75th Anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Vietnam Youth Volunteer Force (July 15, 1950 - July 15, 2025): People 'greening' the borderlands

Together with people, stick to the land and the forest

In Huoi Dun village, Huoi Tu commune ( Nghe An ), Mong youths of the 9X generation such as Ly Ba Xenh (born 1991), Ly Ba Thai (born 1992), Lau Y Ot (born 1994) are considered bright spots in the spirit of overcoming difficulties to get rich on their homeland.

Holding the coins after harvesting nearly 2 hectares of Shan Tuyet tea, Ly Ba Xenh happily said that each year his family earns about 70 million VND from the tea growing model.

Over the past years, Mr. Xênh and the people in the two communes of Huội Tụ and Mường Lông have been supported by the General Team 8 of the Youth Volunteer Corps with Shan Tuyết tea varieties, transferring cultivation techniques and purchasing products. Thanks to that, models of growing specialty tea have gradually been formed, opening up a sustainable direction for the people.

Thanks to the year-round cool climate and close technical support from the General Team, the tea plants grow well, with quality comparable to many famous tea regions.

To improve the product, the Youth Volunteer Force has coordinated with departments, branches and local authorities to build growing area codes, traceability and geographical indications to contribute to bringing Shan Tuyet tea to the market, associated with the goal of developing community tourism with highland identity.

In 2022, joy came when Shan Tuyet tea products in Huoi Tu commune were officially recognized as meeting the provincial 3-star OCOP standard, opening up sustainable development opportunities for tea trees in the highlands of Nghe An.

The-superb-shank-is-at-an-altitude-of-over-1,200m-1,500m-above-the-sea-level-in-the-south-region-of-Muong-Long-Suoi-Nguyen-Anh-Thanh-Cuong(1).jpg — Shan Tuyet tea is grown at an altitude of 1,200m - 1,500m above sea level, where clouds cover the area all year round in Huoi Tu - Muong Long. Photo: Thanh Cuong

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Currently, the total area of Shan Tuyet tea cultivation in the two communes of Huoi Tu and Muong Long has reached nearly 500 hectares. Of which, nearly 400 hectares have been harvested.
Every year, the Team purchases all fresh tea buds for the people. Through preliminary processing and processing, each year it produces 2.5 tons of high-quality green tea and about 60 tons of other types of tea, with a total estimated value of nearly 3.9 billion VND.
Mr. Phan Viet Lich - Captain of Youth Volunteer Team 8

bna_anh-tong-doi-9-2-bff4a83cd5c6aede3d68004e1a56fe6e.jpg — Youth Volunteer Team 9 gives breeding goats to households in difficult circumstances. Photo: Youth Volunteer Team 9

Not only does it pave the way for young people and local people in ethnic minority areas to start their own businesses, the Youth Volunteer Force is also a support and a source of support for many difficult situations in the areas where the General Team is located.

For example, in Tam Thai commune, Mr. Xong Xia Po (born in 1980) - a long-time poor household in Huoi Son village was assisted by officers and members of the 9th Youth Volunteer Team to connect with benefactors and directly support working days and construction materials to help build a new, spacious and cozy house for his family. Or like Mr. Luong Van Ngoan in Vang Mon village and Mr. Xong Ba Ly (Huoi Son village) were also given 10 breeding goats by the 9th Youth Volunteer Team to each household to develop the economy.

Youth Volunteers TĐ9 — Officers of the 9th Youth Volunteer Team guide Mong households in Tam Thai commune to approach and test-plant high-yield crop varieties. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Lieutenant Vuong - Captain of the 9th Youth Volunteer Team said that Tam Thai commune where the Team is located is a particularly difficult border area, where Mong and Thai people live with traditional farming practices and limited production conditions.

In order to transfer new production thinking, the Team has coordinated with the Youth Village Management Board to implement combined agricultural and forestry models such as: Planting 30 hectares of Shan Tuyet tea, 15 hectares of red turmeric, 80 hectares of upland rice... In which, red turmeric is built into a closed chain from purchasing to processing and consumption, with an average output of 350 tons of fresh tubers per year.

To improve product quality, the Team has invested in a closed production line from pre-processing, grinding, drying, pelletizing... Thereby, improving competitiveness and gradually establishing a foothold in the consumer market.

Transforming to adapt to innovation

Vice Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province, Secretary of the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union - Nguyen Thi Phuong Thuy said that in Nghe An province, there are currently 4 Youth Volunteer Teams under the Provincial Youth Union operating, including: Youth Volunteer Team 5, Kim Bang commune; Youth Volunteer Team 8, Huoi Tu commune; Youth Volunteer Team 9, Tam Thai commune; Youth Volunteer Team 10, Na Ngoi commune.

These are all important areas for national defense and security of the province, where many ethnic minorities live, and the conditions for socio-economic development are still limited. However, the Youth Volunteer Force has gradually created a new face for the land where they stand.

Youth Volunteer 3 — Products of the Youth Volunteer Corps are displayed at many important events and fairs in the province. Photo: Thanh Quynh

Youth Volunteers — Products of Nghe An Youth Volunteer Corps are increasingly invested in quality and design. Photo: Thanh Quynh

To adapt to the innovation, the Youth Volunteer Force has boldly produced and promoted the application of science and technology. The General Teams have invested in more machinery and equipment for deep processing of agricultural products. At the same time, digital transformation has been promoted, connecting product consumption through e-commerce platforms.

Besides traditional channels, many products of the General Teams such as turmeric starch, Shan Tuyet tea, turmeric honey... are now introduced and sold on e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Tiki, Lazada...

Connecting consumption via digital platforms not only expands the market and reaches customers everywhere, but also enhances the competitiveness of highland products - a place once considered an "economic and technological depression".

young-volunteer-team-5(1).jpg — The total production value from crop cultivation of the Youth Volunteer Force is estimated at 25 billion VND and from livestock farming is estimated at more than 17.5 billion VND. Photo: Thanh Quynh

On the other hand, cadres and team members of the Youth Volunteer Force have proactively invested in building infrastructure and renovating many internal roads to serve the production and consumption of agricultural products of members and people.

Technical training courses on farming and production according to VietGAP standards, and improving local agricultural products have also been actively implemented by the Teams. From there, they have created an important push, helping members feel secure in their land and invest in long-term economic development.

bna_tnxp-dang-huong-truong-bon-fef3b4e6756abbb515091cd86f708616(1).jpg — The Youth Volunteer Force of Nghe An province offers flowers and incense at Truong Bon National Historical Site on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the tradition of the Vietnam Youth Volunteer Force (July 15, 1950 - July 15, 2025). Photo: Youth Volunteer Force of Nghe An province

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Up to now, the Youth Volunteer Force has sustainably developed nearly 760 hectares of tea; 18 hectares of turmeric, bringing in a value of more than 25 billion VND. The total herd of cattle reached 2,959 heads, poultry reached 37,500 heads. The forest protection area assigned to the Teams reached more than 17,684 hectares. Despite facing many difficulties, the Youth Volunteer Force of Nghe An is making every effort to contribute to the socio-economic development of the whole province. At the same time, actively implementing new ways of doing things and good models to keep up with the changes of the times.
Mr. Hoang Van Dong - Commander of Nghe An Youth Volunteer Force, Captain of Youth Volunteer Force 5

Source: https://baonghean.vn/ky-niem-75-nam-ngay-truyen-thong-luc-luong-thanh-nien-xung-phong-viet-nam-15-7-1950-15-7-2025-nhung-nguoi-xanh-hoa-dat-bien-cuong-10302322.html