Creating livelihoods for ethnic minorities

Mr. Vang A Chua, Tia Mung village (Noong U commune) takes care of his breeding cows.

In 2020, the family of Mr. Vang A Chua, Tia Mung village (Noong U commune) was given a loan of 50 million VND from the Farmers' Support Fund by the Dien Bien Dong District Farmers' Association to develop large-scale livestock farming. Mr. Chua bought 5 breeding cows. Up to now, his family's total herd of cows has increased to 10. Since 2022, Mr. Chua has started selling cows, earning nearly 60 million VND each year.

Mr. Vang A Chua said: Previously, my family only grew corn and rice on the fields. I have long wanted to develop cattle breeding but have not been able to do so because of lack of capital. In 2020, the District Farmers' Association launched a production support project, I registered to participate and was one of 6 households selected to implement the project. To implement the project, in addition to financial support to buy breeding animals, the District and Commune Farmers' Association guided me to build solid barns; store straw and grow more elephant grass as feed for the cows. Up to now, I have paid off all my debts and have a herd of 10 cows.

Mr. Cu A Cha, Chairman of Noong U Commune People's Committee, said: In order to concretize the potentials and advantages in developing large livestock farming, in the past time, Noong U Commune People's Committee has effectively used capital sources such as: Policy credit capital, Fund to support farmers, women, veterans and integrating capital sources from central and local programs to help people implement large livestock farming development models. From the Farmers' Support Fund, in 2020, Noong U Commune was allocated nearly 200 million VND by the District Farmers' Association to implement a project to support livestock development for 6 households. Up to now, 100% of households have paid back the capital to the Farmers' Association. At the same time, 6/6 households have developed livestock herds in the direction of farms with a total herd of 8-12 animals/household. Currently, the Commune People's Committee is continuing to review and implement the project for 6 other households.

From 2018 to present, from the Farmers Support Fund, Dien Bien Dong district has implemented 11 projects to support the development of large livestock farming with a total capital of nearly 3 billion VND. 100% of the models and projects have brought high economic efficiency, helping members have stable jobs, gradually reduce poverty sustainably and strive to become rich legitimately.

In parallel with preferential capital support, in recent years, Dien Bien Dong district has effectively integrated and implemented programs and projects of the Central and the province such as: National target program for the period 2021 - 2025; agricultural and rural development program of the province.

From the 2023 agricultural development fund, last May, Dien Bien Dong District Agricultural Service Center implemented 14 projects to support the development of high-quality rice products in 14 communes and towns. The total scale of the projects is 274.6 hectares, with 1,031 households participating. People are supported with seeds, agricultural materials and are instructed by the staff of the Agricultural Service Center on planting and caring for glutinous rice variety 97.

Mr. Pham Quang Thanh, Director of Dien Bien Dong District Agricultural Service Center, said: The projects have received consensus and enthusiastic participation from the people. Currently, the high-quality rice models are in the flowering stage, preparing for harvest. The average rice yield is expected to reach 72.5 quintals/ha. The model with the lowest yield is about 63 quintals/ha; the model with the highest yield is 82 quintals/ha.

Muong Luan is one of the major rice granaries of Dien Bien Dong district. In recent years, the district has actively invested in projects applying scientific and technical advances; applying new varieties with high productivity and quality in the fields of Muong Luan commune. Thanks to that, the level of rice cultivation of the people has been increasingly improved.

Mr. Lo Van Quyet, Vice Chairman of Muong Luan Commune People's Committee, said: Models and projects to develop high-quality rice products help people change their production mindset, gradually replacing local rice varieties with high-quality pure rice varieties; farming skills are increasingly improved thanks to the application of mechanization in production. This year's crop, Muong Luan Commune has 20 hectares of high-quality rice variety - glutinous rice 97 developed by the District Agricultural Service Center. Up to now, 100% of the rice area is in the flowering stage, with an estimated yield of 7 tons/ha.

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