The policy of converting ineffective food crops on sloping land to fruit trees in Son La province has brought a more prosperous life to the ethnic people. Thanks to the right policy, the ethnic people of Son La province in general and in the border commune of Long Sap, Moc Chau town have known how to apply science and technology, improve the land, and cultivate sustainably to escape poverty and build rich and beautiful border villages.

Implementing the policy of converting ineffective food crops on sloping land to growing fruit trees, people in Long Sap commune, Moc Chau town have converted to growing plums, oranges, grapefruits, etc., bringing high economic efficiency. Applying fertilizer according to the growth cycle of the tree and pruning branches scientifically has helped the tree produce stable fruit. These trees, when properly cared for, can be harvested for several decades.

Mr. Hoang Van Thoa, Long Sap commune, Moc Chau town, Son La province“Previously, my family planted corn, cassava, and arrowroot on this land, but it was not effective. Now we have switched to growing fruit trees, grapefruit, and orange trees. In general, after the care process, they are now bearing fruit. I see that life will be better; it will be better than growing corn or arrowroot.”

Ms. Ta Thi Nhung, Long Sap commune, Moc Chau town, Son La province“My family’s plum season this year is quite good compared to previous years. Off-season plums have brought in about 52 million. Now that the plum season is here and it is gradually ripening towards the end of the season, we will probably get a better harvest than previous years. Compared to growing corn, fertilizer is expensive every year, but when we sell the products, it is cheap. Compared to growing plums regularly like this year, plums will be more profitable than growing corn.”

Phieng Cai is the first Mong village in Long Sap commune to convert to growing fruit trees on sloping land. With a cultivated area of up to 200 hectares, after nearly 10 years of conversion, plums, passion fruit, and pears have covered the bare hills, many households have escaped poverty and become well-off and rich.

Mr. Trang A Thai, Phieng Cai village, Long Sap commune, Moc Chau town, Son La province“Since 2018, my family started growing it and it has achieved economic efficiency compared to short-term crops such as corn and arrowroot. Passion fruit brings higher economic efficiency. My family grows one hectare of passion fruit, and for one hectare of corn we only earn about 20-30 million VND, but growing passion fruit can earn 50-60 million VND a year compared to corn. Arrowroot is more effective, brings high economic efficiency and goes in the right direction of the State's policy of interest."

Long Sap is a border commune, mainly inhabited by ethnic minorities. Although the cultivated area is large, the poverty rate is still high. In recent years, the local government has included the planting of fruit trees on sloping land in the Resolution of the Commune Party Congress to resolutely implement it. Thanks to that, people's lives have been constantly improved, and sustainable poverty reduction and new rural construction programs have also had many positive changes.

Mr. Lo Hai Yen, Chairman of Long Sap Commune People's Committee, Moc Chau Town, Son La Province “The commune Party Committee has issued a resolution, directly assigning Party Committee members in charge of the villages to go to meetings with the people to carry out propaganda and mobilization. Using models from some areas of the commune in the area to mobilize and convert the area, especially the areas of trees on steep hills with low economic efficiency. For a long time, people have purely grown corn, cassava, and potatoes. Up to now, the area has converted 610 hectares of fruit trees in recent years.”

Thanks to the right policy, the active participation of local Party committees and authorities, and the consensus of the people, good results have been achieved. This borderland has been covered with a green color of hope, and the people of the border ethnic groups have also enjoyed more prosperous and "golden" seasons./.