Economic development is the focus

As one of the 74 poorest districts in the country, Sop Cop started implementing the National Target Program on New Rural Development with many difficulties. The district has 8 communes, most of which are extremely disadvantaged. The large area, difficult transportation, and complex, mountainous terrain have significantly affected the implementation results of the New Rural Development program in the district.

The Party Committee and the district government are always struggling to find answers to the question of how and how to speed up the progress and improve the quality of the implementation of the NTM program in the area. After many meetings, Sop Cop district has determined a direction suitable to the actual conditions of the locality. That is to take production development and increase income for the people as a fulcrum to promote the implementation of other criteria.

Rural roads are solidly concreted to help people travel conveniently.

Mr. Dao Dinh Thi - Chairman of the People's Committee of Sop Cop district said: Building a new rural area is a broad program, covering many economic - social, national security and defense fields... Meanwhile, Sop Cop district is a poor border district, the lives of ethnic people are still difficult and deprived.

Anticipating difficulties, every year Sop Cop district has built a suitable roadmap and proposed synchronous solutions for implementation. In building new rural areas, people play the role of implementing subjects, the State provides support. On the one hand, the district promotes propaganda work on the Party and State's policies and guidelines on the purpose, meaning and importance of building new rural areas. On the other hand, in order for people to promote their role as subjects in implementing the program, the district has integrated investment programs and projects to support people in developing production.

Based on the analysis of the local potential and advantages, Sop Cop district has planned production development for each region. All levels, sectors, departments, branches and organizations regularly propagate and mobilize people to change their previous self-sufficient production habits to develop agriculture towards commodity production. Promoting advantages, promoting economic restructuring, building agricultural production models towards applying technical advances in production, bringing economic efficiency and sustainable agricultural development. Typical examples include the grapefruit growing model in Dom Cang, Pung Banh, Muong Va, Muong Lan communes; growing oranges and tangerines in Nam Lanh, Muong Va communes; raising white horses in Sop Cop commune, etc.

Orange growing model in Nam Lanh commune.

Along with that, the district encourages people in communes to develop large-scale livestock farming in the direction of concentrated farms and ranches, promoting the development of buffalo and cow herds, in which the white horse farming model in Sop Cop commune is developing well, bringing high economic efficiency. In addition, the district also focuses on innovation in agricultural production organization. Collective economy is effectively implemented, many cooperatives have been established and operated effectively, this is considered one of the important factors in the socio-economic development of the locality.

New rural development

From supporting production development, the lives and incomes of local ethnic people are constantly improved and enhanced. The economy develops, people actively participate in building new rural areas, creating a competitive movement of "joining hands to build new rural areas" that develops widely throughout communes and villages.

Mr. Dao Dinh Thi was excited: Although there are still many difficulties, the results achieved in building new rural areas in Sop Cop district in recent years demonstrate the outstanding efforts of the Party committees, authorities at all levels and the active participation of the people. The district has mobilized the entire political system to "get involved" in implementing the new rural program. The new rural construction program has contributed significantly to promoting the socio-economic development of the district. The economic growth rate is quite good, the economic structure has shifted positively, people's income has increased, and the poverty rate has decreased every year.

Sticky rice fields in Muong Va commune, Sop Cop

At the beginning of the implementation of the new rural development program, Sop Cop district only had 1 commune meeting 4 criteria, the remaining 7 communes met 1-3 criteria. Thanks to the focus on synchronous implementation of many solutions, up to now the whole district has 2 communes meeting the new rural standards; 3 communes meeting 8-10 criteria; 3 communes meeting 7 criteria. The economy, culture and society have developed, the material and spiritual life of the people has been gradually improved.

According to Mr. Dao Dinh Thi, the greatest achievement in building new rural areas in the border district of Sop Cop in recent times is to create consensus among the people. Through the publicity and transparency of all contents related to building new rural areas, people have promoted their ownership rights, so they actively participated and contributed to building roads, cultural houses, sports fields, etc., changing the face of mountainous rural areas. This result is the driving force for Sop Cop district to continue to effectively implement the national target program on building new rural areas in the following years.

Ngoc Mai