New vitality in highland villages

DBP - In recent years, the appearance of villages and hamlets in the highlands and border areas in the province has taken on a new look. Long stretches of concrete roads; solid "3-hard" houses; lush green coffee and macadamia fields... create a picture of the mountainous countryside full of vitality. This dramatic change has a strong imprint of Resolution No. 17-NQ/TU dated December 10, 2021 of the Provincial Party Committee on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas, associated with the goal of sustainable poverty reduction for the 2021-2025 period, with a vision to 2030.

People of Tuan Giao commune take care of macadamia gardens intercropped with coffee.

Improve people's lives

In the 2021 - 2025 period, Dien Bien province has flexibly applied policies and effectively mobilized capital to focus on supporting production, career conversion, housing construction and domestic water works to improve the lives of people in mountainous and border villages.

In the past 5 years, the whole province has had over 2,100 poor households with new, spacious houses; supported job conversion for 2,432 households; 22,465 households were supported with decentralized domestic water and invested in 46 centralized domestic water projects. The total capital implemented is over 322 billion VND.

In the new sturdy house, Mr. Thao A Tinh, Tang Phon village (Nam Ke commune) shared: “Having a solid house is the dream of the whole family. In 2025, I am very happy to receive the State's attention and support to build a new house. Since having a new house, my family has been able to work with peace of mind, trying to develop the economy to escape poverty.”

Along with settling down, people in highland and border villages in the area have been supported to "start a business" on their homeland with hundreds of projects to support production, create livelihoods, and increase income. In the period of 2021 - 2025, the whole province has implemented 898 projects with a total capital of more than 770 billion VND, supporting people to convert crops and livestock, and develop commodity production according to the value chain.

Over the past years, Chieng Sinh commune has effectively implemented projects to support macadamia and coffee production. Currently, green macadamia and coffee fields are gradually replacing ineffective corn and rice fields. By the end of 2025, the whole commune will have 579 hectares of macadamia and 11.7 hectares of coffee.

Mr. Ca Van Hoai, Co Dua village, Chieng Sinh commune said: "Implementing the commune's policy of converting upland crops, I have participated in production linkage projects and converted 2 hectares of ineffective upland land to grow macadamia trees. Currently, the entire area of ​​macadamia trees is growing and developing well."

Mr. Do Van Son, Chairman of the People's Committee of Chieng Sinh Commune, said: In the coming time, the People's Committee of the Commune will continue to flexibly apply policies and mobilize capital sources to simultaneously implement two contents, which are: Continue to plant new trees, expand the area of ​​​​macadamia and coffee trees and focus on taking care of the planted area so that the trees give the highest yield and output. Thereby, creating momentum for agricultural economic development in the area.

Infrastructure investment opens the way for development

From the beginning of its term, Dien Bien province has identified infrastructure investment as a "lever" to promote socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. From 2021 to now, the whole province has allocated more than 20,290 billion VND to invest in new construction, upgrading and repairing 1,129 projects on transportation, irrigation, electricity, water, health care and education.

With the motto "traffic goes one step ahead", the development of traffic infrastructure is the province's top priority, accounting for about 20.8% of the local budget capital and 43.5% of the central budget capital in the entire period of 2021 - 2025. Thanks to that, after 5 years, the whole province has had an additional 625km of rural roads invested, upgraded, and newly opened, creating a synchronous connection network between communes; connecting remote and isolated villages with the commune center. Typically, key traffic projects have been completed and promoted investment efficiency such as: 60m Road (Dien Bien Phu Ward); Tua Chua - Sinh Phinh - Ta Phin town route (old Tua Chua district); Phinh Sang - Muong Giang route (old Tuan Giao district); Provincial Road 143 Noong Bua - Pu Nhi - Noong U - Na Son (old Dien Bien Dong district) have been bringing a new look to the highlands.

Mr. Sung A Lenh, Ta La Cao village (Sinh Phinh commune) said: Since the Tua Chua - Sinh Phinh - Ta Phin town road was upgraded, the people's lives have changed significantly. Thanks to the new road, transporting goods is easier, students can go to school conveniently, and traders can come to the village to buy agricultural products. Previously, the road was small, narrow, and degraded, making it difficult to travel, especially in the rainy season. Now with the new road, people can travel conveniently in all four seasons.

Along with transportation, irrigation infrastructure has also received investment attention with a series of large projects such as: Nam Khau Hu Irrigation, Nam Po, Ang Cang Lake, Huoi Trang Tai Lake, Nam Ngam - Pu Nhi canal system... These projects contribute to ensuring water security, serving irrigation for thousands of hectares of agricultural land, helping people proactively produce and stabilize their livelihoods.

Currently, Dien Bien province is urgently implementing the "Light Up Dien Bien" program - providing rural electricity from the national grid, bringing light to many remote villages. By the end of 2025, the rate of households using the national grid is expected to reach 96.2%. The system of schools, medical stations, and cultural houses has been invested in. Students in mountainous areas have better learning conditions; people have access to quality medical services right at their localities; cultural and sports activities are maintained, contributing to improving the spiritual life of the people.

After 5 years of implementing Resolution 17-NQ/TU, the appearance of ethnic minority and mountainous areas of Dien Bien province has undergone a comprehensive transformation. Infrastructure is more synchronous, people's material and spiritual life has been significantly improved, the poverty rate has decreased rapidly, and the gap between regions has gradually narrowed.

Now, in the highland villages and hamlets, new roads, solid houses, and bright smiles of the people are vivid proof of the daily "change of skin". In the coming time, Dien Bien province will continue to identify improving people's lives as a central and continuous task, considering it the foundation and driving force for ethnic minorities and mountainous areas to constantly strive to build a prosperous and happy life.

Article and photos: Nhat Phuong

Source: https://dienbientv.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/kinh-te/202510/suc-song-moi-tren-nhung-thon-ban-vung-cao-5821417/