, the resettlement of Son La hydroelectric plant residents moved to a new location. After nearly 20 years in the new location, the lives of the people here have changed a lot. In a spacious stilt house, Mr. Lo Van Hac, Party cell secretary and village head, said: The village has 197 households, with 1,204 people, mainly Thai people. If in the past, people only relied on corn and rice fields, now they have taken advantage of the Son La hydroelectric reservoir to develop cage fish farming and fishing. Many households have escaped poverty, built solid houses and purchased modern equipment.

Cage fish farming in Bung En village started in 2010, when the Son La hydroelectric reservoir began to accumulate water; initially, cages were made of bamboo, and the main food was cassava leaves, corn, and grass. Seeing the effectiveness, people invested in sustainable iron cages. The whole village currently has 70 households raising 700 fish cages, mainly catfish and grass carp. The households have joined together to form 3 aquatic cooperatives, and their products are purchased and consumed by traders in Dien Bien, Lai Chau, and Hanoi . The village management board also actively propagates to people to comply with regulations on safe fishing.

Visit the cage fish farming model of Mr. Lo Van Ban, one of the pioneers in developing cage fish farming. In 2012, his family invested in raising 14 fish cages. By 2016, Mr. Ban had mobilized 12 households in the village to establish the Hoa Ban Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Cooperative, with 38 fish cages, applying science and technology, raising high-value fish such as grass carp, catfish, and perch, and utilizing agricultural by-products as food.

Mr. Ban said: Up to now, the cooperative has developed to 150 fish cages, each cage harvests 250-300 kg of commercial fish/year, helping each member earn an income of 150-250 million VND/year. Mr. Lo Van Man, a member of the cooperative, said: Thanks to being guided on fish farming techniques and selecting breeds with high economic value, from the initial 2 cages, his family has developed to 9 cages, earning a profit of more than 100 million VND/year after deducting expenses.

In Bung En, in addition to cage fish farming and fishing, people also invest in developing livestock farming, with each household raising an average of 4 buffaloes and cows. The village has about 360 workers working in industrial parks outside the province with an income of 7-10 million VND/person/month. Thanks to the right economic orientation, people's lives have improved significantly, with an average income of 45 million VND/person/year in 2024, and only 2 poor households left in the village.

Farmers in Bung En village, Quynh Nhai commune, develop cage fish farming.

The economy is developing, people are actively building new rural areas. In 2024, with the support of the State, people contributed more than 200 million VND to complete nearly 2 km of village roads. Bung En has been considered a pioneer and exemplary village for many years in a row in the movement to build cultural life and new rural areas. To date, 100% of village roads have been concreted; 100% of school-age children go to school; 85% of households have achieved the title of "Cultural Family"; 100% of households use national grid electricity, watch television, listen to the radio; over 90% of households use clean water.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Nhai Commune, assessed: Bung En Village is an economic bright spot of the commune. In the coming time, the commune will step up propaganda on changing the structure of crops and livestock, encouraging households to cooperate in production to increase income. He also hopes to have more support from projects to create sustainable livelihoods for people in the resettlement area of Son La Hydropower Plant.

With the attention of the Party and the State, and the efforts of the people, we believe that Bung En village will change day by day, becoming a bright spot in the economic development of Quynh Nhai commune.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/doi-thay-ban-ven-ho-hl4ooOXHg.html