People in the highlands of A Luoi harvest Bo Chinh ginseng. Photo: VAN DINH

Visiting the Bo Chinh ginseng growing model of Mr. Ho Van Tu's family in Quang Nham commune, Mr. Tu said: In 2019, thanks to the encouragement and guidance of the District Agricultural Service Center, his family was one of the first 12 households in the commune to boldly implement the Bo Chinh ginseng growing model. "Initially, when implementing the model, people still did not have much experience and did not fully understand the growing techniques, so the ginseng yield only reached 50% of the estimate. After 5 years of implementation, the ginseng growing model from the initial 2 hectares has expanded to 5 hectares. Ginseng yield is high, the average selling price is from 70,000 VND to 90,000 VND/kg depending on the size of ginseng, much higher than other crops".

In Quang Nham commune, in addition to Bo Chinh ginseng, recently, people have also planted Solanum procumbens - a medicinal herb that is effective in treating tendon and bone diseases, rheumatism, hangovers, and liver diseases. The whole commune has nearly 10 hectares of this medicinal plant with about 25 households participating.

Displaying and introducing Bo Chinh ginseng products at the Highland Market. Photo: N. Hoa

Mr. Ho Van Nhu - Head of Pi Ay 1 village, Quang Nham commune said: In 2019, he took advantage of his garden land to grow Bo Chinh ginseng and Solanum procumbens. By early 2022, with the support of the local government, Mr. Nhu expanded the planting area to 2 hectares for these two herbs. "Thanks to understanding the characteristics of the plants as well as the local soil and climate characteristics, after 4 years of developing the ginseng and Solanum procumbens growing model, it has given good results. Thanks to that, my family has an additional source of income...", Mr. Nhu shared.

Along with Bo Chinh ginseng and Solanum procumbens, the A Luoi district government has planted about 2 hectares of ginger and millennium for trial, with 64 ethnic minority households in A Roang commune participating. After nearly 3 years of planting, the millennium and ginger have grown well. This is a positive sign, not only providing livelihoods for the people but also creating conditions for the locality to develop valuable medicinal herbs in the future.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hai, Vice Chairman of A Luoi District People's Committee, said: Based on the research and survey results report of the Department of Traditional Medicine, the Institute of Medicinal Materials and the Institute of Soil and Agricultural Chemistry, A Luoi District has issued a notice of selection to preside over the association with the planning of a total area of ​​305 hectares in 3 communes: Quang Nham, Hong Bac, A Roang; at the same time, the general planning task for the construction of 3 communes has been approved. Up to now, the province is consulting with members of the Provincial People's Committee before signing the approval of the project (DA) for implementation; expected with a total area of ​​about 215 hectares, of which 210 hectares are for growing medicinal herbs (with 5 main types of trees: sawtooth clubmoss, long-leafed red pine, seven-leafed one-flower, and gac) and 5 hectares for building a factory and nursery in Quang Nham commune, A Luoi district.

The People's Committee of A Luoi district has guided the communes to mobilize people to participate in the project implementation and so far, 3 cooperatives and 313 people have registered to participate in growing medicinal plants; organized conferences and forums to promote investment in the field of medicinal plants to attract more businesses and units inside and outside the province to participate.

The implementation of the project to invest in and support the growing of precious medicinal herbs in A Luoi district is extremely practical, not only ensuring the implementation of political tasks, social security, economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas, but also having significance for the development of medicinal herbs in the province in general and A Luoi district in particular. The project of precious medicinal herbs is the premise for the development of precious medicinal plants with high economic and medicinal value, preserving medicinal gene sources at risk of extinction in natural forest canopies.

At the conference to review 3 years of implementing the content of Investment and support for the development of precious medicinal herb growing areas under the National Target Program on socio-economic development of ethnic minority and mountainous areas for the period 2021 - 203, organized by the Ministry of Health in Thua Thien Hue in mid-May 2024, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh affirmed: The province has focused and mobilized resources to effectively implement national target programs in the province and initially had positive results, creating clear changes. The National Target Program 1719 is of great significance, helping to focus on solving urgent problems, promoting socio-economic development in difficult areas, especially ethnic minority and mountainous areas. In particular, focusing on the development of medicinal herb areas helps people have more income. Thereby contributing to helping A Luoi escape from the 74 poor districts nationwide.

Bach Chau