Thanks to the army, the Dan Lai people knew how to plant forests and grow rice.

(Baonghean.vn) - Bu village in Chau Khe commune - Con Cuong is considered a "remote place". Thanks to the soldiers from Chau Khe Border Post "staying in the village", the Dan Lai people here have learned to grow rice, plant forests, and their lives have changed day by day...

The road to Bu village is winding through high mountains, deep streams, and muddy roads. When we arrived at Bu village, it was late afternoon. Bu village was mainly made up of makeshift bamboo and thatched houses, with only a few houses roofed with cement. The weather was cold and the wind was howling, but the children were still playing around in thin clothes.

Village chief Vi Thanh Ban said: Bu village has 149 households (740 people), the people's lives are extremely difficult, lacking food for 6-7 months of the year. Life mainly depends on the forest, hunting bees, burning fields for farming. Therefore, many households have migrated deep into the protective forests and primeval forests of Pu Mat National Park. In addition to the task of ensuring border security, Chau Khe Border Guard Station also has the important task of helping people change their production habits, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. Do not let people go deep into the forest to "burn fields for farming" which is easy for loggers to take advantage of.

In the morning, the soldiers "staying in the village" wake upEarly in the morning, together with the villagers, they cut bamboo, fenced the garden, and taught the villagers how to grow vegetables and raise chickens to improve food. Lieutenant Colonel Vu Viet Luong - Deputy Head of Chau Khe Border Guard Station said: "The station was established in 2008. In the first days of coming to Bu village, we could not imagine that the village was so poor and backward. In addition to the task of managing the 24 km border with Laos, the soldiers actively helped the villagers learn how to make a living."

Along Choang stream, we saw a flat land but the grass and trees were lush. We encouraged the people to grow corn but no one listened, so the soldiers themselves dug and cleared the land to plant corn as a model. When the harvest came, the people believed when they saw the corn growing big and firm. From only 3 households growing corn, now there are over 30 households growing 6 hectares of corn. Lieutenant Colonel Vu Viet Luong's eyes lit up with joy: "Look, now the alluvial land is green with corn."

The border guards, together with the village chief and deputy chief, went to the top of Pu Hieng, Pu Ma... along the streams to find flat land for wet rice cultivation. After the initial survey was successful, the soldiers encouraged the people to cultivate wet rice. With the guidance of the border guards, the family of Village Chief Vi Thanh Ban cultivated more than 1 sao of land. During the harvest season, the rice was golden and the grains were firm. The people followed the village chief to reclaim the land for wet rice cultivation.

Village chief Ban said: "Up to this point, the whole Bu village has over 6 hectares of rice fields. The area is small but has been a successful season. This will be the foundation for the Dan Lai people to continue reclaiming land for rice fields and stabilizing food supply. If we reclaim all of the land, we will have about 17 hectares of rice fields."

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Thanh Quyen - Political Commissar led me along the bumpy road into the middle of Bu village to visit the extremely disadvantaged households. In the past year, Chau Khe Border Guard Station has built a Project for Economic Development in Bu village. They have asked for funding to support 5 families to develop their economy, mainly raising pigs for meat. Each household received 5 million VND in support, and the border guards rolled up their sleeves to guide the people on how to build pig pens and how to raise pigs in cages. Ms. Vi Thi Hoa was feeding the pigs and said: "In the past, my family also raised pigs, but they were let loose and died of disease. With the financial support, my family built pens, bought 5 piglets, and raised them for 4 months, earning a profit of over 5 million VND after deducting expenses. Chau Khe Border Guard Station hopes that these will be livestock models that need to be replicated."

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh - Chairman of Chau Khe Commune said: Perhaps this is the first time the Commune People's Committee has coordinated with Chau Khe Border Guard Station to mobilize people from two Dan Lai villages, Bu and Chau Khe, to plant a large area of ​​hybrid acacia forest. The total forest area in 2011 for both villages was 150 hectares, of which Bu village alone planted 80 hectares. Mr. Binh continued: The project of planting forests to replace slash-and-burn cultivation was prioritized in the above two villages, and the initial mobilization was also very difficult. This project was provided with rice to support people to stabilize their food supply and feel secure in planting and caring for the forest. However, due to difficulties, the project still has no rice, while people demand that they must have rice before planting.

Faced with the above situation, the Commune People's Committee coordinated with Chau Khe Border Guard Station to go to each house to mobilize people, talking about the role of afforestation in economic development. "Slow and steady wins the race" listening to the cadres, the people were willing to plant forests. Con Cuong Forestry Company provided seeds and fertilizers to the people in a timely manner. Soldier Le Van Tao excitedly said: This year, there was a lot of rain, making it very difficult for afforestation. From Bu village to the nearest forest planting site is 3 km, and from the far is 7 km, transporting seedlings and fertilizers to the planting holes is not simple at all. Commune and district cadres, together with soldiers and villagers, carried seedlings to the forest planting site with the people.

Mr. La Van Luc in Bu village confided: "Seeing the attention of the sectors, especially the Border Guard of Chau Khe Station, we were very touched and determined to plant all the assigned forest area. My family alone planted over 1 hectare of hybrid acacia. Next, there are many households that plant forests well such as Mr. Vi Quang Vinh, Mr. La Van Thanh...

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh - Chairman of Chau Khe Commune People's Committee suggested that: The project of reforestation to replace swidden fields this year is difficult, but Chau Khe commune has planted forests to ensure the assigned targets. 205 hectares of hybrid acacia forests have been planted, people really need the project's rice support as committed to effectively plant forests. Currently, the Forest Protection Department is conducting acceptance, the estimated amount of rice to support the first phase of the project of reforestation to replace swidden fields is over 60 tons of rice for 2 villages. People really hope to receive rice to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Leaving Bu village in the rainy afternoon, I still saw the green of the forest blending with the green of the soldiers' uniforms of Chau Khe Border Post. The green of prosperity and hope!

Van Truong