(VOVworld) – Dong Nai province’s fund to support farmers has helped many local households escape poverty over the past 20 years. At present, this fund is contributing to the province’s sustainable rural development. VOV’s Le Duc reports….

Prior to 2011, Pham Thanh Anh and his family in Dong Hoa commune, Trang Bom district had no stable jobs. With a loan of 1,000 USD from a provincial fund to support farmers, Thanh Anh’s family started raising pigs, which earns them a net profit of 3000 USD a year. Thanh Anh is planning to further expand his farm. He told VOV: "The 1000 USD loan has enabled us to develop our economy and improve our living conditions, which was impossible for us in the past."

Thanks to the fund, 40 members of a group raising fish in Trang Bom district’s Song Trau commune have become better-off. They spent 20,000 USD provided by the fund to apply advanced technologies to raising fish, yielding nearly 10 tonnes of fish per ha instead of the original 1.2 tonnes. Luu Dinh Nguyen is chairman of the group: "I think the province’s fund to support farmers is really of good help. We hope to receive more loans from this fund to expand our production."

With a capital of 550,000 USD, the fund has helped thousands of farmers in Dong Nai expand their production and increase their income. Le Huu Thien is deputy chairman of the Dong Nai provincial Farmers’ Association: "We’ve provided farmers with capital and advanced technology to boost new rural development. We’ve focused on maintaining close relations between agriculture, businesses, and farmers to improve production efficiency. And we’ve created forums where farmers can share their experience in obtaining loans and running their businesses."

Dong Nai province hopes that 34 of its communes will have completed the national rural development program by the end of this year to lead the southeastern region in new rural development.