Support for growing precious medicinal herbs under the National Target Program 1719 in Nghe An: Proposal for adjustment and removal of obstacles

After more than 3 years since the implementation of the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas (National Target Program 1719) Phase I: from 2021-2025, the implementation of investment content and support for the development of precious medicinal herb growing areas according to the Program in Nghe An has not yet been able to be implemented and disbursed capital because this content is facing many difficulties and obstacles right from the beginning of implementation and until now, the difficulties still exist. With the motto of supporting livelihoods for people according to their needs, in recent years, Ia H'Drai district (Kon Tum) has effectively deployed investment capital from the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas for the period 2021 - 2030, Phase I: From 2021 - 2025 (abbreviated as National Target Program 1719). With practical methods, it has created high consensus among the people and the models are gradually showing their effectiveness. On the afternoon of October 28, continuing the program of the 8th Session, the 15th National Assembly, the National Assembly held a plenary session to listen to the drafting and reviewing agencies' reports on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Officers of the Vietnam People's Army. The summary news of the Ethnic and Development Newspaper, on October 28, has the following notable information: After storm No. 6, from Ha Tinh to Quang Ngai there was heavy rain, widespread flooding and the risk of landslides. "Chap cach uoc mo" for many ethnic minority students to reach the shore of knowledge. "Fueling" the tradition of lion and cat dance for the young generation. Along with other news in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. "Su Gie Pa" Tet, also known as "Tet 8/4", "Thanksgiving to the sacred buffalo", is held on the 8th day of the 4th lunar month. This is one of the major festivals of the year of the Bo Y people, Muong Khuong district, Lao Cai province, formed through the legendary story of the Bo Y people about the day the sacred buffalo led them to find a water source. Within the framework of the official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on October 28, in Abu Dhabi, after the official welcoming ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a narrow meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. On this occasion, the two leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Partnership. Considered as "an arm connecting Long-term" of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP), more than 20 years of working as the Head of the Savings and Loan Group (TK&VV) under the management of the Youth Union, Ms. Tran Thi Tam is a diligent and dedicated Group Leader, a bridge to transfer policy credit capital to poor households and other policy beneficiaries in Tan Lap village. Thereby, contributing significantly to the sustainable poverty reduction in Chieu Yen commune, Yen Son district, Tuyen Quang province. Yen Bai province is actively implementing the National Target Program (NTP) for sustainable poverty reduction in 2024, aiming to help the poor have conditions and opportunities to learn a trade, have a job, develop production, stabilize their lives and escape poverty. Language and writing are among the important factors that make up the cultural identity of each ethnic group. However, in the current period of integration and development, many languages ​​and scripts of ethnic minorities are at risk of being lost, so preserving and maintaining the diversity of languages ​​and scripts in community life is an urgent issue. Although it has been reduced, the situation of early marriage is still a difficult problem in the poor district of Phuoc Son, Quang Nam province. Instead of going to school like their peers, many children are at the age of not being able to eat enough, not yet worried, but have to hold their children in their arms and rock them to sleep next to the sad cradle... Choosing a major and career is currently the top concern of young people, because they are the ones standing on the threshold of independence, facing life, building their own future. However, currently on social networks, there is an extremely harmful trend, reviewing, giving misleading and untrue advice about majors, causing confusion and anxiety among young people and parents. From the beginning of 2024 to now, the People's Committee of Binh Gia district (Lang Son) has organized 12 training courses for cadres working on poverty reduction, with about 800 participants. 100% of the plan has been completed. With the motto of supporting livelihoods for people according to their needs, in recent years, Ia H'Drai district (Kon Tum) has effectively deployed investment capital from the National Target Program on Socio-economic Development in Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas for the period 2021 - 2030, Phase I: From 2021 - 2025 (abbreviated as National Target Program 1719). With practical methods, it has created high consensus among the people and the models are gradually promoting their effectiveness. Implementing the Resolution of the 3rd Congress of Ethnic Minorities in Kien Giang Province in 2019, in the past 5 years, Party committees, authorities, and organizations at all levels have focused on directing and organizing the effective implementation of the Party and State's policies on ethnic affairs. Thanks to that, up to now, the appearance of rural and urban areas of Kien Giang has changed a lot, the quality of life of the people has been improved.

Nghe An provincial leaders and investors survey medicinal herb growing areas in Muong Long commune, Ky Son district.

