For the first time, Dan Lai people learned to dig ponds to raise fish, grow vegetables and raise chickens in their new homeland.

Returning to Ba Ha - Ke Tat resettlement area, Thach Ngan commune (Con Cuong) in late September, we were surprised by the changes in the landscape and people here.

Ba Ha - Ke Tat Resettlement Area, Thach Ngan Commune, Con Cuong District. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. La Van Thai, owner of house number 19, said warmly: "When we moved to our new place, my family lived in a spacious concrete stilt house, so we felt very secure. After moving in for a week, my wife and I went into the forest to get bamboo to fence the garden, then bought dozens of meters of netting for 1 million VND to surround it. By doing so, we can grow vegetables without fear of chickens coming in to destroy them...".

Veterans Association and Youth Union help people grow vegetables. Photo: TTCC.

After enclosing the garden, Mr. Thai and his wife bought new hoes and spades to plant vegetables. Three days ago, the youth union of Thach Ngan commune came to guide the family on how to prepare the soil, make beds and plant a sample bed of sweet potato and a bed of onions. "From now on, the family will plant mustard greens and some other vegetables on this garden plot to have enough green vegetables every day, without having to go into the forest to find food like before," Mr. La Van Thai confided.

Mr. La Van Thai and his wife, house number 19, actively increase production and grow vegetables. Photo: Quang An

Arriving at house number 21, we were even more surprised, because this family not only fenced a beautiful garden but also hired an excavator to dig a fish pond behind the house.

Mr. Nguyen Van Long, Mrs. La Thi Mo's husband, took us to the fish pond area and said: "Taking advantage of the small stream, the family borrowed money, rented an excavator to dig continuously for more than ten days, and got 3 ponds, with an area of ​​about 3 sao of water surface. Recently, the family bought 30 kg of fish fry to release. Every day, the couple goes to pick cassava leaves to chop them up to feed the fish."

Some households have dug fish ponds behind their houses. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mrs. La Thi Mo shared: "There are countless bamboo, rattan and wild vines. I have to work hard to go to the forest to get them to fence the garden, build chicken coops for livestock production. I have to do it myself and eat by myself, I can't depend on the government forever...".

According to the reporter's records, most of the 22 households in Dan Lai have fenced their gardens and built poultry coops. This is due first to the positive change in people's thinking, and then to the support and attention of the local government.

People maintain the practice of raising poultry under stilt houses. Photo: Quang An

According to Mr. Lo Van Huan - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thach Ngan Commune, after the households settled down in their new homes, the Party Committee and the commune government assigned 4 organizations to assign the responsibility of instructing each family in specific ways to garden and farm. Accordingly, each organization: Farmers' Association, Youth Union, Women's Union, and War Veterans' Union assigned the responsibility of instructing 5-6 households on how to grow crops and raise livestock.

At their new residence, the Dan Lai people have a local source of water for daily use, without having to go to streams to get water. Photo: Quang An

What Dan Lai people want at this time is for the government to soon hand over production land, support seedlings and repair some houses that have shown signs of deterioration due to being built many years ago.

According to the project plan, the total agricultural land area divided among these 35 households is 9.7 hectares and 80 hectares of forestry land. However, because only 22/35 households have moved out, the district has not yet distributed land to them. It is expected that by October, the district will mobilize all 35 households to move out, at which time the district will distribute land to them according to the population quota.

Mr. Tran Anh Tuan - Head of Con Cuong District Project Management Board

Graphics: Quang An

Regarding the problem of damaged roofs, Con Cuong district has grasped the specific situation of each household, and plans to fix it for people to live in this September.

Currently, the district has a plan to use the project's capital of 500 million VND to support people in reclaiming and preparing agricultural land; and providing seedlings, according to the registration of each household.

Graphics: Quang An