For over a year now, since the concrete road leading to Then Luong village in Chieng Dong commune, Yen Chau district, Son La province was built, the village's appearance has been brightened. Children's bicycles to school and villagers' motorbikes carrying goods and agricultural products run smoothly on the new road, easing the hardships and worries of the past.​

 

The new concrete roads have given the village a brighter and more vibrant appearance.

Like many residents of Then Luong village, Mr. Hoang Van Ong excitedly said: "After the road was completed, the villagers were very happy. The new road makes it much easier for the villagers and children to go to school and work."

This concrete road has a total length of nearly 760 meters, a road width of 3.5 meters, and a total investment of nearly 3 billion VND, mobilized from the national target program for socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, combined with contributions from the people.​

People's travel and trade have become more convenient.

According to Mr. Hoang Van Tien, Party Secretary and Head of Then Luong village, the villagers have unanimously contributed their labor and resources to the road upgrade project. "Previously, the road corridor clearance involved garden land, residential land, boundary walls, trees, etc. With the involvement and mobilization of the village management board, the people donated land and trees, and the villagers enthusiastically supported the project."

Along the long, wide roads lies the vast green expanse of the Yen Chau mango growing region, which is also the main source of livelihood for the local people. To support farmers in developing production, many policies and initiatives have been implemented by the local Party committee and government; including a project on sustainable agricultural and forestry production development, leveraging the potential and strengths of different regions to produce goods along the value chain, under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, giai đoạn 2021 - 2030.

This is a concentrated mango growing area with the famous Yen Chau mango brand from Son La province.

Mr. Ha Van Truong, Party Secretary and Head of Na Nga village, Chieng Hac commune, Yen Chau district, said: 38 poor households and newly-escaped-poverty households in the village have received support in the form of fertilizer and guidance on mango tree care techniques, helping the trees grow steadily and achieve high yields. "I coordinated with village organizations and the commune and district agricultural extension services to organize the collection and distribution of the provided fertilizer to the people according to the intended beneficiaries."

According to the Yen Chau District Agricultural Service Center, nearly 180 mango-growing households in Chieng Hac and Tu Nang communes have received over 140 tons of organic fertilizer. This support not only meets the needs of farmers but also contributes to production development, improves the quality and value of mango products, and promotes sustainable agricultural development in the locality.

All levels and sectors should pay attention to providing technical guidance on planting and caring for mangoes to improve their quality and value.

Mr. Pham Van Thanh, Director of the Agricultural Services Center of Yen Chau district, Son La province, said: "We have completed the training and distributed fertilizer to 50% of the farmers. They have used up all the fertilizer that was provided during this period."

The socio-economic development policies and initiatives implemented in ethnic minority areas have become a "lever" helping Yen Chau gradually eradicate hunger and reduce poverty, in accordance with the spirit of the Resolution of the District Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term. The poverty reduction rate in ethnic minority areas of the district has decreased by an average of 3% per year, people have better access to basic social services, their lives have improved, and the rural landscape is increasingly flourishing.

The lives of people in ethnic minority areas are changing every day.

Mr. Lu Van Cuong, Chairman of the People's Committee of Yen Chau District, Son La Province, said: "We have reviewed all communes and towns with beneficiaries in need of support to focus resources on implementation. Yen Chau faces many difficulties, but importantly, we have requested the entire political system to get involved, assigning each task to a team led by a Standing Committee member, focusing on directing the work; for the beneficiaries, we require them to take responsibility for protecting the projects invested in by the State when they are handed over; the communes and villages must also have clear responsibilities."

Local Party committees and authorities have been and continue to integrate and effectively utilize resources to ensure essential infrastructure, support production development, gradually narrow the regional gap, and improve people's lives; accompanying people in mountainous, highland, and ethnic minority areas in Son La in their journey to overcome difficulties and rise up.

Source: vov.vn