Of the 138 households in Khe Det village, the Red Dao ethnic group makes up the majority with 105 households and 496 people; the Mong ethnic group has 33 households with 237 people. For generations, the lives of the villagers have mainly depended on agricultural and forestry production. Due to the fragmented terrain, difficult transportation, and lack of capital, poverty has persistently plagued the lives of the people of Khe Det.
As a poor household in Khe Dẹt village, Ms. Ha Thi Van's family had been struggling for many years to find ways to improve their income. However, due to limited capital, their lives remained mired in hardship. The real change only came when she benefited from a production support program for poor households, receiving a breeding buffalo worth over 30 million VND. To ensure the quality of the breeding stock, Ms. Van accompanied a delegation from Phong Du Thuong commune to Yen Binh commune to personally select the animals.
The fact that the State not only provided financial support but also accompanied the people in selecting breeding stock and guiding livestock farming techniques has further motivated and helped her family gradually change their mindset and way of doing things.
Ms. Ha Thi Van emotionally shared: "For my family, the buffalo is not only a valuable asset but also a source of livelihood, creating opportunities to rise out of poverty, bringing stable income and hope for a more prosperous life."
Established on May 23, 2025, the Khe Det Sturgeon Cooperative received funding support for ethnic minority communities, with a total investment of 1.9 billion VND. The project provided 1,400 sturgeon fingerlings and 15.8 tons of feed for fish farming, solving the problem of initial investment costs for the local people.
Since being released into the ponds in August 2025, the sturgeon have quickly adapted to the unique cold water environment of the highlands. Currently, the fish have reached an average weight of 1-1.2 kg each. To ensure smooth operation, the cooperative has 17 members who work together and directly manage the operation.
Hiring dedicated workers for care, combined with regular inspections by members, has made the sturgeon farming model a source of pride for the people of Khe Dẹt. This confirms that highland communities can access and master high-tech fish farming techniques if they receive proper guidance and support.
Mr. Mai Van Dinh, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of the Cooperative, said: "The Cooperative will continue to strictly control the care process, ensuring the quality of clean sturgeon for supply to the market. We hope that this model will be a stepping stone to expand and attract more households to participate, helping each other develop economically ."
Not eligible for government support policies, Ms. Trieu Mui Coi's family proactively found their own path by raising bamboo rats for commercial purposes. Through research, she realized that raising bamboo rats has high economic value, is easy to care for, and its main food source is agricultural by-products such as corn, sugarcane, cassava, bamboo, and reeds readily available around her garden. She boldly invested in over 40 cages, each housing 3 to 4 bamboo rats.
What makes Ms. Coi's method unique is her ability to breed the animals locally, minimizing the cost of purchasing breeding stock and controlling disease outbreaks. Her family supplies commercial guinea pigs to the market at prices ranging from 500,000 to 550,000 VND per kilogram, providing a stable income.
Ms. Coi's model of raising bamboo rats has inspired many other households in the village with its spirit of daring to think and act, not relying on government support, and proactively utilizing local advantages to get rich.
The economic models emerging and proving effective in Khe Det provide a compelling solution to the problem of sustainable poverty reduction in ethnic minority areas. Experience shows that with the right direction, appropriate methods, and strong determination, the aspiration for a prosperous rural area can absolutely become a reality.
Mr. Le Van Quyen, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Phong Du Thuong commune, said: In the coming time, the commune will mobilize resources, provide capital and technical support, and act as a "bridge" to help people find stable markets for their products. Through pilot models to create sustainable livelihoods, the people of Khe Det will be able to prosper on their homeland.
Source: https://baolaocai.vn/suc-song-moi-o-khe-det-post892165.html
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