Remarkable Progress Seen in Farming in Ethnic Minority-Inhabited, Remote Areas

Localities, especially those in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous regions, have made remarkable progress in agro-forestry production, gradually changing the face of rural and remote areas and improving people’s lives. The results were achieved thanks to the national science and technology program for the 2016-2020 period and the rural and mountainous region program for the 2016-2025 period. With their potential, advantages and local specialties, agricultural development programs and policies and use of sci-tech in their areas have created “bright spots”. Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Hoang Giang said over the past years, localities have paid attention to improving products' quality, local specialties with geographical indication, collective trademark certificates and product identification packaging. Notably, the northern mountainous province of Bac Kan has developed 'Shan Tuyet' tea cultivation meeting organic and VietGAP standards to bring high economic value. Additionally, the province also adopted advanced technology to grow seedless persimmons and increase its growing areas over the years. Not only in northern cities and provinces, the southern province of Binh Phuoc also advocated using modern technology to develop local specialties in ethnic minority-inhabited areas, such as building tea material zones and plants to process 'O Long' tea which has gained popularity at home and abroad. In the process of carrying out the rural and mountainous region program for the 2016-2025 period, many localities successfully studied and transferred farming models suitable with each region, making important contributions to socio-economic development in rural, mountainous and ethnic minority-inhabited regions. During the period, the rate of projects led by enterprises is estimated at 66.5%, higher than 26.2% reached in 2004-2010 and 44.5% in 2011-2015. They are encouraged to renew technology to produce high-value products and attract resources for production. Via sci-tech application and transfer, a number of projects have helped improve people’s material and spiritual lives, especially those in ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous areas. Their cultural identity has been maintained with local customs kept intact. (VietnamPlus)