To ensure sustainable development, the locality has been developing many effective livelihood models that adapt to flash floods – a unique factor that strongly influences the lives and production of the people.
Many effective livelihood models
Xuan Mai commune was established by merging Xuan Mai town and the communes of Thuy Xuan Tien, Tan Tien, and Nam Phuong Tien. The expanded administrative area, rapidly increasing population, and large agricultural land area have created significant potential for development in Xuan Mai, particularly in the fields of clean agriculture, organic farming, and commercial agriculture.
In fact, the experience of recent years shows that the localities that make up Xuan Mai commune today have effectively exploited this potential, gradually forming many livelihood models suitable to the natural conditions and farming practices of the people.
In fruit-growing regions, Mr. Nguyen Van Thang's pomelo farming model is a prime example. On his planned cultivated land, his family proactively transformed their farming practices to reduce chemical use, increase organic fertilizers, and strictly adhere to technical requirements. According to Mr. Thang, pomelo farming today is not just about yield, but also about quality and market. When the product is safe, has a clear origin, and has a more stable market, the value generated is also higher.
In the field of livestock farming, Mr. Nguyen Trung Dung chose a different path by investing in an automated feed mixing system for his chickens. Instead of relying entirely on industrial feed, he utilizes local corn, beans, and agricultural by-products to produce microbial feed. “Mechanization helps reduce costs, keeps the chickens healthier, and reduces disease outbreaks. Most importantly, it allows us to control production,” Mr. Dung shared. This model not only helps his family stabilize their income but also lays the groundwork for future expansion.
For many households, beef cattle farming remains a safe and suitable livelihood in the semi-mountainous region. Nguyen Dinh Tai's family maintains a stable herd, utilizing agricultural by-products as feed and fattening cattle according to guided technical procedures. Income from this model isn't exceptionally high but is quite consistent, allowing the family to confidently continue farming and their livelihood.
A particularly striking feature in Xuan Mai's livelihood landscape is the internationally standardized organic rose farming model of Ms. Bui Thi Thanh Hang, often referred to as "Hang the Rose Farmer." Formerly the Head of Legal Affairs at a multinational corporation, Ms. Hang left the city and returned to Xuan Mai, beginning her journey to build an organic farming model on the rocky, hilly land.
From an initial area of just 12,000m², Karose Garden farm has now expanded to over 40 hectares and is certified organic by the US (USDA) and the European Union (EU Organic) by Control Union (Netherlands). The entire farmland is chemically isolated for a minimum of three years; only OMRI-certified organic fertilizers are used; pests are controlled by natural predators; and all processes are meticulously documented, rigorously inspected, and re-evaluated annually.
Beyond just farming, Ms. Hang has invested in a factory producing organic cosmetics, building a closed-loop chain from cultivation to processing and consumption. Karose's rose-based products have achieved a 4-star OCOP rating from Hanoi and are well-received in the domestic market. "I'm not doing organic farming for export, but so that Vietnamese people can use the best and most transparent products," Ms. Hang shared. In a region frequently affected by natural disasters, this model demonstrates a sustainable and standardized approach to agriculture, creating high added value and stable employment for local workers.
Alongside developing production models, Xuan Mai has also proactively implemented many poverty reduction solutions. Poverty reduction efforts have been directed with focused and decisive action, linked to livelihood support, preferential credit, vocational training, and social security. As a result, by the end of 2025, the entire commune will maintain a poverty-free status, with the near-poverty rate at 1.06% (corresponding to 164 households) – a low level compared to the regional average.
Adapting to climate change
Climate change is making weather and natural disasters increasingly extreme, with flash floods posing the biggest challenge for Xuan Mai. Without fundamental solutions, the risk of renewed poverty is ever-present; even a single major flood could sweep away the fruits of years of hard work and savings accumulated by the local people.
According to Nguyen Ngoc Sang, Deputy Head of the Economic Department of Xuan Mai Commune, the locality places special emphasis on developing agricultural models adapted to flood-prone areas. “Livelihood development must be linked to science and technology, value chains, and resilience to natural disasters. This is a decisive factor in achieving sustainable poverty reduction,” Mr. Sang emphasized.
In fact, the commune collaborated with the Hanoi Agricultural Extension Center to organize the Agricultural Extension Forum @ Farmers' Bridge, attracting more than 200 farmers, cooperatives, and farm owners. At this forum, people received direct advice on cultivation techniques, livestock farming, aquaculture, and agricultural production-consumption linkages, thereby gradually improving their production capacity and risk management.
According to Nguyen Anh Duc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Xuan Mai commune, the commune has great advantages in land, water resources, and a tradition of agricultural production. In the coming time, the commune aims to develop high-quality agriculture, focusing on organic farming and VietGAP standards, linked with eco-tourism and experiential tourism; while expanding cooperative economic models, OCOP products, and linking consumption chains to increase added value.
However, for truly sustainable livelihoods, Xuan Mai needs to fundamentally address the issue of flood control infrastructure. The locality has proposed that the city provide over 1.785 billion VND to implement 11 projects for flood control in the forest area and the renovation and upgrading of essential infrastructure. These recommendations were noted by the Standing Committee of the Hanoi City Party Committee during its monitoring visits at the end of 2025.
At a recent city-level meeting, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen requested that departments and agencies focus on implementing priority projects, with the Xuan Mai - Tran Phu area needing to be definitively addressed. According to the directive, households living in the deeply flooded area must be completely relocated to ensure safety; the relocated area will be studied for the formation of a large reservoir to regulate water levels, combined with landscaping, aquaculture, and tourism development; and the entire area will be reinforced with sturdy embankments to create an impenetrable zone protecting residents further inland. Vice Chairman Nguyen Manh Quyen requested that these projects be implemented in 2026.
If Xuân Mai were viewed solely as an agricultural area, the story of livelihoods would be limited to successful models. However, Xuân Mai today stands at a crucial turning point: it is both a region with rich potential for commodity production and a gateway to the southwest of the capital in the planned formation of a new urban space. At this intersection, the requirement for sustainable development is not just about "doing better," but about creating a secure foundation for people to dare to invest long-term, for businesses and cooperatives to confidently collaborate, and for the future urban area not to be "stuck" by natural disaster risks.
Flood control, therefore, is not just about protecting fields and houses, but about protecting the future development of an entire region. Sustainable livelihoods in Xuan Mai do not stop at simply "avoiding poverty," but must be the foundation for people to confidently pursue wealth, so that the southwestern urban area of the capital can be formed on a safe, stable, and long-term basis.
Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/sinh-ke-ben-vung-cho-vung-ron-lu-xuan-mai-726864.html
Comment (0)