Changing the face of disadvantaged areas

Implementing the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction for the 2021-2025 period, Son La province mobilizes and effectively uses resources to invest in essential infrastructure, support livelihoods, and create jobs for people in disadvantaged areas. Projects and production models from the program are contributing to changing the face of rural areas, improving the lives of ethnic minorities, towards the goal of sustainable poverty reduction.

Song village road, Chieng La commune is concreted.

From 2021 to now, the province has disbursed nearly 758 billion VND to implement 7 projects under the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction, including: socio -economic development in extremely difficult areas; diversifying livelihoods, replicating poverty reduction models; supporting production, improving nutrition; developing vocational education and sustainable employment; supporting housing for poor households; communication, information on poverty reduction; improving capacity and monitoring implementation. This capital source helps localities invest in infrastructure, support production, and improve people's material and spiritual lives.

One of the highlights of the program is the model of growing raw sugarcane in association with processing enterprises in Phieng Pan commune. From the end of 2024, the sugarcane development project according to the value chain was implemented on an area of ​​over 350 hectares, attracting 403 ethnic minority households to join in association with Son La Sugarcane Joint Stock Company. People were supported with seeds, fertilizers, technical training and product consumption, sugarcane productivity in the project area increased by about 10%, household income increased by more than 12%/ha/year. The average profit reached nearly 40 million VND/ha, creating stable jobs for many local workers.

Mr. Lo Van Viet, Lan Quynh village, Phieng Pan commune, shared: My family has more than 1 hectare of land for growing sugarcane, and has been supported with making beds, fertilizers, and technical guidance on care and pest control. Last crop yielded 140 tons, all products were purchased by the enterprise, earning more than 100 million VND. Everyone is excited, has stable jobs, and is confident in sticking with sugarcane.

Farmers of Phieng Pan commune take care of sugarcane.

Along with production development, localities invest in essential infrastructure to serve people's lives and economic development. In the period of 2021-2025, Thuan Chau area has mobilized and effectively combined capital sources to build 277 works and maintain 95 works serving people's lives and production. Many important routes, such as Cha May - Provincial Road 117, Bon Phang - Nam Lau, Phong Lap - Long He have been completed, opening up opportunities for trade and commodity development. Up to now, 100% of communes have paved car roads to the center; 100% of ethnic minority households have access to clean water; 99% of households have access to information and television.

Mr. Ca Van Tuong, Party cell secretary and head of Song village, Chieng La commune, said: The village has 90 Thai and La Ha ethnic households living there. Previously, traveling was difficult and agricultural products were difficult to transport. At the end of 2024, the road of more than 1 km connecting the village with Binh Thuan commune was completed, helping to sell agricultural products conveniently, people to expand their production scale, many fruit tree and concentrated livestock models were formed, contributing to increasing income and stabilizing life.

After nearly 5 years of implementation, from the capital of the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction, the whole province has implemented 51 infrastructure projects (roads, irrigation, domestic water, schools, cultural houses...) and maintained 85 projects; built 3 value chain linkage models (coffee, sugarcane) and 5 community support projects (cows, goats breeding). Along with that, more than 3,200 children were provided with supplementary food; 4,700 mothers received nutrition counseling; vocational training for 7,835 workers; housing support for 1,400 poor households...

Poor households in Lang Cheu commune are supported with breeding cows.

Thanks to the attention and direction of the province and the participation of all levels and sectors, poverty reduction work in Son La has had many clear changes. The poverty rate in the whole province decreased from 21.6% in 2021 to 10.89% at the end of 2024, and is expected to be only 7.89% by the end of 2025, an average decrease of 3.59%/year, exceeding the target of the Resolution of the 15th Provincial Party Congress. The poverty rate of ethnic minorities decreased from 21.3% to 10.7%.

Along with that, the rural landscape has changed: more than 99.5% of households have safe electricity; 97.5% of the rural population uses clean water; the rate of children going to school is over 98%; 100% of poor and near-poor households are provided with health insurance; 95% of poor households have access to information and telecommunication services. Rural infrastructure is more spacious; roads, electricity, schools and stations have been invested in and expanded, creating favorable conditions for production development and improving people's lives.

From investment resources, Son La countryside today is changing day by day. Infrastructure is synchronized, production is expanding, people's lives are constantly improving. These achievements are vivid proof of the effectiveness of the Sustainable Poverty Reduction Program, demonstrating the efforts of the entire political system and the people, creating a foundation for Son La to develop stably, towards the goal of sustainable poverty reduction.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/nong-thon-moi/thay-doi-dien-mao-vung-kho-khan-wowvrNkDR.html