Behind those simple yet miraculous changes are the hands, minds and hearts of the cadres, employees, soldiers and young intellectual volunteers of Economic -Defense Group 5, Military Region 4, who every day persistently "call the season" to the Fatherland's fence with all their hearts close to the people, close to the people, and understanding the people.

Early morning in Muong Chanh commune was covered with mist and clouds. At Production Team No. 3, Major Mai Xuan Thanh, Team Leader and his teammates were present in the vegetable garden. In the middle of the sloping land, rows of mustard greens and water spinach were covered in dew. While tilling the soil, Thanh smiled and shared: "Growing vegetables is not only for soldiers to have more green meals but also for people to see that this land, no matter how barren, can still sprout." The simple but profound statement was like a message of trust from the soldiers to the people. It was also a way for soldiers of Economic-Defense Group 5 to "sow seeds" of self-reliance, perseverance, and belief in one's own strength for the people.

Cadres, employees, and young intellectual volunteers of Economic - Defense Group 5, Military Region 4 harvest rice to help people.

From the initial small models, the cadres and staff of the Economic-Defense Group 5 have opened up new directions for the villagers. Production Team No. 3 has planted fruit trees such as sweet tangerines, jackfruit, mangoes; raised fish, black pigs, native chickens, snails, frogs, etc. These models are both demonstration sites and "practical classes" for the villagers. People come to learn techniques, receive seeds and then go home to practice. Season after season, the green gradually spreads on the mountain slopes, the fullness spreads in each village. Mr. Luong Van Thien's family in Pieng Tat village, Muong Chanh commune is one of the first households to boldly participate in the project implemented by the Economic-Defense Group 5. Supported with 200 jackfruit trees, 50 mango trees and guidance on fish farming techniques, Mr. Thien's family's garden-pond-cage model now brings in an income of about 50 million VND per year. He smiled, his eyes shining: “Before, the hills were bare, the land was dry, and raising chickens was difficult. Now it’s different, the family has food and shelter, and the joy of being full and warm.”

The road to Quang Chieu commune is winding through hairpin bends. At Production Team No. 2, Major Trinh Ngoc Hoan, Deputy Team Leader, and Captain Pham Van Phuong are checking the water supply system from Con Dao village to Muong village. The clean water flows through the mountains and forests, bringing life to each village. With clean water, people not only have water for daily use but also have water for farming, growing vegetables, and raising fish. Mr. Ha Van Chung, Chief of Cum village (Quang Chieu commune) emotionally recounted: "The first day the soldiers arrived, the villagers did not believe that this land could grow rice and fruit trees. But the soldiers of Economic-Defense Group 5 persistently set an example, giving detailed instructions. The first crop of rice was full of grain, the fruit trees bore fruit, the people believed and followed. Now the village has roads, electricity, and water, and every house is much less miserable." The relationship between the army and the people continues to be connected, like a stream of water flowing into the fields, nurturing crops and trust.

For more than 20 years, since the day we set foot on this border area, every mountain slope and every rice field has been marked with the footprints of the officers, soldiers and young intellectual volunteers of Economic-Defense Group 5. They not only brought farming techniques but also sowed the belief in a bright future. The soldiers have become the sons and friends of the villagers, silently sowing seeds on the rocky slopes, calling the green season to the border.

From 2021 to now, Economic-Defense Group 5 has deployed 11 large models in communes in the Muong Lat Economic-Defense Project Area: 4 livestock models and 7 crop models. Nearly 380 crossbred cows, 135 female buffaloes, 666 native black pigs, and 100 goats were given to poor and near-poor households. On the hillsides that used to have only weeds, 43 hectares of Thai jackfruit, 33 hectares of Thai mango, 20 hectares of sweet tangerine, 10 hectares of Hoang Kim star apple, 10 hectares of hawthorn, 10 hectares of hybrid peaches, and 10 hectares of three-flower plums have now been covered with green.

A total of 1,951 households benefited, including 1,351 poor households and 600 near-poor households, 100% of whom were ethnic minorities. These seemingly dry numbers actually contained a long journey of sweat, effort and faith. Thanks to that, many households have escaped poverty and have stable incomes, such as: Mr. Luong Van Lun's family in Na Chua village (Muong Chanh commune) now both farms and raises breeding cows, becoming a well-off household; Mr. Tang Van Cau in Con Dao village (Quang Chieu commune) grows rice, raises chickens and cows; Mr. Giang A Su in On village (Tam Chung commune) develops raising native pigs, chickens, ducks... Each fruit ripening season is a joyful season not only for the people but also for the cadres, employees, soldiers and young intellectual volunteers of Economic-Defense Group 5, who have accompanied the people from the first difficult days.

Colonel Le Vinh, Head of Economic-Defense Group 5, shared: “Each model and each part of the work that we have implemented is aimed at improving people’s lives. In this rocky mountain area, each household escaping poverty is a great joy. In that joy, there is a small part of the officers, employees, soldiers and young intellectual volunteers of Economic-Defense Group 5.” In the midst of the difficult border area, the soldiers of Economic-Defense Group 5 still quietly “sow the harvest” on the rocks. They sow not only with sweat but also with faith, love and culture close to the people - the most precious “harvest” in the fence of the Fatherland.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/nhung-nguoi-goi-mua-bien-cuong-1012344