Tu Mo Rong: From a difficult land to the medicinal capital of the Central Highlands

From a poor district deep in the Ngoc Linh forest, after 20 years of efforts to rise, Tu Mo Rong today has gradually affirmed its position as the "medicinal capital" of Kon Tum in particular and the Central Highlands region in general. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the district's establishment, SGGP Newspaper had an interview with Mr. Vo Trung Manh - Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tu Mo Rong district - about the journey of building and developing this land of great potential.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh guides people and local authorities to develop Ngoc Linh ginseng sustainably during his working trip to Tu Mo Rong district in August 2023.

Reporter: How did Tu Mo Rong start its development journey amidst countless difficulties, sir?

Mr. Vo Trung Manh, Chairman of Tu Mo Rong District People's Committee: Tu Mo Rong District was established on June 9, 2005, on the basis of separation from Dak To District. In the early days, the locality faced many difficulties: lack of infrastructure, isolated traffic, low education level, and backward farming practices.

Tu Mo Rong district organizes an auction of Ngoc Linh ginseng to raise funds to build long houses, helping the Xo Dang people do community tourism .

95% of the population are Xo Dang people, who mainly live on subsistence agriculture and have not yet had access to modern technology. In particular, natural disasters occur frequently, such as storm No. 9 in 2009, which caused heavy losses in human lives and property.

Reporter: What direction has Tu Mo Rong chosen to exploit potential and create breakthroughs?

Mr. Vo Trung Manh, Chairman of Tu Mo Rong District People's Committee:

Mr. Nguyen Duc Tuy, Deputy Secretary of Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee (right) presents gongs to the Xo Dang people in Tu Mo Rong district to do community tourism and escape poverty.

Through the Party Congresses, Tu Mo Rong district has gradually shaped its own development path, suitable to the local natural and social conditions. From depending on cassava and rice, the district has boldly switched to crops with high economic value such as cold-climate coffee, medicinal herbs, especially Ngoc Linh ginseng - Vietnam's national treasure.

The district has clearly defined its sustainable development strategy as protecting and developing forests, growing medicinal herbs, raising livestock under the forest canopy, and developing tourism. This is also a direction that has received high consensus from the people.

Tu Mo Rong district leaders shared the potential and strengths of the locality with investors from other provinces, in order to call for investment in the district.

To realize the sustainable development orientation, the district actively attracts businesses and cooperatives to participate in production linkages and medicinal plant development, thereby helping people have more conditions to build their own ginseng gardens. Along with agricultural development, we promote the development of eco-tourism associated with the preservation of Xo Dang cultural identity, gradually forming a sustainable development model based on the pillars: afforestation, livestock, medicinal plants and tourism.

The medicinal culinary contest is a program organized by the People's Committee of Tu Mo Rong district, aiming to enhance the value of ginseng in the area.

The “One Commune One Product” (OCOP) program has become a key strategy, contributing to building the brand for Ngoc Linh ginseng and precious medicinal herbs. Many products have been certified for quality, promoted by the district at fairs in and outside the province, bringing Tu Mo Rong medicinal herbs closer to consumers nationwide and internationally.

At the same time, the locality has focused on investing in developing the transport infrastructure system to production areas; installing lighting for 86/86 villages; upgrading school facilities and improving the quality of healthcare and social security. Boarding school models, supporting meals for students in disadvantaged areas have contributed significantly to improving the quality of learning. Model residential areas such as Tu Tho resettlement area (Te Xang commune), Ba Khen - Long Tro (Van Xuoi commune) and Mo Za village (Ngoc Lay commune) have changed the face of rural mountainous areas.

Experts and professional chefs show off their culinary skills from Tu Mo Rong ginseng.

In the context of digital transformation, what steps has Tu Mo Rong district taken to adapt, sir?

We promote the application of digital technology in both state management and people's lives. In terms of administration, we organize in-depth training on artificial intelligence (AI) for officials and civil servants, helping to improve their skills in using digital tools in management and document processing, aiming to best serve the people.

Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee leaders trekked through the forest to the ginseng garden to orient policies for Tu Mo Rong district to develop Ngoc Linh ginseng.

In production, we guide people to sell products through e-commerce platforms, use QR codes to trace the origin, and organize livestreams to introduce products. Free wifi is installed in communal houses and community points of 60 villages to help people easily access technology.

The district has mobilized its sister units to support online teaching equipment, creating conditions for students in remote areas to connect with teachers in Ho Chi Minh City and Kon Tum. Thereby, contributing to overcoming the shortage of teachers and helping students access modern teaching methods from a team of excellent teachers in the city.

In 2024, Mr. Nguyen Duc Tuy (left), Deputy Secretary of Kon Tum Provincial Party Committee, came to work at Tu Tho Resettlement Village (Te Xang commune), orienting the locality on building economic models and developing tourism to improve the lives of people in the resettlement area.

