Suoi Hai Commune: From a poor Muong ethnic area to a bright spot with no more poor households

As the commune with the largest Muong ethnic minority population in the capital, Suoi Hai once faced many difficulties regarding livelihoods, farming techniques, market information, and access to new technologies. However, in a short time after the merger, with a people-oriented approach that met the specific needs of each village and household group, Suoi Hai is becoming one of the localities that has reduced the poverty rate to 0%.

Tea production and processing in Suoi Hai commune. Photo: Son Tung

Lay the foundation from the smallest things

Immediately after the merger, the Suoi Hai commune government and mass organizations conducted a comprehensive review of the potential of each village and production area. Based on the practical investigation – land, labor, and market linkage capabilities – the commune identified three key crop groups most suitable for transforming production thinking: dairy cattle, tea, and white apricot blossoms.

According to the commune leaders, these are all products that have been associated with the people for a long time, but in the past they mainly relied on experience, were small-scale and lacked technology. When production was reorganized, science and technology were applied and capital was supported, all three models brought about outstanding results.

Chairman of the Suoi Hai Commune Farmers' Association, Do Dinh Truong, shared: “We don't follow trends; instead, we examine each village and area to identify advantages. Where tea cultivation is suitable, we focus on tea; where the soil is well-drained, we develop white apricot trees; and dairy cows are prioritized in areas with available land for barns. Thanks to correctly identifying the direction, the results are very clear.”

Thanks to this direction, hundreds of households, most of which are Muong ethnic households, have escaped poverty sustainably. The whole commune now has no poor households, and average income increases steadily every year.

One of the "secrets" to Suoi Hai's transformation is its excellent grassroots information dissemination – a seemingly small detail, but one of immense value for the ethnic minority community. In all 24 villages, the public address system is maintained daily, becoming the most effective channel connecting the government and the people. From information on preferential loan policies and procedural guidance from the Social Policy Bank and the Farmers' Support Fund, to weather forecasts, warnings of heavy rain, severe cold, and heatwaves, updates on market prices of key products, and announcements of technical training schedules… all are transmitted promptly, helping people proactively manage production and minimize risks. As a result, the people's production mindset has changed significantly, moving towards more systematic and efficient methods.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen, a dairy farmer in Ke Moi village, said that previously, her family mainly raised cattle based on experience. Since regularly accessing information through loudspeakers and receiving guidance from technical staff, herd care has become more scientific, the cows are healthier, and milk production has increased significantly. Along with communication, the commune has paid special attention to training and technology transfer. Shortly after the merger, the commune's Farmers' Association, in coordination with the Hanoi City Farmers' Association, organized five large training courses with nearly 3,000 participants – a rare number for a mountainous commune. Training content included caring for dairy cows according to biosafety standards, intensive tea cultivation and production according to VietGAP standards, techniques for planting and caring for white apricot blossoms – a plant with high economic value but requiring strict technical skills, as well as skills in accessing markets and building consumption linkages.

Suoi Hai Commune cares, supports, looks after, and gives gifts to disadvantaged households in the area. Photo: Son Tung

The "hands-on" approach was applied consistently, with technical staff visiting each household, demonstrating each step so that people could understand and apply the methods accurately. As a result, many households completely changed their production methods. Mr. Nguyen Van Trung, a tea grower in Ba Trai village, said that since switching to VietGAP production, tea yields have increased, quality is more consistent, cleaner and safer, prices are stable, and sales are favorable. In An Hoa village, Mr. Bui Viet Ha, a grower of white apricot blossoms, shared that thanks to the village loudspeaker system providing early weather updates, especially during periods of severe cold or prolonged heat, his family can proactively protect their plants, keep them warm, or adjust irrigation water, helping the flowers bloom on time and increasing their economic value.

These stories clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of bringing information and technology directly to each household, helping people change their production mindset, improve their ability to cope with risks, and gradually build sustainable economic models. These stories clearly demonstrate how bringing technology and information to each household has fundamentally changed the production mindset of ethnic minority communities.

Green agriculture - digital farmers

Beyond simply aiming to escape poverty, Suoi Hai is gradually developing a "clean agriculture - green environment" model, striving for harmonious development between agricultural production and sustainable ecological landscapes. Building on its cool climate, the vast Suoi Hai lake, sprawling tea hills, large-scale dairy farms, and the vibrant beauty of white apricot blossom gardens in spring, the locality is strongly oriented towards developing agricultural and ecotourism.

Experiential tourism models such as visiting and trying milking cows at dairy farms, harvesting and processing tea with locals, exploring organic farming areas, or taking photos in blooming white apricot blossom gardens are being developed, creating attractive tourism products for visitors from Hanoi and surrounding areas. This is not only a way to diversify livelihoods and increase income for the people, but also a way to promote local agricultural products and spread the cultural values ​​of the Suoi Hai region.

Suoi Hai Commune develops clean Ba ​​Trai tea products, helping farmers overcome difficulties and get rich. Photo: Son Tung

Do Dinh Truong, Vice Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee and Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Suoi Hai commune, shared: “Suoi Hai aims for a comprehensive ecological model based on three pillars: Digital farmers - clean agriculture - green environment. We are coordinating to provide more in-depth training courses on dairy farming, tea cultivation, and white apricot tree care; at the same time, we are strongly mobilizing capital from the Farmers' Support Fund, the Agricultural and Rural Development Bank, and the Social Policy Bank to make it easier for people to access capital.” This orientation is entirely consistent with the modern agricultural trend that Hanoi is promoting.

Besides its successful economic development, Suoi Hai is also recognized for its effective implementation of ethnic policies, providing material and spiritual support to the Muong people – a community that accounts for nearly 40% of the commune's population. During a recent working session, the Director of the Hanoi Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religion, Nguyen Sy Truong, assessed: “Suoi Hai fully implements policies supporting influential figures – the core force in disseminating and mobilizing the people to implement the Party's guidelines, the State's policies and laws, and local regulations, contributing to strengthening national unity. The commune effectively implements policies supporting socio-economic development for ethnic minorities, improving the material and spiritual lives of the people.”

These comments once again affirm that Suoi Hai's success is not only in the number of 0% poor households, but also in the social consensus, the participation of the entire political system, and the proactive rise of each citizen.

The Women's Union of Suoi Hai commune raises savings pigs to support members in difficulty. Photo: Son Tung

Thanks to correctly identifying its advantages, leveraging its resources, and especially expanding opportunities for people to access technology, information, and capital, Suoi Hai is undergoing a strong transformation. From a disadvantaged area inhabited by the Muong ethnic minority, the commune has gradually eradicated poverty, increased people's incomes, expanded clean production models according to high standards, and developed agricultural and eco-tourism associated with preserving traditional cultural identity. These sustained changes have helped Suoi Hai escape its disadvantaged status, moving closer to the goal of becoming a model new rural commune, a shining example of socio-economic development in ethnic minority areas of the Capital City...

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/xa-suoi-hai-tu-vung-dong-bao-muong-kho-khan-tro-thanh-diem-sang-khong-con-ho-ngheo-726256.html