Meeting with the young vice chairman of the commune, Ha Minh Tuan.
(Baonghean.vn) - When registering for the program to train 600 young vice-chairmen of communes, Ha Minh Tuan, like the other team members, was determined to go to the mountains to share hardships, bond with the people, and contribute to poverty alleviation and building a prosperous and happy life.
At the end of the year, I had the opportunity to return to the border region of Que Phong. The vibrant and joyful atmosphere of spring permeated the villages. From within the stilt houses, laughter and cheerful conversations echoed, celebrating the upcoming new year and bidding farewell to the old. For Ha Minh Tuan, the end of the year brought him a feeling of excitement and anticipation. Along with 25 other young members of the provincial youth organization, he assumed the position of Vice Chairman of Chau Kim commune in May 2012 – a position in which the Party and State placed high expectations.
Recalling that first day, Tuan's emotions still run high: "So many mixed feelings came flooding back. At first, I felt very nervous, somewhat anxious because there were many things I was unfamiliar with in my new position, and I didn't know how the villagers would react... But that feeling quickly passed, giving way to excitement as I directly took the lead in implementing many programs to help and guide the people. Looking back now, I realize how quickly time has flown by, work has consumed me, and yet so many plans remain unfinished."
Upon assuming the position of Vice Chairman of the commune, Ha Minh Tuan was assigned to oversee agriculture and specialize in building new rural areas. He enthusiastically showcased his initial achievements. Wherever he went, he received warm greetings from the villagers. Watching his interactions, one suddenly realized that the young vice chairman was already very mature and confident.
I asked the elderly Mr. Hoa – Vi Van Hoa in Khoang village, Chau Kim commune – about Tuan, and he laughed heartily, saying: “Young officials are very popular with the villagers. At first, seeing Tuan, so young yet already a vice chairman, the villagers didn't quite trust him. But after observing him gradually, we saw that he did a good job, diligently guiding the villagers in changing crops and mobilizing them for the new rural development program. Now we trust him.” This illustrates that the process of young intellectuals building credibility in the hearts of the villagers is not simple at all. “In the beginning, I also had a lot of hard work. The people are sincere, but when they don't trust me, it's very difficult to work. Now that they understand, they trust and support me, and the work flows more smoothly,” Tuan shared.
Tuan's first challenge was mobilizing the people to build a large-scale model rice field. Despite having some of the most fertile and abundant land in Que Phong district, the economic efficiency of rice cultivation in Chau Kim was very low. Tuan realized the weakness lay in farming practices. “Despite favorable natural conditions, the villagers used many different rice varieties in one field, affecting both yield and quality. Therefore, they only grew rice for their own consumption, not for sale.” After many trips back and forth to the village, he finally managed to persuade everyone to participate in building a large-scale model rice field on 30 hectares, using a single rice variety.
Ha Minh Tuan and the villagers take care of the vegetable garden.
Tuan contacted the Nghe An Agricultural Supplies Company to bring the NA2 rice variety to the people for cultivation and secured the company's agreement to purchase the produce at the end of the season. The rice yield was high, and the company bought fresh rice at 5.5 million VND per ton and dried rice at 7.2 million VND per ton, 10% higher than market prices. On the same fields, which previously only yielded enough for personal consumption, the villagers now produce enough to eat and earn extra money from sales. Everyone was happy and their trust in the "young vice chairman of the commune" increased. This year, without any further persuasion, households that had been hesitant and skeptical the previous year voluntarily participated. "The area planted with NA2 has tripled compared to the first year, reaching 90 hectares, proving that the people are trusting the new farming method and gradually becoming accustomed to commercial rice farming," Tuan concluded.
The story of commercial farming became increasingly lively as Tuan led us to Muong village to see a model cabbage cultivation. Here, he was guiding four Thai ethnic families in growing 1 hectare of cabbage for sale during the Lunar New Year. As soon as we arrived at the village, spotting Officer Tuan, Ms. Lo Thi Hanh immediately asked about cabbage care techniques due to the unusually cold weather. Skipping the formalities, we followed her straight to the field. Ms. Hanh's whole family also came out to listen to Tuan's instructions. "This is my first time growing cabbage, so I have to ask Officer Tuan every little detail to accumulate the necessary techniques. This way, I can take control of the crop in subsequent seasons and won't bother the commune anymore," Ms. Hanh honestly stated.
This season, her family cultivated 1.5 acres of cabbage, and as Tet (Lunar New Year) approached, the entire vegetable garden was thriving. "Hopefully, we'll have a happy Tet this year thanks to the cabbage," she said innocently, her voice filled with hope and confidence, her laughter echoing through the vegetable field. "We planned to sell the cabbage crop right before Tet. The vegetables are growing well now. If we calculate based on current market prices, the villagers will have a decent income," Tuan said. Leaving these agricultural production models, we visited the new rural road. Looking at the wide road, the people of Chau Kim were all delighted. 127 households in Muong village contributed 400,000 VND per person in cash, voluntarily donated land, and contributed labor to build the road.
However, the story of mobilizing the people to contribute labor and resources was not as simple as it seemed, because the villagers were accustomed to thinking that everything they did was supported by the State. “On the first day, when we announced the plan and held a meeting, almost everyone left when they heard about the money. Another day, we held another meeting; some people sat in the hall, while others sat outside listening. I proposed a plan: I would personally borrow construction materials to build the road first, and the villagers would contribute 100,000 dong per person per month. I sent letters appealing to the children of the village who lived far away to contribute to their hometown. Finally, the villagers agreed,” Tuan recalled.
Bidding farewell to the villagers, we returned to the commune office, watching the smoke rising from the houses nestled at the foot of the mountain. A feeling of peace and tranquility washed over me. The road ahead for these young team members is long, and with their knowledge and enthusiastic spirit, these "young vice-chairmen of the commune" will contribute even more to bringing prosperity to every stilt house in these still impoverished highland villages.
Thanh Duy
