To develop the economy of Western Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - The economy of Western Nghe An is basically at the level of small-scale production and self-sufficiency; in some places, it is at the level of natural economy. To develop the economy of the Western region, there needs to be comprehensive and synchronous solutions in terms of: Ideology, socio-culture, science and technology, economics, direction and implementation... and not just economic solutions. The scope of this article is to propose only a few major economic solutions.
Solving food for localities
To solve the problem of food for the people, it is necessary to thoroughly intensify the rice cultivation on the existing rice fields in the villages, communes and districts to achieve the highest productivity and increase output. Carefully survey any area that may have water (natural water and water from small, very small and seasonal irrigation works) to have more rice growing areas.
 |
| Water wheel for rice production in Chau Tien (Quy Chau). Photo courtesy |
The motto is to thoroughly exploit the areas along streams, lowland areas to grow rice, higher areas to grow corn and other crops. In areas where upland rice is required, the main production is purple sticky rice or specialty rice. Through exchange, 1 kg of purple sticky rice or 1 kg of specialty rice can be used to buy 2 kg of normal rice. This is also a way to increase food production.
Focus on producing local specialty plants and animals such as: taro, squash, upland melon, mustard greens, Mong beef, black pigs, black chickens, Quy Chau ducks... in a concentrated production method on a fairly large scale, with a large volume. Organize the market to promote the brand. This is a strength, but for a long time we have been following the direction of finding new imported seedlings without paying attention to exploiting the strengths of local seedlings. This situation needs to be overcome soon.
To bring the highest economic efficiency for the above directions, it is necessary to focus on the following two factors: Gradually improve the level of intensive farming, receive advances in science and technology for people through agricultural extension activities, agricultural training with appropriate methods. And organize production in the direction of linking households, linking households, linking production with processing and consumption to create product chains and create markets (output).
 |
| Western Nghe An Food Fair. Photo: Quang Dung |
The above proposals are not new, the problem lies in the organization and direction of the commune and district. For a long time, the organization and direction have been general, not really close and suitable for each village and commune. The district has not played the role of a linking organization and market organization. From the commune to the district, there must be a new way of thinking about economic organization and management in the direction of gradually moving from self-sufficient production to commodity production. Effectively implementing the first solution mentioned above is the premise and condition for implementing the next solution.
Solutions for building forest economic strategy
The only resource for the West to become prosperous and rich can only be forests and forest land. That is because the West of Nghe An has up to 1,235,755 hectares of forests and forest land, of which the forest area is 940,500 hectares (both planted and natural forests), the remaining forest land area is nearly 300,000 hectares.
 |
| In front of Pu Mat National Park. Photo: Sach Nguyen |
If forest resources are exploited, preserved and protected, they will bring about double effectiveness: economic effectiveness - environmental effectiveness: that is, the forest economy will develop sustainably without trading off the environment for development. The overall strategy for socio-economic development in the West needs to be specified into component strategies, in which the forest economic strategy is the backbone.
To develop the forest economy, it is necessary to organize economic activities right in protective forests and special-use forests with a certain area and in a specific location. We should not maintain the current concept that protective forests and special-use forests are only for protection. Doing business here can be: growing precious medicinal herbs under the forest canopy, especially Pu Xai Lai Leng ginseng in the way that Kon Tum and Nam Tra My (Quang Nam) have done: growing orchid varieties, raising bees, doing tourism business including eco-tourism, discovery tourism, adventure tourism... The lesson from Kon Tum and Nam Tra My gives us the conclusion that: The more we exploit and take advantage of economic benefits, the more we can sustainably protect protective forests and special-use forests.
 |
| Medicinal plants are grown in many localities of Nghe An province. Photo: Document |
How to do it: On the area of planting only short-term raw materials when the tree canopy has not closed, you can plant annual plants such as beans, peanuts, sesame, medicinal plants such as ginger, turmeric... to use the short term to support the short term. Intercrop large timber trees with native seedlings at a rate of 20% of the area. After the raw material exploitation cycle (5-7-10 years), intercrop another 20% of the area of large timber trees... and so on after 5 raw material cycles, we will have 100% large timber trees. This intercropping method is to use the short term to support the long term.
Under the canopy of raw material forests mixed with large timber trees, medicinal plants can also be grown, chickens can be raised, and some specialty animals can be raised. Doing so means converting single-tree forest business (pure raw material trees) to mixed forest business (multi-tree, multi-animal, multi-product). From there, income per hectare of forest can be increased many times. It also means that we will have rich forests to enrich the West.
 |
| Pu Hoat Forest, Hanh Dich Commune, Que Phong. Photo courtesy |
To develop the forest economy in the West, the Provincial People's Committee needs to have a policy of forest development planning integrated with the policy of medicinal plant development planning; a policy of economic exploitation planning on some areas of special-use forests and protective forests; a policy of gradually planting mixed forests instead of the current pure planting of raw material trees.
In the immediate future, each commune will have a model, from which it will be widely replicated. Review all mechanisms and policies, such as land policies, support and encouragement policies, science and technology policies, investment policies and investment attraction policies, human resource training policies... related to the forest economy to amend, supplement and improve, thereby accelerating the implementation of the province's policies.
District People's Committees need to base on the province's policies, effectively use the province's policies, with the support of agricultural and forestry extension organizations, develop specific directive plans for each task, each stage, each step to each house, each village, each commune to effectively implement forest economic activities in their districts.
The Congress of Party Committees of the Western Districts for the 2021-2025 term needs to turn this content into a resolution to direct and organize implementation in communes and the entire district. The last thing to emphasize is the need for a new awareness of the forest economy, thereby finding a new way of thinking, a new way of doing things that is truly effective, following the motto: People raise forests - Forests raise people. Make forests rich so that forests can enrich the Western Nghe An region.
