(VOVworld) - The mountainous district of Nam Dong in Thua Thien Hue province has a population of nearly 45,000 people, most of them are Co Tu ethnic. Nam Dong has been chosen to pilot a program to develop new rural areas until 2015 and the response from local people has been very encouraging. A VOV reporter Huynh Anh investigates the program there.
Thuong Nhat Commune in Nam Dong District is home to 500 households who belong to the Co Tu ethnic minority group. They mainly earn their living from growing rubber, and trees plus a little farming which brings them in about 480 USD a year. Since the commune was selected for the pilot program nearly 300,000 USD has been spent on asphalting roads, upgrading health centers, nurseries, cultural houses, and sports centers. To date, it has completed 10 out of the 19 criteria set for new rural areas. Nguyen Ngoc Moi, President of the Fatherland Front in Thuong Nhat Commune, says ‘The commune’s Fatherland Front has worked closely with the local authorities and social organizations to encourage villagers to get involved in the new rural developments. To fulfill all 19 criteria, we have asked them to donate land, trees, almost anything that could help the process. The norms which are easily fulfilled have already been completed’.
In Huong Son commune, more than 300 Co Tu households have planted 400 hectares of rubber and Hybrid Acacia trees. Most of them have got involved in forestry, each household planting and nurturing 6 hectares. Market gardens and animal husbandry have become a big source of income for local people some earning up to 4,800 USD a year. Tran Xuan Bh’La lives in Huong Son commune saying ‘Every villager wants to see their commune get a makeover with wide tarmac roads so they have responded very enthusiastically. With all input from the local authorities, our living conditions have improved a lot’.
The program on new rural development in Nam Dong District focuses on the sustainable development of market gardens and forest and tries to ensure that every hectare brings in more than 1,400 USD. Ngo Van Chien, Chair of the district’s People’s Committee, says ‘Nam Dong has strived to become a new rural area by 2015, with 2 communes being upgraded this year, 3 more will be worked on over the next two years and then 3 in 2015. The two most deprived communes – Thuong Long and Huong Huu – still have many poor households but we will try to fulfill 80% of the set criteria by 2015’.
In addition to the basic norms, the remainder include moving workers from the agricultural sector to the industrial sector. This will be difficult in the mountainous district of Nam Dong. Tran Van Bien, Chair of Thuong Nhat Commune’s People’s Committee, says this is a common problem in the district: ‘Thuong Nhat is an outstanding commune in Nam Dong District in terms of new rural development. Our biggest problem will be trying to ensure that 35% of the workforce to serve in industrial production. The commune still continues to encourage the locals to stop using thatched houses and makeshifts shelters. We have assigned organizations to monitor the criteria being carried out and ask all staff and party members to set an example for the public to follow’.
Huynh Anh - VOV