Coming to Tam Quang commune (Tuong Duong district), the first impression is the green color of the eye-catching acacia and meter forests. Talking to us, Mr. Vi Van Thang in Tam Lien village said: "Meter is still the tree species that brings the highest economic efficiency, and there is no need to worry about output, after cutting it down and bringing it home, someone will come to buy it. Meters are planted by people on every vacant land. For example, my family has over 2,000 meter trees". According to Mr. Vi Van Minh - Head of Tam Lien village, the whole village has 126 households, with 528 people, almost every house grows meter. The meter area of the whole village is over 251 hectares. For many years, meter has been a livelihood tree that brings stable income to the people...
Recognizing the economic value of the meter tree, over the years, the Party Committee and People's Committee of Tam Quang commune have always focused on propagating and mobilizing people to restore meter forests in the area; at the same time, coordinating with units in the district to train in science and technology, support seeds and fertilizers to encourage people to actively plant new trees. According to Ms. Kha Thi Hien - Chairman of the People's Committee of Tam Quang commune: Meter and acacia are identified as two key trees in the locality. Currently, the whole commune has nearly 700 hectares of meters (the largest household grows from 15-20 hectares) and nearly 1,400 hectares of acacia (the largest household grows 30 hectares). Thanks to that, people's lives are increasingly improved, the average income in the first 6 months of 2023 reached 45 million VND/person/year (an increase of 30.8% compared to the beginning of the term, the poverty rate decreased from 13.2% to 11.3%).
With the goal of protecting, developing, promoting the value of existing bamboo and meter forests, increasing the value of exploited products, and forming concentrated raw material areas, since 2021, the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district has approved the Project on developing bamboo and meter material areas in the district for the period 2021 - 2025. Accordingly, the district focuses on directing the People's Committees of communes and towns with old meter areas to organize care, restoration, repair and build regulations on management and exploitation of meter areas managed by collectives of villages and hamlets. At the same time, integrating the sustainable livelihood model of developing meter trees according to the value chain to reduce pressure on biodiversity and ecosystem functions in the two buffer zone communes of Tam Quang and Tam Hop (the project is funded by the Global Environment Fund, implemented by the District Farmers' Association with guidance and technical support from the Nghe An Forestry Development Consulting Center). Thanks to that, people's awareness has gradually been raised, many households have considered meters as the main tree to develop the family economy (initially, 415.19 hectares of meters have been newly planted).
In Que Phong district, besides acacia, met, and lóng are the tree species that are focused on development with more than 17,000 hectares. Dong Van is the locality with the largest area of natural lóng in Que Phong district with more than 9,500 hectares, concentrated in Muong Hinh, Pu Duoc, Khun Na villages... According to local leaders, the commune has recommended and guided people to protect and care for lóng according to the correct technical process so that lóng can produce high productivity and sell at a good price. Accordingly, many households have escaped poverty and become rich. Like Mr. Luong Van Bich's family, in Pu Duoc village, with an area of over 10 hectares, they earn over 100 million VND, not to mention the State also pays 600 thousand VND/ha/year for forest environmental services...
Currently, the area of natural bamboo forest in Que Phong is more than 17,100 hectares, located mainly in the two communes of Dong Van (more than 9,500 hectares) and Thong Thu (more than 7,300 hectares) and some areas in the communes of Tien Phong, Muong Noc and Quang Phong. The average annual output is from 4,500 - 6,000 tons of fresh bamboo, with the current selling price of 1,200 - 1,300 VND/kg. Recently, 839.3 hectares of bamboo in Que Phong district were granted FSC certification, helping handicraft products from this tree species penetrate more easily into large markets such as the EU and the US. At the same time, it increases product value, increases income, and reduces poverty for local people.
Mr. Bui Van Hien - Vice Chairman of Que Phong District People's Committee said: After the linden trees reached FSC standards, two enterprises, including Khanh Tam Forestry Company and Duc Phong Company Limited, committed to directly purchasing raw materials for the people. The selling price also increased by 10-15% compared to selling through traders. Que Phong District also committed to continue accompanying businesses and people in the coming time, continuing to expand the area of linden forests granted FSC certification in Dong Van and Thong Thu communes, accordingly, about 2,600 people will directly benefit from the project.
In addition, Que Phong district also focuses on preserving, restoring, developing and expanding the area of medicinal plants, including cinnamon. Recently, Que Phong district People's Committee has coordinated with the Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve and the Forest Products Research Center to survey and preserve cinnamon varieties for breeding and expanding the area to create high income for people, contributing to greening barren hills. Currently, the cinnamon area in Que Phong is 553 hectares, concentrated in the areas of Nam Giai, Thong Thu, Hanh Dich, Dong Van, etc.
