"They're all dead."
(Baonghean) - Just returned from a business trip to the mountainous region, my friend casually asked, "You went up there and didn't bring back a pair of Muscovy ducks for us to make duck blood soup? At least you should have made a pot of fish hotpot!" Exhausted, I snapped, "Chicken or duck? They're all dead!"
It's funny, though. On a business trip, a friend from Department X was raving about the place. He'd rave about how delicious the duck was, the aroma wafting from the kitchen door. He'd also said the pork was free-range, firm but not tough, tender but not fatty, fragrant but not greasy. I listened, my mouth watering... But then I heard the report and was completely disheartened. The duck farming model from several years ago was "all dead now." The fish farming model, which had received tens of millions of dong in investment, was also "all dead now." The cattle farming model, which provided a few animals to each village, was also "all dead now"... I was torn between laughter and tears, asking why they were "all dead." One person honestly explained: the harsh climate, small breeds, diseases, etc., caused them all to die! I then asked: "Then why aren't you vaccinating the livestock and poultry?" He looked at me as if I were an alien: "What strange things you're saying, sir. The villagers let their buffaloes and cows graze on the mountain; how can they be vaccinated if they're not gathered together? Vaccines have to be kept in the refrigerator. I bet you can't carry a refrigerator and vaccines up the mountain to chase the cows out to vaccinate them!"
After finishing their work, the two brothers sat sighing, thinking about the ducks and feeling a deep sense of regret. They regretted the failure of nascent new models. They regretted the trees, animals, and forests that their people didn't want, or returned to the government because "there's no production technique, they'll all die." They regretted the poverty alleviation projects, the attempts to bring science and technology to remote areas, that only reached the foothills, failing to overcome the backward customs of the people to bring light to the villages. Boldly experimenting and accepting challenges is good, boldly accepting failure is good, but it would be even better if we delved deeper into research: What can succeed and should be tried? If not, what are the reasons? Can the problems be overcome? If so, will the effectiveness be high? If so, what are the solutions? If not, can we propose alternative approaches?
Helping the people shouldn't involve carrying refrigerators full of vaccines up the mountains or chasing after cattle to vaccinate them. Firstly, this would foster a sense of dependence and reliance among the people; secondly, it would be beyond our capabilities. As a result, no matter how many vaccines we give them, the cattle, pigs, and chickens will still die, and the people will remain poor forever. What we need to do is show them the way to the vaccine refrigerator, and vaccinate them to eradicate hunger and poverty!
Hai Trieu
