Muong Long Commune (Ky Son) is located in a valley with an altitude of nearly 1,050m above sea level, considered a "miniature Sa Pa" of Nghe An, with a cool climate all year round and majestic nature. Despite the advantages of climate and soil, the poverty rate in Muong Long is still high. That is also the concern of local authorities and Party committees in poverty reduction work. In recent years, thanks to training in science and technology, support for plant and animal varieties from programs and projects to support livelihoods and reduce poverty of the Central and local governments, Muong Long has gradually overcome difficulties, taking advantage of the landscape and favorable conditions to promote community tourism associated with new rural construction; many economic models have been built and replicated effectively.
Talking to us, Mr. Lau Ba Cho - Vice Chairman of Muong Long Commune People's Committee excitedly said: Implementing Resolution No. 70/2020/NQ-HDND of Nghe An Provincial People's Council on a number of policies to support community tourism development, 3 households doing homestay in the area were supported with 100 million VND each and Muong Long village (of Muong Long commune) was supported with 55 million VND to do tourism.
In addition, Muong Long is also one of two units selected by the Global Environment Fund (United Nations) and Ky Son district to implement the project "Improving knowledge, forest management capacity and livelihood development for ethnic minorities, contributing to biodiversity conservation in the Western Nghe An Biosphere Reserve". The project is implemented with the goal of raising awareness of forest protection for highland people and creating livelihoods for local people to escape poverty and stabilize their lives. Currently, 35 households have participated in the peach and plum tree restoration model, 10 households have participated in the black chicken development model in the OCOP direction and have been supported with breeds, food, and care techniques; 10 households have participated in the fattening cattle breeding model and have been given technical guidance and materials support, etc.
Many other localities in Ky Son district have also made progress thanks to "stimulation" through models and projects associated with the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction; new rural construction; socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas. Poverty reduction resources are prioritized for investment in poor communes. For example, implementing the sub-project to support production development, diversify livelihoods and replicate poverty reduction models (under Program 30a), in the period of 2016-2020, the district has deployed many effective poverty reduction models such as: calf breeding model in Bao Nam, Na Ngoi, Nam Can, Bao Thang, Huu Lap, Chieu Luu, Pha Danh communes...; goat breeding model in Keng Du, Bac Ly, Muong Tip, Muong Ai communes; Tam Hoa plum growing model in Muong Long, Tay Son communes; wild boar breeding model in Huu Kiem, Chieu Luu communes. In addition, from the capital of Program 135, Ky Son district promotes the development of beef cattle farming model, mainly concentrated in some communes such as Muong Long, Nam Can, Tay Son, Na Ngoi, Huoi Tu...
Currently, many households have farms raising 25-40 buffalo and cows.
Ms. Vi Thi Quyen - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Son district said: From the lessons learned through the programs and projects that have been implemented, currently 3 National Target Programs, including the sustainable poverty reduction program for the period 2021-2025, continue to be focused on and implemented by Party committees and authorities from the district to the grassroots. The projects and activities of the program are all aimed at supporting the poor to have livelihoods, jobs, income, and proactively rise up to escape poverty sustainably. In 2022, the allocated capital of 2,048.86 million VND, the district implemented 2 projects: raising local female calves in Huoi Tu, Na Loi, Dooc May communes, with 70 households participating and raising Sind crossbred female calves in Pha Danh, Huu Lap, Bao Nam communes, with 64 households participating. In 2023, the capital allocated is 6,374.91 million VND, expected to develop 5 economic models including: Local calf farming; support for agricultural production machines; black pig farming; duck farming; support for grass carp breeding.
For the Sub-project Supporting Production Development in the Agricultural Sector, the capital in 2022 will focus on growing medicinal herbs in Tay Son commune; growing peach branches in Na Ngoi and Nam Can communes; the capital in 2023 is expected to open 4 production development projects in the agricultural sector (raising local black chickens and black pigs, developing specialized vegetable growing areas; converting mixed gardens into sustainable model gardens).
In addition, implementing the Resolution of the 23rd Party Congress of Ky Son district, term 2020-2025, the district focused on developing a model of growing medicinal plants under the forest canopy in Tay Son, Na Ngoi, and Muong Long communes; building two new specialized agricultural areas, including specialized vegetable growing areas in Hoa Son and Ta Ca villages and intensive high-quality rice cultivation models VNR 20 in Luu Hoa village, Chieu Luu commune and Na Loi village, Na Loi commune, with a yield of 6 tons/ha and an output of 72 tons. Thanks to that, the poverty rate decreased from 59.36% (in 2022) to 54.36% (by the end of 2022). It is estimated that by 2023, the poverty rate will be 50.36%, an estimated decrease of 4%/year, exceeding the target set by the Resolution (a decrease of 3-3.5%/year).
According to the general assessment, in recent years, with the attention of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee, through the National Target Programs, support policies, the participation of the social community and the efforts of the people themselves, the livelihoods as well as the incomes of the people in the province in general and poor households in particular have been improved. In the period of 2016-2020, the implementation of projects to support production development, diversify livelihoods and replicate poverty reduction models has received positive responses from all walks of life, especially the role of "subjects" of poor households. Thanks to that, the rate of poor households from 12.1% (95,205 households), near-poor households 10.23% (80,464 households) in 2016, by the end of 2020, decreased to 3.42% (34,161 households) and 5.41% (53,990 households). By the end of 2021, the poverty rate in the province was 2.74% and the near-poor rate was 5.09%.