In Con Cuong district, along with acacia trees with an area of over 1,100 hectares, tea trees are identified as one of the key sustainable plants with an area of over 400 hectares, mainly concentrated in Yen Khe, Bong Khe, and Chi Khe communes. Taking us to visit the green tea hills, Mr. Nguyen Duc Dien - Head of the Farmers' Association of Trung Thanh village, Yen Khe commune said: In the hamlet of 72 households, 48 households grow tea, with an output of 750 tons in 2022. "Tea is one of the plants suitable for the land and climate in Yen Khe and brings stable income to people without having to worry about output, like my family has over 1 hectare of tea, harvesting 5 times a year, each time 5-6 tons for a total income of nearly 200 million VND" - Mr. Dien shared.
Mr. Tran Thanh Binh - Chairman of Yen Khe Commune People's Committee said: Compared to orange trees with many areas in decline, tea has higher stability, currently the total area of industrial tea trees in Yen Khe Commune is 293.7 hectares. This is identified as a local livelihood crop with ethnic minorities accounting for over 70%.
In the mountainous district of Ky Son, despite the fluctuating prices, ginger is still identified as a livelihood crop in many localities. Accordingly, the stable ginger growing area is from 600 - 650 hectares, with an annual harvest of 4,200 - 4,500 tons. In addition to selling fresh ginger, there are also products from ginger powder, ginger essential oil, etc., bringing an important source of income for the people. In addition, Shan Tuyet tea is also one of the main crops that Ky Son district has included in the list of continuing to expand the growing area.
According to Mr. Vi Oanh - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ky Son district: In the area, there have been investment projects and the formation of specialized areas to expand the growing area, improve the quality and economic efficiency of Shan Tuyet tea trees in the direction of commodity production associated with processing and consumption of products according to OCOP standards. Up to now, the tea area in the district is more than 600 hectares, of which 350 hectares have been and are being exploited, the average yield is 4 tons/ha, the average annual output is 1,400 tons, it is expected to develop an additional 30 - 50 hectares of new planting.
In the field of livestock, many localities have focused on valuable livestock that are purebred by the people, have the ability to withstand the weather and have good reproductive ability such as Mong cows, black chickens, ducks, black pigs, Na Hy buffaloes, etc. In addition, forming and developing economic development groups with the direct participation of the people such as agricultural cooperatives, craft villages, production cooperatives to create quality products to meet market demand, helping to increase income, and reduce poverty sustainably. Typically, in Nam Giai commune (Que Phong), the native chicken breed has been raised by the people for a long time, has valuable genes, good resistance, easy to adapt, delicious meat, high quality.
Recognizing the economic value of the above-mentioned native chicken breed, in 2022, the Que Phong District Agricultural Service Center deployed the construction of a model of "Raising native chickens for sale" in Pieng Lang village, Nam Giai commune, with a scale of 1,400 birds. In which, each household participates with a scale of 350 birds, with the State investing and supporting 50% of the breed, mixed feed, vaccines, and disinfectants; the people contribute the remaining 50% of the cost and enjoy 100% of the products obtained from the project. Seeing the effective and suitable model, many households in Pieng Lang village and Nam Giai commune have come to visit, learn from the experience and follow. From 4 pilot households, there is currently a chicken farming cooperative in the area with 14 member households. Mr. Ngan Van Lam in Puc village, Nam Giai commune has a farm raising 700-1,000 chickens. He said: This year, I have sold 4 batches, each time I sell I earn about 70-80 million VND. From input to output, the cooperative covers everything, I don't have enough chickens to sell.
In Muong Long commune (Ky Son district), from the black chicken farming model with 15 participating households, the commune has directed the successful development of the local black chicken OCOP product, upgraded to a cooperative to create favorable conditions for people to develop and replicate.
Besides native chickens, raising fattened cattle is also a direction chosen by many localities. Because native cattle are often resistant to harsh weather in the highlands, and have sweet and fragrant meat.
In Ky Son district, with the direction of prioritizing the development of herds in farms and household economies, making good use of policies to support livestock development, especially the native Mong cow breed, the locality has increased the total herd of cows to 41,800 and the buffalo herd to 11,560 (an increase of 20% compared to 2020), thereby contributing to gradually improving people's lives. In Quy Chau district, in addition to promoting the conservation of genetic resources and developing Quy duck farming into a key commodity product, the district also focuses on other types such as native hill chickens, local yellow cows, native black sows (Sao Va pigs) ...
According to agricultural officials in some localities in Nghe An, prioritizing the exploitation of valuable plants and animals, especially indigenous plants and animals, ensures more sustainability because people have accumulated experience in planting and caring for crops and livestock based on soil and climate factors, creating a number of special products that are resistant to weather, grow well and have a market price many times higher than that of conventional products. Many localities also link the implementation of livelihood models with the development of OCOP products with their own brands such as yellow flower tea (Que Phong); bo giang, Muong Long black chicken, Shan Tuyet tea, ginger essential oil and ginger powder (Ky Son), red-fleshed dragon fruit, wedge tomatoes, Khe Ngau sweet eggplant, dried bamboo shoots (Tuong Duong)...