The objective of content 2 on investment and support for the development of precious medicinal herb growing areas according to Sub-project 2, Project 3, National Target Program 1719 in Nghe An, is to initially form a value chain system for the development of precious medicinal herbs; to form awareness of cultivating medicinal herbs according to the value chain and preserving medicinal herb genetic resources, ensuring quality management processes and standards; and to combine protection and sustainable forest development.

From this content of the National Target Program 1719, based on the potential and strengths of the Western region, Nghe An province has planned and selected 5 localities including Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Que Phong, Quy Chau to implement content 2 on investment and support for the development of precious medicinal herb growing areas.

Assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to preside over, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An (DARD) issued Official Dispatch No. 3081/SNN-KL dated July 30, 2024 on assigning tasks to affiliated units according to specialized management fields, to organize and advise on the implementation of this content.

Bai Bo tree - a precious medicinal herb grown by people in Na Kho village, Nga My commune, Tuong Duong district under the forest canopy

Accordingly, on August 16, 2024, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An also held a working session to deploy the content of Investment and support for the development of precious medicinal herb growing areas in the province, with departments, districts, and companies, including: Department of Health, Planning and Investment, Provincial Ethnic Committee; People's Committees of 5 districts: Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Quy Chau, Que Phong; Leaders of TH Group and TH Medicinal Herbs Joint Stock Company.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has also coordinated with departments and branches to guide the People's Committees of districts to develop plans to announce the organization of project selection; take the lead in the project of growing precious medicinal herbs. Up to now, Ky Son district has completed the plan and prepared to post it to select the host unit and the project of growing precious medicinal herbs according to the provisions of Resolution No. 23/2023/NQ-HDND dated December 7, 2023 of the Provincial People's Council. The remaining 4 districts are still in the implementation phase according to the plan.

Ms. Vo Thi Nhung, Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, shared: The total capital allocated for the 5 districts to implement is 18,601 billion VND. However, up to now, the capital has not been deployed and disbursed.

Golden Flower Tea is being grown by people in communes of Que Phong district, contributing to increasing income.

Through research, it is known that the content of investment implementation and support for the development of precious medicinal plant growing areas according to Sub-project 2, Project 3, National Target Program 1719 is facing many difficulties and obstacles. Because the implementation process is related to many laws, decrees, circulars in many fields such as land, cultivation, medicine, forestry, credit...

The determination of the process, support levels, support mechanisms, guidance on budgeting and purchasing equipment, materials, and capital settlement... is currently unclear. Currently, the formation of production linkages for medicinal herbs in ethnic minority and mountainous areas is still limited, not attracting subjects to access the Program. Therefore, the selection of the unit in charge of the linkage in implementing the Project is difficult, businesses do not have enough potential and are not interested in this investment field.

Notably, for the 5 mountainous districts, the project implementation is in remote areas, with difficult and complicated terrain, lacking infrastructure, limited awareness, education and technology, making it difficult to attract investment interest from businesses. Meanwhile, the district's human resources to implement the precious medicinal project are still lacking, with limited capacity.

In addition, the process of planting some medicinal herbs is currently not available and specific and detailed economic and technical standards have not been issued for each precious medicinal herb, causing difficulties in guiding and implementing quality-assured planting areas and estimating the cost of implementing the Project, as well as the support and contribution standards of participating parties.

From the reality of difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An is submitting to the Ministry of Health for consideration and adjustment of many contents. Such as the need to soon review and promulgate the economic and technical standards for medicinal herbs oriented to develop medicinal herbs with high economic value; review and update the List of 100 valuable medicinal herbs oriented to development to meet the great demand of the market. Specifically, some species such as: Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Cardamom, Red-flowered Royal Jelly, White-flowered Royal Jelly, Cistanche deserticola, Sandalwood, etc.

To form the basis for cooperation and linkage, the Ministry of Health needs to amend Circular No. 10/2022/TT-BYT dated September 22, 2022 and Circular No. 12/2023/TT-BYT dated June 6, 2023, amending and supplementing a number of articles of Circular No. 10/2022/TT-BYT dated September 22, 2022, in the direction that in mountainous districts, there are enterprises that sign contracts to consume products for people and that enterprises are not required to invest in infrastructure in districts that develop medicinal plants.

Developing medicinal plant growing areas under the National Target Program 1719 in Nghe An: Turning potential into strength

Source: https://baodantoc.vn/ho-tro-vung-trong-duoc-lieu-quy-theo-chuong-trinh-mtqg-1719-tai-nghe-an-de-xuat-dieu-chinh-thao-go-vuong-mac-1729995772728.htm