Leverage for sustainable livelihoods

Lao Chai commune people are supported with buffalo breeding to develop the economy and stabilize their lives.

Leverage for sustainable livelihoods

In the last days of the year, visiting the border commune of Lao Chai, we clearly felt the bustling working atmosphere on the hills. The most gratifying thing was the joy evident on the faces of ethnic minorities when they found a sustainable direction, no longer dependent on short-term support.

For poor households in the highlands, accumulating large assets such as buffaloes and cows is not easy, because the economy often revolves around "a few acres of land to eat". However, the production support policy through Sub-project 2 and Project 3 of the Program has become a lever to completely change this situation.

Mr. Tran Van Sang, Nam Tam village, Lao Chai commune, is a proof. For many years, his family of 6 people only relied on the small output from manual farming, without any savings. In 2024, when the family received capital support to buy 3 breeding buffaloes, at 17 million VND/head. After only about 3 months of care, great joy came: all 3 female buffaloes gave birth to calves.

In Nam Nan village, Ms. Ban Thi Liet also received support for two breeding buffaloes from 2023. Previously, her family's fields relied entirely on human power, plowing was hard and the yield was low. Now, thanks to the pulling power of the buffalo herd, the cultivated area has been expanded, land preparation has become easier and faster, leading to a significant improvement in rice yield.

Cases like Mr. Sang and Mrs. Liet’s families have not only received breeding animals, but also created livelihoods. The support has been transformed into productive assets capable of regenerating capital, helping households gradually stabilize their economy and accumulate capital for reinvestment.

Technology transfer, promoting self-reliance

According to data from Lao Chai Commune People's Committee, from 2022 to now, hundreds of households in the area have accessed and benefited from production development support policies from the Program. The models mainly focus on livestock farming (buffalo, cow), which is a traditional strength and suitable for the natural conditions of the highlands.
What is especially important is that the support does not stop at providing breeds. People also participate in training courses on advanced livestock farming techniques, guidance on grass planting techniques, and specialized disease prevention measures.

Comrade Nong Khanh Toan, Chairman of Lao Chai Commune People's Committee said: "After merging Thanh Duc and Xin Chai communes, the area and population of Lao Chai increased significantly, opening up many development opportunities. However, people's lives still face many difficulties, the poverty rate remains high. The program is the key, the lever for us to promote socio-economic development".

Besides the livestock farming model that creates immediate livelihoods, Lao Chai people also focus on developing key crops suitable to the climate and soil of the highlands, such as tea and cardamom.

Comrade Nong Khanh Toan affirmed: “When infrastructure and production are taken care of synchronously, people have conditions to stabilize their lives. Up to now, many households have food and savings, know how to accumulate and reinvest in production. That is the most remarkable change, the foundation for Lao Chai to escape the high poverty situation and develop more sustainably.”

Article and photos: Ly Thu

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202511/don-bay-sinh-ke-ben-vung-3d163e3/