After nearly 20 years of construction and development, what do you think are the most prominent marks of Tu Mo Rong district?

After 20 years of development, Tu Mo Rong has become one of the three key medicinal plant growing areas of Kon Tum province, with more than 4,000 hectares, including more than 3,000 hectares of Ngoc Linh ginseng - the largest in the country. A series of "mosts" have been recorded: the largest Ngoc Linh ginseng growing area, the most Xo Dang billionaires thanks to Ngoc Linh ginseng, the most processed medicinal products, and the place with the world's largest ginseng garden tourism model....

From a tourism industry that was unknown to everyone, Tu Mo Rong has now built many unique tourism products, welcoming 10,000 visitors each year.

Tourism has also flourished, turning Tu Mo Rong from a place with no visitors into an attractive destination, attracting about 10,000 visitors/year. Forming community tourism spots in Tu Tho village (Te Xang commune), Dak Chum 1 (Tu Mo Rong commune), Le Vang (Dak Na commune)...

Average income per capita increased sharply, from 18 million VND/person/year to 47 million VND/person/year. District budget revenue also grew significantly, from 40 billion VND to nearly 70 billion VND.

Ngoc Linh Ginseng - the plant that helps Tu Mo Rong land transform

Poor and near-poor households when the district was established were over 70% but now are below 30%.

The most encouraging thing is that the thinking of the people in the remote areas of Tu Mo Rong has clearly changed towards civilization, efficiency and value. That is, from the habit of self-sufficient production, clearing forests for slash-and-burn farming, now people know how to appreciate, protect and restore forests to develop a green economy, becoming a valuable buffer zone for growing medicinal herbs, especially Ngoc Linh ginseng.

The mindset of waiting and relying on state investment is gradually being replaced by a proactive spirit of economic development. People boldly borrow capital and use their savings to invest in ginseng cultivation.

Backward customs were basically eliminated, sick people were treated at medical facilities.

The work of preserving and promoting the cultural identity of the Xo Dang ethnic group has achieved many successes. Traditional festivals, folk arts and activities in cultural villages are maintained and developed, contributing to reviving the unique cultural beauty of the local community.

Looking back at the development journey of Tu Mo Rong, would you like to express your gratitude to those who have accompanied the district on that journey?

On the development journey of Tu Mo Rong over the past 20 years, we have always appreciated and been grateful for the special attention of the Party and State leaders. Thanks to preferential investment policies for remote areas, remote areas, and ethnic minority areas, Tu Mo Rong has had the conditions to gradually improve infrastructure, improve people's lives and create momentum for sustainable development.

During a working trip to Tu Mo Rong district, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh donated 12,000 ginseng seedlings to 300 poor households in Tu Mo Rong district.

We would also like to express our deep gratitude to the leaders of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee of Kon Tum province for always accompanying and orienting the development strategy in accordance with the specific natural and social conditions of the district. In particular, the attention and support in terms of resources, mechanisms, and policies are very important factors for the district to realize its development goals.

Finally, we would like to thank the Xo Dang people for always trusting and working together with the local government to overcome difficulties, boldly changing their thinking and working methods to rise up. It is this consensus that is the solid foundation for Tu Mo Rong to continue to go further in the future. This achievement is the crystallization of the joint efforts and hearts between the Party's will and the people's will.

Tu Mo Rong district receives Vietnam record for 120 dishes made from ginseng

What is the district's orientation in the coming time, especially when there is a policy to rearrange administrative units?

According to the direction of administrative unit rearrangement of Kon Tum province, Tu Mo Rong district will gradually change its model, moving towards no longer having a district level, but only 4 communes. This is an important step in the process of administrative boundary restructuring, aiming to streamline the apparatus, improve management efficiency and move towards sustainable development. After 20 years of construction and development, Tu Mo Rong has created a solid foundation to enter the transformation phase.

That is a positive change in the awareness, thinking and working methods of cadres and people; a strong development in economy, society and culture. In particular, the formation and replication of effective economic models, especially the development of medicinal plants and Ngoc Linh ginseng, are prominent. Infrastructure is also constantly invested and upgraded synchronously, creating favorable conditions for the development of communes.

Tu Mo Rong district residents build fences to protect Ngoc Linh ginseng

At the same time, preserving and promoting the traditional cultural identity of the Xo Dang people is considered a core factor for developing eco-tourism and experiential tourism associated with medicinal herb gardens - a potential direction, in line with the current development trend. The arrangement and streamlining of administrative boundaries from 11 communes to 4 communes will help management and operation work more effectively, focusing resources on key development.

With sustainable development orientation and available potentials, Tu Mo Rong will enter a new era, an era of rising up with the country with confidence and strong ability to rise up, ready to face challenges and take advantage of future opportunities.

LUCK

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tu-mo-rong-tu-vung-dat-kho-den-thu-phu-duoc-lieu-tay-nguyen-post793940.html