Tuan Giao hopes to escape poverty

Farmers in Tuan Giao (Dien Bien province) no longer remember how many delegations of district and project officials have come to popularize the planting of agricultural and forestry varieties on swidden land since 1990. They were excited to receive the varieties to plant, but then they were worried. The 327 program to green bare hills, the 661 program and project to sow and plant 5 million hectares of new forests, and the cinnamon, betel, orange planting models... have not brought the people a new rural look.

Programs and projects have come and gone countless times, and the people of Tuan Giao cannot remember them all at once, but each failure is a time when the belief in escaping poverty on the land of their ancestors becomes less and less hopeful. “There are Thai villages in Tuan Giao where there are very few young people at home now, only the elderly and children. They go downstream to work for factories. My son also went, and he hasn’t come back yet, probably until Tet.” - Mr. Lo Van Chanh, Quai Nua commune, shared sadly.

We shared the feelings and sadness of the Thai elders with Mr. Lo Van Cuong, Secretary of Tuan Giao District Party Committee. His voice was calm, as if explaining: It is true that the previous programs and projects to provide seeds and animals have not brought prosperity and abundance to the people of Tuan Giao. In recent years, Tuan Giao has received much attention from the Party, the State and Dien Bien province in terms of resource allocation, infrastructure construction, and transportation, which has received attention from the whole society. Our Party and people are clearly aware of our responsibility to seize the opportunity with the motto of daring to think, daring to do, daring to take responsibility. All for the goal of sustainable poverty reduction.

Now is the dry season, Tuan Giao people focus on watering macadamia

Therefore, since the 13th Congress, term 2020 - 2025, the Party Executive Committee of the district and localities have vigorously taken action. Issued Action Programs, developed specialized resolutions, assigned tasks and organized implementation. Deployed to each Party cell, each village, hamlet, mobilized collective strength, strong participation of Party committees at all levels, grassroots authorities, especially focused on the role of leaders, and valued the contributions of the people. In particular, the poverty reduction goal identified by the district is restructuring the agricultural sector, converting crops is an urgent issue, requiring focused leadership and direction for immediate implementation.

- So which crop varieties has Tuan Giao introduced as a target for hunger eradication and poverty reduction, sir? - I asked. Secretary of the District Party Committee Lo Van Cuong frankly said: Macadamia trees have been successfully tested in Tuan Giao since 2013, and many areas have been harvested so far, the market price for each 1kg of fresh macadamia ranges from 30,000 VND - 50,000 VND. We are focusing on expanding the area of this tree to about 11,700 hectares. Of which, the core area of the enterprise is about 2,424 hectares, and 9,276 hectares is the people's association area.

- Are we taking too much risk? - I continued to ask, wondering. Still in a firm, even voice, Mr. Cuong replied: If we don't dare to do it, we don't know when we will reach the destination, the destination of escaping poverty with our ancestors' land fund. We have determined that we must dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility. On that basis, taking the goal of escaping poverty for the people as the top priority. Currently, the district has signed a memorandum of understanding with TH True Milk Group on June 29, 2023. Tuan Giao is responsible for creating all favorable conditions in terms of land fund for TH True Milk to develop the core raw material area on an area of at least about 2,000 hectares to grow macadamia and mobilize people to grow about 9,000 hectares of macadamia to cooperate with TH True Milk. TH True Milk is responsible for purchasing all macadamia nuts in Tuan Giao at the Australian market price, for a period of 50 years.

People get water to water macadamia trees

Up to now, Tuan Giao district has planted 1,000 hectares of macadamia trees under the association model. And converted more than 1,000 hectares of land for growing ineffective annual crops to growing long-term crops with high economic value of 2,800 participating households. And more importantly, the people here have awakened the desire to get rich on their own land.

In 2024, the district strives to plant another 2,000 hectares of macadamia trees. In 2025, 2,000 hectares will be newly planted, bringing the total area of macadamia trees owned by the people to 5,000 hectares. This area only meets 50% of the demand and commitment of TH True Milk Group, according to the Decision approving the investment policy No. 1084/QD-UBND, dated July 10, 2023 of the People's Committee of Dien Bien province. - Mr. Cuong said.

Through many lessons from agricultural and forestry economic models in Dien Bien province in general, Tuan Giao district in particular must also frankly admit that: the story of getting rich on agricultural and forestry land is not something that can be achieved overnight, not for those who only know how to complain about difficulties instead of solving them. However, it is also full of hardships and difficulties, to achieve results, it must be the efforts of the people themselves, the right and accurate orientation, the participation of the entire political system, the indispensable factor is the cooperation of investors. Currently, macadamia trees in Tuan Giao are only harvesting about 60 hectares and are also the most advantageous and economically effective crop in the locality at this time. Macadamia has given the people an aspiration to rise up and get rich on the land of their ancestors, the "million dollar" tree has truly taken root in this land.

In the afternoon, we went to the area and visited one of the macadamia purchasing facilities in Tuan Giao at present. Ms. Doan Thi Thoa, owner of the purchasing, processing and production facility in Tan Giang block, Tuan Giao town, learned that her production and business facility currently purchases about 60 tons of fresh macadamia nuts from local households each season. The facility's main products are split macadamia nuts, macadamia nut milk, crispy golden-dried nuts and macadamia sesame salt, macadamia wine, etc. The most popular product at Ms. Thoa's facility is crispy dried nuts.

Ms. Thoa Doan's macadamia purchasing and production facility in Tan Giang block, Tuan Giao town

It is known that the farmer with a relatively large macadamia area is harvesting in the district, Mr. Quang Van Mi's family, Giang village, Quai Nua commune, Tuan Giao district, each year he sells 7-8 tons of fresh fruit to this facility, the selling price at the beginning of the season is 30,000 VND/kg, at the end of the season is about 40,000 - 50,000 VND/kg. In Tuan Giao, households that have prospered from macadamia such as Mr. Mi's, Mr. Minh's in Quai To, Mr. Chanh's in Quai Nua... are not rare.

And also from those stories and the strong determination of the Party committees, local authorities, and the assurance of TH True Milk Group, now every household in Tuan Giao district has registered to develop macadamia cultivation. Under the macadamia hills, Tuan Giao people have taken advantage of planting 3 rows of pineapples in between to make short-term profits to support long-term ones. Some households have developed coffee trees, fruit trees, etc.

At this time, all political apparatus and people of Tuan Giao district are striving to complete the target of planting and caring for macadamia area according to the plan set by the district Party Committee, all are operating as a unified block. On the path to poverty reduction, Tuan Giao may encounter difficulties and obstacles. However, with the spirit of solidarity, determination of the collective and the mettle of the head of the apparatus, it is certain that Tuan Giao will soon achieve the socio-economic targets set by the District Party Committee Resolution, bringing Tuan Giao to transform on the path of sustainable development where, although the results are not yet complete, the Party's will and the people's hearts have blended together, creating the basis for the ship to move faster and reach the destination sooner in the next stages. The path to poverty reduction and poverty escape will gradually shorten the distance and time.

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