Economic development and sustainable poverty reduction in ethnic minority areas.

Son La is a mountainous, border province with a population of over 1.4 million people, of which 84.46% are ethnic minorities. Implementing the Socio-Economic Development Program for Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the period 2021-2030 (Program 1719), the province has deployed many models to support production, vocational training, and livelihood creation, helping ethnic minorities rise out of poverty sustainably and contributing to narrowing the development gap between regions.

Báo Sơn La•24/05/2026

Farmers in Chiềng Hặc commune wrap mangoes in bags.
Photo: PV

As one of the 10 component projects of Program 1719, Project 3, "Developing sustainable agricultural and forestry production, leveraging the potential and strengths of regions to produce goods along the value chain," is of significant importance in promoting livelihood development for poor and near-poor households living in ethnic minority areas and particularly disadvantaged villages. Local authorities have proactively surveyed and reviewed natural conditions, soil, and farming practices of the people to build models and product chains suitable to the potential and strengths of each region; intensified training and technology transfer, helping people gradually grasp the production process along the chain and improve their farming skills. Participating households receive support in seeds, materials, fertilizers, and establish commodity production linkages with the market. After 5 years of implementation, the entire province has formed 8 production chains, including: 2 coffee chains; 3 plum chains; One mango and two longan production lines, with a total investment of approximately 35.2 billion VND, directly support 372.5 hectares of fruit trees, benefiting 974 households.

Nam Ty commune has over 500 hectares of coffee, of which more than 200 hectares are currently producing crops, with an average yield of about 10 tons/ha. Previously, many households relied mainly on experience to cultivate coffee, lacking supplies, leading to low yields and inconsistent fruit quality. Since participating in the project and implementing the coffee production chain, households have gradually adopted modern farming methods, improving yield and fruit quality, and forming a habit of production within the chain.

Officials from the Chiềng Hặc Commune General Service Center instruct local people on the technique of bagging mangoes.

With 8,000 m² of coffee, in 2024, Mr. Luong Van Minh's family in Mon village, Nam Ty commune, participated in the intensive farming chain, receiving over 1 ton of fertilizer, training in cultivation techniques, pest and disease control, and proper harvesting procedures. Mr. Minh shared: Thanks to applying the correct cultivation techniques, his family's coffee garden is developing well, the fruit ripens uniformly, the yield is stable, investment costs are reduced, and product quality is improved. Participating in the chain also helps the family connect with traders, stabilize output, and increase the value of agricultural products.

In Chiềng Sơ commune, over 90% of the population are ethnic Thai and Mong people. The terrain is fragmented, many villages are far from the center; infrastructure is not synchronized; and agricultural production is still small-scale. With the support of Program 1719, from 2022 to the present, the commune People's Committee, in coordination with specialized agencies, has opened 17 training courses for nearly 900 farmer members; supported the construction of models for livestock farming, fruit tree cultivation, medicinal plant cultivation, and mechanical repair... To date, farmers in the commune have intensively cultivated 3,426 hectares of various fruit trees; cared for over 23,000 head of livestock and poultry; and the poverty rate in the commune has decreased to 7%.

The people of Yen Chau commune received support in the form of machinery for livestock farming.

In October 2024, the family of Mr. Lo Van Tien, from Pang village, Chieng So commune, received support in the form of 1,000 chicks, mixed feed, vaccines, disinfectants, and probiotics to establish a model for raising purebred black chickens free-range on hillsides in a bio-secure manner. Mr. Tien shared: "After attending a training course on breeding techniques and disease prevention and treatment for livestock, I focused on building scientifically designed chicken coops, using biological bedding, disinfecting, and vaccinating regularly. As a result, the flock of chickens has developed well, yielding a profit of nearly 100 million VND per year. Currently, there are 12 households in the village following the model of raising purebred black chickens."

Chiềng La commune currently has 31 villages, with a population of nearly 20,400 people, comprising 6 ethnic groups; among them, the La Ha, Khơ Mú, and Kháng people belong to the minority ethnic groups. In recent years, the ethnic minority people of the commune have also benefited from new sources of livelihood from production development support projects under Program 1719, helping households rise out of poverty sustainably.

Farmers in Chiềng La commune are developing enclosed cattle farming.

The family of Mr. Quang Van Doi, from Phe village, Chieng La commune, formerly a poor household, received two breeding cows from Program 1719. Mr. Doi shared: "Not only did we receive the breeding stock, but agricultural extension officers also guided us on techniques for raising the cows, planting additional grass to ensure a food source for them, and maintaining hygiene in the barn. Currently, the herd is thriving, and two cows are preparing to give birth. The family also cultivates 2 hectares of corn; we escaped poverty last year."

During the 2021-2025 period, from the funding of Program 1719, the entire province directly supported production development for over 40,000 poor households and implemented economic development models with over 35,000 participating households. The average income of ethnic minorities doubled compared to 2020. Poverty reduction efforts recorded positive results, with the poverty rate decreasing by an average of 3.11% per year, exceeding the target set by the Resolution of the 15th Provincial Party Congress; the poverty rate for the entire province decreased to 9.37%. In particularly difficult communes, the number of poor and near-poor households decreased by an average of over 4% each year.

With the province's decisive involvement in implementing Program 1719, ethnic minority communities have been able to develop their economy, improve their income and living standards. The face of mountainous rural areas is changing day by day thanks to the "fishing rods" that have been given at the right time and in the right place.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/nong-thon-moi/phat-trien-kinh-te-giam-ngheo-ben-vung-vung-dong-bao-dan-toc-VpZFHzoDR.html