When people join hands

(Baonghean)Que Son (Que Phong) is a commune with a low starting point, the lives of the majority of people still face many difficulties. However, under the guidance of the Commune Party Committee, the "cinnamon capital" is gradually escaping poverty in a sustainable way.

Following the Vice Chairman of the commune - Tran Diep Tung Duong, we went to Hai Lam 2 hamlet and witnessed the improvement in the lives of the people in this land known as "thirsty land". Although it is not far from the commune center, since the people from the lowlands came to reclaim and settle, life has never been prosperous because this land simply has only sun, wind and drought. Everything only really changed when the Commune Party Committee had a policy of converting crops and livestock and stood up to guide and act as a "matchmaker" connecting people and businesses to grow industrial sugarcane.



Mr. Nguyen Minh Hien's sugarcane field is growing well, promising a bumper crop.

Sugarcane is suitable for local soil conditions and has a stable output, creating a breakthrough for this land. The family of Mr. Nguyen Minh Hien, in Hai Lam 2 hamlet, last year grew 3 hectares of sugarcane, harvested 170 tons with a total value of 170 million VND, and earned nearly 80 million VND. The above income has helped the family have a stable life, all 4 children have been fully educated. Mr. Hien said: "The factory has provided us with fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides since the beginning of the season, and only collects money at the end of the harvest, so my family and many other families have the conditions to cultivate and expand the sugarcane growing area. The products are all consumed by the factory, and the prices are reasonable, so the family can confidently produce."

From the initial success, the movement to convert crops and livestock is being replicated among the people. In Hai Lam 2 hamlet alone, more than 50 households have participated in growing raw sugarcane on a total area of ​​17 hectares, this year's sugarcane crop alone increased the sugarcane growing area by 18 hectares. Income from sugarcane is helping people escape poverty in a truly sustainable way.

According to statistics, in 2010, the hamlet had 54/89 households classified as poor households, but after only 2 years of growing sugarcane, the number of poor households decreased to 20 households. Mr. Hien confided: The correct policies of the Party Committee and local government combined with the enthusiasm and quickness of the commune officials have helped people change their thinking and working methods, knowing how to effectively apply the plan to convert the structure of crops and livestock. Or like the family of Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhung is a typical example of poverty reduction thanks to pig farming. Currently, the family is raising 25 pigs and preparing to plant nearly 1 hectare of raw sugarcane.

The change in crop and livestock structure in Hai Lam 2 has created a new look for the "thirsty land". Vice Chairman of the commune Tran Diep Tung Duong said: "From the Resolution of the Commune Party Committee, the government has proactively coordinated with the sugar factory to transfer sugarcane growing techniques to the people. Both commune officials and technical staff of the factory have rolled up their sleeves to guide the sugarcane growing process, so the productivity is high, the economic efficiency is clear, and many people are excited to follow. Currently, raw sugarcane is growing and expanding the area in hamlets and villages belonging to the Central and Tay Son clusters of the commune".

However, the villages of Dai, Coc and Pieng Mon in Nam Son cluster are still the least developed areas of the commune. Currently, internal traffic here is very difficult, the national power grid has not been extended to this area. All 3 villages have about 130 households, mainly Thai and Kho Mu ethnic groups, the poverty rate accounts for over 50% of households, and the land fund for agricultural production is limited. Understanding the characteristics of the cluster, the Party Committee and the commune government have proactively brought livestock and poultry breeds directly to the households. Commune officials went to the place to "hold hands and show the way" to guide the people in raising livestock in the direction of goods. Mr. Duong said: “Last June, the commune provided 200 breeding sows to 100 poor households in three villages of Nam Son cluster. Commune officials also regularly visit the grassroots to guide people on proper breeding techniques. Economic development and poverty reduction for households in Nam Son are the commune’s priorities. If done well, the overall poverty rate of the whole commune will be reduced even further, and Que Son will truly escape poverty.”

The initial success in hunger eradication and poverty reduction today is thanks to the timely and correct steps taken by the Commune Party Committee, which promoted the consensus of the people. Secretary of the Commune Party Committee Lo Thai Huyet said that when the commune was first established in 2005, the majority of the people had very difficult lives. The Commune Party Committee discussed and determined to focus on changing the structure of crops and livestock in the hope of creating a breakthrough.

After much research and study, raw sugarcane was chosen to be brought to Que Son fields. But farmers still did not believe that sugarcane would take root in this land because they were worried about drought, the steepness of the fields... "We organized for people to visit Quy Hop, Nghia Dan, Quy Chau. All travel and accommodation expenses were covered by the commune and the Sugarcane Company. They were able to go, see how the business was done and heard the promise of purchasing all the products of the sugarcane factory, but people still did not really believe in following. In the first crop, party members were assigned to set an example first on an area of ​​5.6 hectares". Party members went first, planted sugarcane very successfully, the economic efficiency was quite high, from there many people brought sugarcane to grow in the fields and developed the area to what it is today. “The fundamental thing is that party members must take the lead in implementing the Resolution of the Party Congress, so that practical results can change the farming practices and thinking of the people. In the coming time, the Party Committee of the commune will continue to lead the authorities at all levels to implement the restructuring of crops and livestock more strongly, especially in the three most difficult villages in the Nam Son cluster,” Secretary Huyet shared.

Thanh Duy