After nearly 14 years of efforts in all aspects, from changing thinking in production to changing daily living habits, people of Nam Khat commune are happy when the locality becomes the first New Rural commune in the poor district of Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai province).
Nam Khat is a particularly difficult commune of Mu Cang Chai district (Yen Bai province), located at an altitude of over 1,000 meters above sea level with mountainous terrain and harsh climate. The whole commune has 1,186 households, Mong ethnic people account for 92.9%, distributed in 8 villages. In agricultural production, most people only cultivate one rice crop per year, so life is very difficult.
Mr. Thao A Phenh, Chairman of Nam Khat Commune People's Committee, said that in 2011, when entering the new rural area (NTM) construction, the life of local people was very difficult, the average income per capita was only 4.7 million VND/year, the poverty rate was over 80%. The local economy was mainly agriculture, small-scale production, and services were not yet developed. There was a period when having enough food and clothes was a luxury, and talking about becoming a new rural commune was very far-fetched.
Nam Khat commune center today. Photo: Hoang Huu.
Recalling the time more than ten years ago, Chairman of Thao A Phenh Commune shared that Nam Khat's infrastructure at that time was not synchronous, especially the traffic roads were mainly dirt roads, irrigation canals were only 29% solidified, only nearly 60% of the commune's population had access to electricity. Schools still had many semi-permanent classrooms, temporary classrooms... At that time, Nam Khat Commune only met one criterion on national security and social order.
The local government has identified changing people's mindset as a top priority, so the district's functional departments regularly coordinate with the commune to propagate and mobilize people to clearly understand the policy of building new rural areas. Gradually help people see their benefits and responsibilities, proactively participate in implementing the criteria without "waiting or relying on others".
The high-tech chili growing model in greenhouses helps increase the value of the same land area, increasing income for people. Photo: Hoang Huu.
With many propaganda and mobilization methods in the style of "holding hands and showing people how to do things" to help people implement criteria such as: building roads, solidifying canals, building cultural houses, collecting and treating waste, building sanitation facilities, renovating houses, renovating gardens, campuses, etc.
Mr. Mua A Cua, Party Secretary of Lang Sang village, Nam Khat commune, shared that in the past, the life of the people in the village was very difficult, the poverty rate was high, and they often had to receive support from the State. In recent years, life has changed significantly, people have much better income from renting land and working on high-tech agricultural farms. Since then, households have actively contributed money and labor to build concrete roads in the village, making travel less difficult. Houses and toilets have also been built more solidly and cleaner than before.
The countryside in Nam Khat has changed a lot now, houses are solidly renovated, roofs are strong, each house has enough outbuildings, livestock is kept in sturdy barns, waste is collected, no longer let loose or tied around the house like before.
Building new rural areas, cultural houses are planted with flowers and ornamental plants to create a bright - green - clean - beautiful campus. Photo: Hoang Huu.
In the fields of Nam Khat valley, hundreds of hectares are covered with many types of crops such as roses, tomatoes, chili peppers and various vegetables grown using high technology with greenhouses, net houses and synchronous irrigation and care systems. Small sloping roads winding into alleys are paved with concrete, convenient for people to travel. All of this has brought a more prosperous life to farmers.
Up to now, the local rural traffic system has been consolidated quite synchronously, 100% of communal roads are paved with asphalt or concrete, more than 90% of inter-village roads and alleys are consolidated with concrete. Every month, people voluntarily cut grass and sweep the streets twice, some roads or cultural houses are installed with lighting systems and flowers and ornamental plants are planted to create a bright - green - clean - beautiful campus.
The irrigation system has been upgraded, more than 50% of canals have been concreted, 100% of agricultural land is actively irrigated. 99.8% of households use national electricity regularly and safely.
High-tech mushroom growing model brings high income to Nam Khat farmers. Photo: Hoang Huu.
The core goal of building a new rural area is to improve the material and spiritual life of the people. Therefore, in addition to mobilizing resources to invest in essential infrastructure, the criteria of increasing income and reducing the rate of poor households are given special attention.
Mr. Ly A Su, Vice Chairman of Nam Khat Commune People's Committee, said that identifying agriculture as the spearhead in local economic development, the commune has selected valuable, high-yielding crops and livestock to put into production in concentrated commodity production areas. Currently, the whole commune has more than 300 hectares of rice and more than 1,100 hectares of fruit trees. In addition, from 2018 to present, more than 100 hectares of ineffective single-crop rice have been converted to grow roses, mushrooms, tomatoes and clean vegetables.
Up to now, the commune has established 2 cooperatives and more than 30 cooperative groups participating in production linkage associated with product consumption; typically the flower cooperative with an area of over 70 hectares, the mushroom growing cooperative with an area of over 2 hectares. Nam Khat honey product is recognized as a 3-star OCOP product of Yen Bai province.
Nam Khat rose field. Photo: Hoang Huu.
After 14 years of building the new rural area, Nam Khat has now completed 19/19 criteria. The economic structure has shifted towards agricultural development, growing high-yield crops, implementing projects on planting, raising livestock and developing production projects linked to value chains associated with product consumption. Up to now, the average income per capita has reached over 46 million VND/year (an increase of 40 million VND compared to 2010), the poverty rate has decreased to 6.49%.
Mr. Nong Viet Yen, Secretary of Mu Cang Chai District Party Committee, assessed that Nam Khat has had obvious changes, not only in infrastructure or the appearance of mountainous rural areas, but the most important change is in people's awareness of agricultural production. The fields that used to grow only one rice crop, which previously brought in an income of 25-30 million VND/ha, have now become intensive fields for growing roses, clean vegetables, medicinal mushrooms, tomatoes, chili peppers for export... with an average income of over 500 million VND/ha.
High-tech agricultural models are increasingly appearing in Nam Khat commune, not only helping to increase income but also changing people's awareness in agricultural development. Photo: Hoang Huu.
The recognition of Nam Khat commune as the first commune to meet the new rural standards not only changed the lives of the people here but also aroused the aspiration to escape poverty of nearly 70,000 Mong and Thai people in the poor district of Mu Cang Chai.
Source: https://danviet.vn/day-la-xa-nong-thon-moi-dau-tien-cua-huyen-mu-cang-chai-tinh-yen-bai-20241119162332261.htm
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