Thanks to the soldiers, the Dan Lai people learned to plant forests and cultivate wet rice.
(Baonghean.vn) - Bu village in Chau Khe commune, Con Cuong district, is considered a remote and isolated place. Thanks to the soldiers of the Chau Khe Border Guard Post stationed there, the Dan Lai people have learned to cultivate wet rice and plant forests, and their lives are changing for the better...
The road to Bu village was winding, steep in the high mountains and deep in the streams; it was muddy by the time we reached the village, it was already late afternoon. Bu village mainly consisted of makeshift houses made of thatch and bamboo, with only a few scattered houses roofed with corrugated iron. The weather turned cold, the wind howled, but the children were still playing in their thin clothes.
Village head Vi Thanh Ban said: Bu village has 149 households (740 people), and the lives of the villagers are still particularly difficult, with food shortages for 6-7 months of the year. Their lives mainly depend on the forest, hunting for honey, and slash-and-burn farming. Therefore, many households have migrated deep into the protected and primary forests of Pu Mat National Park. Besides ensuring border security, Chau Khe Border Guard Post also has the important task of helping the villagers change their production practices and alleviate poverty. They must prevent the villagers from going deep into the forest to "slash-and-burn farming," which makes them vulnerable to exploitation by illegal loggers.
In the morning, the soldiers stationed in the village wake up.Early in the morning, they worked with the villagers to cut bamboo and fence their gardens, teaching them how to grow vegetables and raise chickens to improve their food supply. Lieutenant Colonel Vu Viet Luong, Deputy Commander of Chau Khe Border Guard Post, recounted: "The post was established in 2008. In the early days of coming to Bu village, we couldn't imagine how poor and backward it was. Besides the task of managing 24 km of border with Laos, the soldiers actively helped the villagers learn how to make a living."
Along the Choăng stream, we found a flat area of land overgrown with lush vegetation. We tried to persuade the villagers to plant corn, but no one listened. So, the soldiers took matters into their own hands, tilling the land and planting corn as a model. Only when they saw the large, firm ears of corn at harvest time did the villagers believe them. From just three households growing corn, now there are over 30 households cultivating 6 hectares. Lieutenant Colonel Vũ Viết Lương's eyes lit up with joy: "Look, now the entire alluvial plain is green with corn!"
Border guards, along with the village chief and deputy chief, ventured deep into the mountains of Pu Hieng, Pu Ma, and other areas, following the streams to find flat land for rice cultivation. After successful initial surveys, the soldiers encouraged the villagers to start growing rice. Guided by the border guards, the family of village chief Vi Thanh Ban cultivated over one sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of land. During the harvest season, the rice ripened to a golden yellow with firm grains. Following the village chief's lead, the villagers began reclaiming land and cultivating rice paddies.
Village head Ban said: "Up to now, the entire Bu village has over 6 hectares of paddy fields. The area is small, but we've had a successful harvest already. This will be the foundation for the Dan Lai people to continue reclaiming land for paddy fields and ensuring food security. If we reclaim all the land, we'll have about 17 hectares of paddy fields."
Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Thanh Quyen, the political officer, led me along a rugged path into the middle of Bu village to visit particularly disadvantaged households. Over the past year, the Chau Khe Border Guard Post has developed a project to develop the economy of Bu village. They secured funding to support five families in developing their economy, primarily through pig farming. Each household received 5 million VND, and the border guards have been actively guiding the villagers on how to build pigpens and how to raise pigs in confinement. Ms. Vi Thi Hoa, who was feeding her pigs, said: "Previously, my family also raised pigs, but we let them roam freely, and they all died from disease. With the financial support, my family built a pen, bought five piglets, and after four months of raising them, we earned a profit of over 5 million VND." The Chau Khe Border Guard Post hopes these farming models will be replicated.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Chairman of Chau Khe Commune, said: "This is probably the first time the Commune People's Committee, in coordination with the Chau Khe Border Guard Post, has successfully mobilized the people of two Dan Lai villages, Bu and Chau Khe, to plant a fairly large area of hybrid acacia forest. The total area of forest planted in 2011 in both villages was 150 hectares, of which Bu village alone planted 80 hectares." Mr. Binh continued: "The project to replace slash-and-burn farming with reforestation was prioritized in these two villages, and the initial mobilization was very difficult. This project was provided with rice to support the people in stabilizing their food supply so they could plant and care for the forest with peace of mind. However, due to difficulties, the project still lacked rice, while the people demanded rice before they would plant."
Faced with this situation, the People's Committee of the commune coordinated with the Chau Khe Border Guard Post to go to each house to persuade the people, explaining the role of reforestation in economic development. "Persistent rain soaks the ground," and after listening to the officials, the people agreed to plant trees. The Con Cuong Forestry Company promptly supplied seedlings and fertilizers to the people. Soldier Le Van Tao enthusiastically said: "This year, the heavy rains made reforestation very difficult. From Bu village to the planting site, some are 3 km away, while others are 7 km away. Transporting seedlings and fertilizer to the planting holes was not easy at all. Commune and district officials, along with soldiers and villagers, carried the seedlings to the planting sites to help the people."
Mr. La Van Luc from Bu village shared: "Seeing the concern of the authorities, especially the Border Guard soldiers at Chau Khe Post, we are very moved and determined to plant trees on all the allocated forest land. My family alone has planted over 1 hectare of hybrid acacia. Following suit are many other households that have done well in planting trees, such as Mr. Vi Quang Vinh, Mr. La Van Thanh..."
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, Chairman of the Chau Khe Commune People's Committee, suggested that: Although the reforestation project to replace slash-and-burn farming is facing difficulties this year, Chau Khe commune has met its assigned targets. 205 hectares of hybrid acacia have been planted, and the people urgently need the project's promised rice support to ensure the reforestation is effective. Currently, the Forest Protection Department is conducting an inspection, estimating that over 60 tons of rice will be provided as part of the first phase of the project to replace slash-and-burn farming for two villages. The people are eagerly awaiting the rice to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Leaving Bu village in the rainy afternoon, I could still see the green of the forest blending with the green of the soldiers' uniforms at Chau Khe Border Guard Post. A green of prosperity and hope!
Van Truong