Entering the 2021-2025 period, the National Target Programs continue to aim to support the poor in having livelihoods, jobs, income, proactively rising out of poverty; supporting poor areas to escape from particularly difficult situations, with the consistent motto: Support in the right place, in the right way, at the right time, for the right subjects. In particular, focusing on expanding livelihoods, developing production, increasing income and access to basic and essential social services for the poor; focusing on replicating effective and sustainable poverty reduction models. The progress of disbursement of capital for projects and sub-projects of the National Target Program on Poverty Reduction in 2022, as of January 31, 2023, is 41,373.66/404,160 million VND, reaching 10.24%. The poverty rate reduction in the whole province in 2022 reached 1.39%/plan 1-1.5% (of which, mountainous areas decreased by 2.45% (from 17.24% to 14.79%), poor districts decreased by 4.94%, achieving the set plan.
With affection and responsibility for the poor and poor communes, since 2012, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has issued Decision No. 1310/QD-UBND to assign departments, branches and units to help poor communes in the Western region of the province. After more than 10 years of implementation, the whole province has mobilized more than 310 billion VND to help poor communes maintain and develop 72 livestock and crop models; supported people with nearly 6,000 cows and more than 3,000 livestock of all kinds, with a total amount of 73 billion VND.
If in 2012 there were only 83 agencies and units receiving assistance for 86 communes, now there are 113 agencies and units receiving assistance for 115 communes. Thereby, contributing to improving material and spiritual life and creating conditions for people to access basic social services, promoting the effective implementation of the National Target Program on Sustainable Poverty Reduction. Typically, Nghe An Newspaper has helped Xieng My commune (Tuong Duong) in many forms, including a model of supporting breeding cows for poor households to raise, after the cows give birth, they are rotated and transferred to other poor households. Up to now, the number of breeding cows has increased to more than 120.
From 2022, Nghe An Newspaper will continue to coordinate and call on units and businesses to support more than 1,000 seedlings (Taiwanese jackfruit, Thai mango, guava, etc.) for people to develop their household economy. According to Mr. Lo Ba Lich - Chairman of Xieng My Commune People's Committee: The model has contributed to helping the commune achieve the goal of eliminating mixed gardens, building fruit tree areas with high economic value, meeting the criteria of the National Target Program on new rural construction.
Or like the Nghe An Border Guard, in addition to receiving assistance for 3 poor communes according to the province's plan, through the issuance of Resolution No. 882-NQ/DU "on assigning border guard station party members to be in charge of households in border areas", the Provincial Border Guard Party Committee assigned 522 party members to be in charge of 2,387 households. On the 2 border lines, the team of party members in green uniforms directly "held hands and guided" the construction of livelihood models, helping households raise awareness, overcome the mindset of "waiting and relying", and rise up to escape poverty.
Nhon Mai Border Guard Station manages the area of Nhon Mai and Mai Son communes in the mountainous district of Tuong Duong; officers and soldiers of the station have accompanied the local Party Committee, government and people in the work of hunger eradication and poverty reduction through combined military-civilian livelihood models. In 2023, the station deployed 2 models of breeding goats and 1 model of cage fish farming worth 100 million VND, helping 3 households in the area stabilize their lives. Ms. Vi Thi Dung's family in Pieng Mun village, Mai Son commune was supported by Nhon Mai Border Guard Station with 6 pairs of breeding goats and assigned experienced green-uniformed party members to guide them on breeding techniques and barn sanitation. "Thanks to the guidance of the border guards, the herd of goats has developed well, from 6 pairs of breeding goats, they have now reproduced and multiplied to 20 goats. My family is grateful to the border guards and is determined to escape poverty," said Ms. Dung.
According to the sharing of the Chief of Nhon Mai Border Guard Station - Comrade Phan Thanh Hong: The beauty of the combined military-civilian model is that soldiers and people work together. Households participating in the model all enjoy 50% profit as committed after selling livestock products, the remaining amount will be invested by the unit for reproduction for other families. Priority is given to households that want, desire and have the ability to escape poverty. In 2023, the border guards on the two border lines of Nghe An province will guide people to effectively implement 59 economic development models, apply science and technology to livestock, production and effectively eliminate hunger and reduce poverty, suitable for the subjects, potential and advantages of the locality.
Despite many efforts, according to Decision 861/QD-TTg dated June 4, 2021 of the Prime Minister, Nghe An still has 76 communes in region III, 38 extremely difficult villages and hamlets, and according to Decision No. 353/QD-TTg dated March 15, 2022, the province still has 4 poor districts (Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Que Phong, Quy Chau). Currently, the poverty rate of the whole province is 7.8%, of which the mountainous districts are 17.24%.
Therefore, at the conference summarizing 10 years of supporting and helping poor communes in the Western region of Nghe An, period 2012-2022, Mr. Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested departments, branches and sectors to continue calling on businesses, units and philanthropists to focus resources to support and help 76 particularly difficult communes of the province. "It is necessary to know what localities and people need and what their urgent needs are in order to build key, focal models to achieve even higher efficiency", the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized.
