Changes in Puon Vay

Located about 5 km from the center of Chieng Mai commune, the road connecting to Puon Vay village has been paved with concrete, wide, clean, and winding around the mountain slopes. This helps shorten geographical distances and opens up new opportunities for economic development and improving the lives of the people. This is the result of the unity and cooperation between the Party committee, the government, and the people in the journey of building a new rural area.

Farmers in Puốn Vạy village, Chiềng Mai commune, are harvesting coffee.

Currently, Puon Vay village has 150 households with 678 inhabitants. In recent years, under the leadership of the Party Branch and the Village Management Board, the villagers have upheld the spirit of self-reliance and self-improvement, developing their internal resources to fulfill the criteria for building new rural areas. Mr. Lo Van Duong, Secretary of the Party Branch and Head of the village, shared: "Previously, the lives of the people were still very difficult. The main agricultural land was used to grow sugarcane, cassava, and corn on sloping land, without applying scientific and technical methods, resulting in low yields and unstable income. Based on that reality, the Party Branch and the Village Management Board discussed and found a new direction suitable to the local natural conditions."

Recognizing the climate and soil suitability for coffee cultivation, since 2016, the Chiềng Mai commune government, in coordination with Puốn Vạy village, has intensified efforts to promote and encourage people to switch to coffee cultivation. Initially, changing traditional farming practices faced considerable difficulties. However, with the perseverance and support of all levels of government, training courses on coffee planting and care techniques were organized, and model farms were established for people to visit and learn from. This gradually built confidence and changed production mindsets.

After nearly 10 years of persistent transformation, the production landscape of Puon Vay has undergone a significant change. Now, the village has 80 hectares of coffee plantations, intercropped with 40 hectares of fruit trees such as mangoes and longan. The villagers also utilize their cultivated land to plant an additional 18 hectares of short-term crops, forming an integrated agricultural model that both improves land use efficiency and increases income. Besides crop cultivation, livestock farming is also emphasized, with a total herd of 1,500 goats raised in pens and 7,000 poultry of various kinds. Thanks to diversified and efficient production, the average per capita income in the village has reached over 40 million VND per year, with many families becoming well-off and having the means to invest in expanding production and improving their quality of life.

The goat farming model of the people in Puốn Vạy village.

From a village once facing many difficulties, Puốn Vạy now has only 14 poor households and 1 near-poor household. The material and spiritual lives of the people have improved significantly, and many exemplary cases of economic development have emerged. A prime example is the family of Mr. Tòng Văn Phiu, one of the leading households in transforming its crop structure. Mr. Phiu happily shared: "Previously, my family only grew corn and cassava, and the income was insufficient to cover expenses. In 2005, after learning about the coffee cultivation model in the neighboring commune, I boldly converted 4 hectares to coffee cultivation. Thanks to diligently learning techniques and following proper care procedures, my family now earns about 600 million VND annually from coffee."

Alongside economic development, the people of Puốn Vạy village actively participate in building infrastructure and completing the criteria for new rural development. They have donated over 2,000 m² of land along the road corridor to expand transportation routes and build public welfare facilities. Nearly 80% of the village's internal roads have been concreted, facilitating travel, agricultural product transportation, and trade. The village's cultural center received 60 million VND in support from the commune People's Committee for repairs and equipment upgrades, becoming a community center for meetings, cultural exchanges, and maintaining the regular activities of the village's performing arts group. 100% of households in the village have access to the national power grid and clean water, and all children of school age attend school with no dropout rates.

With economic development, Puon Vay village has the conditions to build a cultural life and preserve and promote its traditional identity. Currently, over 125 households in the village have been awarded the title of "Culturally Advanced Family". Environmental landscape improvement is a priority, and village roads and alleys are regularly cleaned, creating a green, clean, and beautiful living space. Healthcare for the people is also emphasized, with 100% of residents participating in health insurance.

Regarding security and order, the village maintains one security and order assurance group and four self-governing neighborhood groups, contributing to maintaining stability at the grassroots level. Notably, for five consecutive years, the village has been recognized as "four-free from drugs," becoming a shining example in the prevention and control of social evils and the building of a safe and healthy community.

Thanks to the concerted efforts of the entire political system and the people, in 2025, Puon Vay village was recognized as achieving the new rural standard. This success serves as motivation for the Party committee, government, and people to continue striving to build a more prosperous and beautiful village.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/doi-thay-puon-vay-PuFNP0NvR.html