Thanh Hoa: Impressive transformation of the poorest district in the province

Muong Lat District, located in the western border region of Thanh Hoa province, was once one of the most disadvantaged areas in the province. However, with the decisive involvement of the entire political system and appropriate development policies, the lives of the people here are gradually improving, opening up opportunities for sustainable poverty alleviation for many households. As a mountainous border province still facing many difficulties, Lao Cai province has recently paid special attention to effectively implementing capital from national target programs with the motto "clear objectives, implementing units, and responsible individuals". This contributes to rapid and sustainable poverty reduction in ethnic minority areas. On March 10th, General Secretary To Lam and his wife, along with a high-level Vietnamese delegation, visited the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta, Indonesia. Along with coastal provinces and cities nationwide, Kien Giang province has implemented many solutions to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the area. This includes focusing on propaganda combined with thorough handling of "three-no" fishing vessels, aiming to join hands with the whole country to soon remove the EC's "yellow card" and develop Vietnam's fisheries sustainably and responsibly towards the international community. Having existed for several hundred years, the custom of worshipping deities has become a cultural and religious belief of the people of Southern Vietnam. Among them, the Ky Yen custom is the largest ancient tradition, a place where people in the South pray for a prosperous life. From January to April, when the full moon shines brightly, villages throughout Southern Vietnam take turns celebrating the Ky Yen festival. Children are dressed in new clothes, adults are neatly dressed, and they gather at the village communal house to inaugurate the festival. The vast and remote area, and the inability of many households to participate… are significant challenges in implementing the program to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses in the mountainous districts of Nghe An province. How will these localities overcome these “bottlenecks”? The People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province has just approved a plan to organize a ceremony honoring the special national monument of the Ponagar Tower in the third lunar month (April) on the occasion of the Am Chua Festival and the Ponagar Tower Festival. The Nhon Hai fishing festival in Quy Nhon City (Binh Dinh province) takes place from the 11th to the 13th of February (lunar calendar) every year. This festival is associated with the folk belief of worshipping whales, which fishermen respectfully call the "Ông" (god) of the South Sea. This is an opportunity for the residents of the coastal village to express their respect and gratitude to the Whale God; to pray for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather, and a bountiful harvest; and at the same time, to preserve and pass on the traditional cultural heritage of their ancestors… This is a summary of news from the Ethnic and Development Newspaper. The morning news on March 8th includes the following noteworthy information: Dak Lak's coffee knowledge recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The prosperity of traditional craft villages in Ca Mau. The season of "catching" students in Po To. Along with other current events in the ethnic minority and mountainous regions. Muong Lat district, located in the western border region of Thanh Hoa province, was once one of the most difficult localities in the province. However, with the decisive involvement of the entire political system and appropriate development policies, the lives of the people here are gradually improving, opening up opportunities for sustainable poverty alleviation for many households. The decision to give secondary and high school students Saturdays off has received strong support from teachers and parents. Biotin, or vitamin B7, is one of the B vitamins that helps maintain the health of the skin, hair, eyes, liver, and nervous system. Adequate biotin supplementation helps prevent hair loss. During the period 2021-2025, the Chứt ethnic group is one of 14 ethnic groups facing specific difficulties according to Decision No. 1227/QD-TTg. They mainly reside in high mountainous and border areas, thus having few advantages for socio-economic development. Therefore, the State has prioritized the implementation of many specific policies to help the Chứt people stabilize their lives and achieve comprehensive development. Ms. Đàng Thị Lúa is a typical artisan of Bàu Trúc pottery village, located in Phước Dân town, Ninh Phước district, Ninh Thuận province. The Cham pottery products crafted by Ms. Lúa have sharp lines, delicate patterns, and durable quality, and are favored by customers inside and outside the province. Thanks to the stable income from pottery making, her family enjoys a comfortable life, has built a spacious house, and has raised their children to be successful in their studies.

Cassava is one of the crops that brings economic benefits to the people of Muong Lat.

Changing the mindset in production

Immediately after the issuance of Resolution 11-NQ/TU dated September 29, 2022, by the Standing Committee of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee on "Building and developing Muong Lat district until 2030, with a vision to 2045," Muong Lat district focused on implementing many solutions to change the production mindset of its people. One of the breakthroughs was the shift from small-scale, self-sufficient production to commodity production with product consumption linkages.

In Muong Lat district, many effective economic models have emerged, providing stable income for the people. A prime example is the cassava cultivation model linked with product consumption agreements in Muong Ly commune. With guidance from the District Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, people have switched from cultivating unproductive acacia trees to growing cassava on hilly and sloping land. To date, Muong Ly commune has over 500 hectares of cassava, with an average yield of 18-20 tons/ha, generating nearly 50 million VND/ha in income.

The family of Mr. Thào A Pao, in Xa Lung village, Mường Lý commune, previously grew acacia trees, but it was not profitable. In 2023, he switched to growing cassava, and after just over a year, the cassava crop brought in a stable income, helping his family gradually rise out of poverty.

Muong Chanh commune has become the first new rural commune in Muong Lat district.

Besides cassava, Muong Ly commune is also implementing a model of growing Bat Do bamboo for its shoots. Mr. Quach Van Tung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Muong Ly commune, said: "To date, more than 100 households in Nang 1, Muong 2, and Tai Chanh villages have registered to plant Bat Do bamboo, covering an area of ​​about 80 hectares. We expect this model to help people have a stable income and provide an opportunity for the people of Muong Ly to escape poverty."

In addition, the district has developed cooperatives for breeding cattle, raising frogs for commercial purposes, raising ducks for high egg production, and cultivating medicinal plants such as lemongrass for essential oil extraction and Lagerstroemia (a type of medicinal herb) for export.

Infrastructure investment

Alongside developing production, Muong Lat district is also focusing on investing in infrastructure development. In 2024, the district mobilized an estimated 968.5 billion VND in investment capital, prioritizing the construction of roads, schools, irrigation works, and other essential facilities serving production and the lives of the people. The completion of infrastructure has created favorable conditions for people to develop their economy and connect with markets for their products.

The Na On resettlement area received an investment of over 26 billion VND from the state budget to help people settle down and establish their livelihoods.

Thanks to continuous efforts, poverty reduction in the district has seen many positive changes. Average per capita income in 2024 is estimated at 28.9 million VND, and the poverty rate has decreased to 25.85%. Notably, in January 2025, Muong Chanh commune was recognized as achieving the new rural standard, contributing to eliminating the "blank" status of new rural communes in Muong Lat district and ensuring that Thanh Hoa province no longer has a district without new rural communes.

District Party Secretary Trieu Minh Xiet affirmed: "Resolution 11-NQ/TU is like a breath of fresh air, creating a great spiritual boost for the locality to fully utilize its potential and advantages, determined to lift Muong Lat out of poverty by 2030. This includes mobilizing resources from national target programs. Most importantly, the people have gradually changed their mindset, way of thinking, and methods, no longer waiting for or relying on state support, but proactively seeking new directions for economic development."

With the achievements made and the determination of the entire political system and the people, Muong Lat is gradually transforming, narrowing the gap with the lowland districts of the province. The goal is that by 2045, the average per capita income of the district will reach the average level of mountainous districts in Thanh Hoa province, creating a solid foundation for the socio-economic development of this border district.

Sustainable development in ethnic minority areas of Thanh Hoa province.

Source: https://baodantoc.vn/thanh-hoa-buoc-chuyen-minh-an-tuong-cua-mot-huyen-ngheo-nhat-tinh-1741579881632.htm