To clarify the basic contents of the local poverty reduction program, we had a discussion with Mr. Nguyen Duy Hoa, Secretary of Bac Ha District, Lao Cai Province, on this issue.
PV: Could you tell us what Bac Ha has done in recent times to develop its economy and achieve sustainable poverty reduction by leveraging the value of its land?
Mr. Nguyen Duy Hoa: Land is a precious resource, the foundation for existence and participation in social activities and economic life. To utilize land effectively, rationally, and in accordance with the development requirements and the general orientation of the district, the Bac Ha District People's Committee first focuses on land use planning. In recent years, Bac Ha district has focused well on developing the land use plan until 2030, clearly defining the structure of land areas needed for each type of land in the planning period, creating a foundation for Bac Ha to implement its socio-economic development process.
Determining the land structure requiring a change in land use during that period also generates revenue for the local budget from land allocation and leasing. Simultaneously, through the land use change in the planning scheme, the compensation, support, and resettlement costs for those whose land is acquired by the State for national and public benefit within the district are determined.
Planning for new urban areas, resettlement areas, and community centers aims to address the land allocation needs of increasing urban and rural populations to ensure stable development and improve the lives of residents. The planning process allocates sufficient land for the construction of permanent public welfare facilities such as schools, health centers, government offices, markets, etc., contributing to raising the intellectual level and improving the cultural and spiritual lives of the people.
Based on the Bac Ha District Land Use Planning until 2030, the District People's Committee has been implementing the preparation of detailed construction planning areas such as: the 1500ha general urban planning, the planning of Ring Road II, the planning of Ta Ho Gas Station, the planning of Na Quang 123, the planning of the area south of Na Co Lake, the planning of Bac Ha Hospital, etc. In addition, Bac Ha district is also implementing the construction of detailed planning for the centers of commune clusters to meet the increasing demand for housing land of the people, as well as to effectively exploit land resources, build commune centers with synchronized technical and social infrastructure, and deeply implement common projects.
The effective exploitation and utilization of land resources, in accordance with land use planning and construction plans, is a priority for Bac Ha district, aiming to ensure land use aligns with socio-economic development goals and national defense and security objectives.
PV: Could you elaborate on leveraging the value of land in relation to poverty reduction efforts ?
Mr. Nguyen Duy Hoa: Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of land management and utilization, maximizing the value of land resources, and creating momentum for socio-economic development have always been the goals that Bac Ha district (Lao Cai province) has set in recent years. This is also the driving force to boost production, create jobs, provide stable income, and help people, especially ethnic minorities in this mountainous district, rise out of poverty sustainably.
In particular, create large-scale agricultural commodity production areas, consolidating them into more specialized, concentrated production zones, linked with processing industries, distribution and consumption networks, and applying advanced science and technology, digital transformation, mechanization, and automation... (e.g., Ta Van Chu plum; Tam Hoa plum - Na Hoi, Ta Chai, Town; Medicinal plant area - Ta Van Chu, Lung Phinh....).
In addition to planning to create land reserves for socio-economic development, a shift in mindset regarding land management and utilization—specifically, the efficient use of farmland and forests managed by households—is the goal of the communes and Bac Ha district. Through propaganda and mobilization, awareness, customs, and habits have gradually changed, shifting farming practices from low-value crops and livestock to high-value crops and livestock. This has created motivation for poor and near-poor households to strive to escape poverty on their own land.
Therefore, Bac Ha district has implemented projects such as planting pear trees and medicinal plants to increase productivity and income for people who depend on the land for their livelihood. For example, the pear tree planting model of Mr. Trang Seo Khua's family in Hoang Ha village, Hoang Thu Pho commune, Bac Ha district. Mr. Khua's family has 400 pear trees, and in recent years, these 400 trees have yielded an income of over 100 million VND per year. Mr. Khua's family has not only escaped poverty but also accumulated considerable wealth.
For example, the model of cultivating Platycodon grandiflorus (commonly known as "balloon flower") by the family of Ms. Trang Thi Ngoc Linh in La Di Thang village, Ta Van Chu commune, Bac Ha district, shows that Ms. Linh's family has converted their entire nearly 1-hectare corn field to growing Platycodon grandiflorus. Her family also has a Ta Van plum orchard with hundreds of trees. These two main crops provide her family with a stable annual income. This is just one example among thousands of households in Bac Ha that have changed their mindset to maximize the value of their land in poverty reduction efforts.
PV: What difficulties and challenges has Bac Ha district faced in poverty reduction and land-related poverty reduction?
With its predominantly mountainous terrain interspersed with rivers and streams, and its underdeveloped economy, poverty reduction has been a constant concern for the local Party committee and government of Bac Ha district for many years, as the goal of escaping poverty remains unsustainable.
During the project's implementation, the aim was to expand Bac Ha town, create land along the route, and meet the needs of urban infrastructure development and people's transportation. It aimed to ensure smooth traffic flow, contribute to poverty reduction, gradually improve economic living standards, and enhance infrastructure. However, difficulties were still encountered, such as: due to a lack of understanding, some people still held the view that land was the private property of the land user; during land acquisition, people still made demands such as negotiating compensation prices and refusing to allow land to be reclaimed…
People's land use practices have not complied with the 2013 Land Law: They have arbitrarily constructed buildings on agricultural land without permission from competent state agencies, arbitrarily divided land plots to give to children or transferred land without meeting the conditions for division, and arbitrarily changed the land use purpose… This has led to many difficulties when implementing land acquisition and clearance.
The consolidation of land plots to create land for high-quality agricultural development has not been truly effective; therefore, Bac Ha still lacks many high-tech fields that contribute to sustainable poverty reduction.
PV: In the coming period, what plans does Bac Ha have to make poverty reduction efforts more practical and sustainable, especially poverty reduction through maximizing the value of the land, sir?
In the coming period, to reduce poverty while maximizing the value of land in practice, Bac Ha district will integrate support resources from the central government, Lao Cai province, and Bac Ha district to create the most favorable conditions for poor households, near-poor households, and policy beneficiary families to easily access preferential loan sources to develop their economy on the agricultural land they currently own.
Bac Ha district aims to reduce the number of poor households by 1,053 by the end of 2023, equivalent to an 8.97% reduction in poverty; and to bring the poverty rate in rural areas down to 49%. "During the 2021-2025 period, Bac Ha district will have three major central government programs continuing to support socio-economic development. We are conducting a comprehensive review of all funding sources to implement support with a plan of state support and matching contributions from the people."
By stepping up poverty reduction efforts, the material and spiritual lives of the people of Bac Ha have been continuously improved, laying the foundation for Bac Ha to strive to be removed from the list of poor districts nationwide by 2025.
Through the National Target Programs for Sustainable Poverty Reduction, the District People's Committee has directed specialized agencies to coordinate with the People's Committees of communes and towns to review and develop support plans for poor households and ethnic minorities in difficult areas (support for land, housing, and production materials) in accordance with customs, traditions, cultural identity, and the actual conditions of each region. At the same time, policies have been implemented to create conditions for ethnic minorities directly engaged in agricultural production to have land for cultivation.
Besides helping people increase their income effectively and sustainably, we will put the Resolution into practice to change mindsets, helping ethnic minority people understand the methods and ways of cultivating their family's land, thereby rising out of poverty and becoming wealthy on their own land, contributing to the development of Bac Ha highland district.
Source
Comment (0)