From drug “black spot” to “the richest Mong village on the border”

From the center of Long Sap commune, following a high slope several kilometers long, we arrived at Phieng Cai village, Long Sap commune, Son La province (before the merger of Long Sap commune and Chieng Khua commune, Moc Chau district, Son La province).

Amidst the immense green of the mountains and forests and fruit orchards, new houses with corrugated iron and cement roofs appear, painting a picture of a prosperous and peaceful highland village.

Arriving at Phieng Cai village during the day, if we did not make an appointment, it would be difficult to meet any adults in the village.

It was the end of the plum season but people were still busy in the fields, tending to the fruit orchards. The house and kitchen were looked after and managed by children.

Phieng Cai village, Long Sap commune, Son La province is surrounded by the green of gardens and forests. Photo: Kieu Tam.

It is known that Phieng Cai village used to be a “black spot” for drugs and poverty in Long Sap commune. Although the starting point was still difficult, now, according to Mr. Mong Van Ngoc - an expert from the Economic Department of Long Sap commune, Phieng Cai village has become “the richest Mong village in this border commune”.

Mr. Ngoc explained: Phieng Cai village has 100% Mong ethnic population but the people are very united and hard-working. The households that received livelihood support worked hard, rose up to escape poverty, and now have jobs and stable income.

Mr. Trang A Tua, Party cell secretary and head of Phieng Cai village, added: Phieng Cai village currently has 91 households, of which 7 are near-poor households.

Before 2015, the life of the villagers was very difficult. Many fields and fields, due to unscientific farming, were eroded and infertile. The productivity of rice and corn was not high, and the village was far from the center, so the prices of agricultural products were often forced down by traders. At the end of the season, there were only bare fields left, and those who grew corn just let the plants wither because they did not know what else to plant.

Mr. Trang A Tua, Party cell secretary and head of Phieng Cai village, Long Sap commune, Son La province, was excited when talking about the changes in the village from the policy of growing fruit trees such as plums, oranges, passion fruit... on sloping land. Photo: Kieu Tam.

However, since implementing the Party and State's policy of growing fruit trees on sloping land and converting ineffective rice and corn land to growing fruit trees, the appearance of Phieng Cai village is improving day by day.

Many households in Phieng Cai village have converted corn cultivation areas to growing plums, pears, and tea, bringing in good income. Photo: Kieu Tam.

 

Households have changed their crops to pear, tea, plum, etc., and short-term crops such as squash, cucumber, beans, and arrowroot, etc. to increase their income and meet their family needs. Many poor households have been supported with seedlings, livestock, and transferred farming and animal husbandry techniques.

Thanks to that, people of working age in the village have stable jobs. Average income per capita has also increased, about more than 42 million VND/person/year.

“Households that know how to do business and are willing to learn can earn hundreds of millions of dong. Like Mr. Trang A Lu’s household, who grows plums, squash, and passion fruit, still saves 200 million dong at the end of the year; Mr. Trang Va De’s household grows pears, plums, and raises breeding cows, earning nearly 300 million dong at the end of the year… These households not only have an economy but also invest in their children’s education,” Mr. Tua said excitedly.

Growing fruit trees on sloping land contributes to sustainable poverty reduction

CommuneLong Sap, Son La province (before the merger including 2 communes Chieng Khua, Long Sap, Moc Chau district, Son La province) is a highland border commune with a long border with the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

The commune has a large natural area, fragmented terrain, low population density, scattered distribution, most of the people are ethnic minorities, difficult transportation...

With its own characteristics in terms of terrain and geography, Long Sap commune has difficult economic conditions, with a high poverty rate (13.78%). Local people's income mainly depends on agricultural production, and farming techniques are still limited.

Effectively implementing sustainable poverty reduction, in recent years, Long Sap commune has implemented many practical solutions, focusing on increasing income, transferring livelihoods and techniques to local people. In particular, the policy of developing fruit trees on sloping land has achieved many positive results.

Many rural workers have had more jobs and income thanks to the development of diverse farming and livestock models, including the commercial scale green squash growing model in Long Sap commune, Son La province. Photo: Kieu Tam.

 

Talking to Dan Viet reporter, Mr. Tran Xuan Thanh, Chairman of Long Sap Commune People's Committee (Son La province) said: Implementing the province's policy on developing fruit trees on sloping land, before the merger, in the last term, the Party Committee and government of Long Sap and Chieng Khua communes focused on leading and directing people to develop advantageous crops.

These new crops are suitable for natural conditions, encouraging people to convert crops, gradually forming fruit growing areas such as plums, oranges, pears, macadamia, passion fruit...

As of June 2025, the total area of fruit trees in the two communes reached 924 hectares, an increase of 312 hectares compared to the beginning of the term. Thereby, it has contributed to increasing people's income, gradually forming concentrated fruit growing areas, building a number of economic development models with high economic efficiency. Currently, 1 hectare of cultivated land has a production value of 45 million VND.

The appearance of Long Sap commune has changed since the policy of planting fruit trees on sloping land. Photo: Kieu Tam.

In the commune, some areas of land for growing short-term crops have been converted to new tea plantations, concentrated in Muong Bo, Phat, Phieng Cai villages... Up to now, the tea growing area in the commune has reached 178 hectares, an increase of 139.5 hectares compared to 2020.

In addition, Long Sap commune is interested in piloting and expanding the planting area of some industrial crops suitable for local climate and soil conditions, especially tea trees.

Also Mr. Tran Xuan Thanh, Chairman of Long Sap Commune People's Committee, Long Sap commune's agricultural development is not commensurate with the commune's potential advantages, the production value/ha of land is still low; the application of scientific and technological advances in production to improve product quality and efficiency is still limited.

Applying advanced techniques in livestock farming and fruit tree growing on sloping land, aiming for clean agriculture is a long-term solution for Long Sap commune (Son La province) to increase the value of agricultural products, increase income, and sustainably reduce poverty for people. Photo: Kieu Tam.

 

To continue effectively implementing national target programs, in the coming time, Long Sap commune will continue to strengthen the leadership and direction of Party committees at all levels in sustainable poverty reduction, effectively implement credit programs for production development loans, and transfer of science and technology to poor households, near-poor households, and households that have just escaped poverty.

Organize a review of the rural labor force, orient vocational training in accordance with the actual needs of the locality and labor demand in the area.

Long Sap Commune organizes, manages and effectively implements the development of clean, safe agricultural production, applying high technology and organic agriculture; continues to research, convert and improve varieties and crops of high economic value, suitable to local conditions...

The commune also attracts businesses, organizations and individuals to invest in agriculture, build production, processing, consumption and export chains of products that ensure standards according to regulations; build green and circular agricultural production models...