The mountainous district of Tay Giang in central Quang Nam province has spared no effort to contribute to a national program on the construction of new rural areas. The district authority has succeeded in enlisting the people’s participation in this campaign.

A Nong commune, about 12 km from Tay Giang district center, was selected to implement the pilot program of building new rural areas. In one year, the commune has succeeded in reducing poverty, upgrading its infrastructure, and increasing farm production. The local authority has provided technical assistance in farming and animal husbandry. Steep, rough roads leading to A Nong commune have been replaced with paved roads and concrete bridges. A Lang Lai is Vice Chairman of the communal People’s Committee: “The local people have shifted from burning fields for crop cultivation to planting wet rice and rubber trees. We aim to further reduce poverty and get rid of the model of “slash and burn”. The local residents are eager to learn new economic development models from people living in the lowlands”.

After A Nong, 3 more communes in Tay Giang district were selected to implement the program. They have completed resettlement and infrastructure construction and are now focusing on implementing new farm production models, introducing new technologies in husbandry and planting, and educating residents about the importance of preserving their ethnic culture. A Lang Toi lives in A Xan commune: “We are very eager to participate in this program. We are ready to sacrifice our land to make public roads. We hope that the government will adopt more favorable policies for ethnic people living in mountainous areas to get out of poverty and expend their economy”.

Although much needs to be done to raise people’s awareness of the importance of building new rural areas, this program is expected to spread to other locations. B’Riu Liec is Tay Giang district’s Party Secretary: “Of the 19 criteria set by the government in building new rural areas, we select the appropriate ones to carry out in different areas, based on the natural conditions in each location”.