(VOVworld) – Building new rural areas is an important task of the Central Highlands provinces. With the motto “people are the essence of the new rural program”, the Central Highlands provinces have mobilized the people’s strength in combination with local advantages to make significant changes.

The gate to Ha Mon commune, the first commune to achieve all 19 new rural criteria in the Central Highlands. (photo: nongthonmoi.gov.vn)

Tang Du hamlet in Ea Kao commune, Buon Ma Thuat city, has a new look with clean roads. Y Tham Kbua, a villager, said this is the result of the new rural development program since early last year. The villagers got involved in building a cultural house. The program has changed people’s awareness and achieved visible results in the fields and gardens. "We enthusiastically got involved in the rural development. My family has 5 members and we are all actively engaged in production. We have State support so we work harder than we used to. We have to allocate time to work both in the rice field and in the coffee garden." Y Tham said.

The people have gotten involved in building roads, digging canals, and reinforcing dykes. Mr. Bum and his neighbors donated thousands of square meters of land and chopped trees to expand the roads. Bum says: "We supported the village’s decision to expand roads. We volunteered to do the work. We’re glad, because the village now has paved roads. Household economies have improved and every family now has motorbikes."

The Central Highland provinces have reviewed and replicated effective measures on building new rural areas movement. In Ea Yong commune, Krong Pack district, in Dac Lac province, people plant coffee, durians, and avocados in the same garden to gain high profits. Ta Van Cham, Vice Chairman of the Ea Yong commune’s People’s Committee, says: "Implementing 6 contents and 19 criteria of the new rural development program, the commune has identified coffee and durian trees as the key plants. We plant durian trees alternately with coffee trees. We harvest 8 tons in one hectare of land to earn 110 million VND. Land is limited so we have to rotate crops and plant intensively and alternately."

During the implementation, motivating people to get involved in communal production work is the most important factor. Nguyen Huy Bai, Chairman of Ea Kao commune’s People’s Committee in Buon Ma Thuat city, says that with public consensus, the commune has succeeded in rural development. "The people thoroughly understand that the new commune must be a cultural commune. Previously, they worked separately. Now they work together. For example, they organize to make a road or a field. We have a model rice field in Tan Hung, which is very productive."

By mobilizing the people’s strength and exploiting local advantages, the Central Highland provinces have gained encouraging results in new rural development. Ha Mon commune in Kon Tum province was the first commune to achieve all of the new rural criteria. Per capita income is 1,900 USD per year. Tan Hoi commune in Lam Dong district has fulfilled 18 of 19 new rural criteria. These models show that the new rural development program has been implemented effectively in the Central Highland.