There has been a broad consensus among the people in Cu M’ga district during the 3 years of the program thanks to the local authorities’ effective communications. Cu M’ga district has 15 communes, many of which them populated by ethnic minorities and listed as disadvantaged areas. All of these communes have completed the national new rural development program. The communes of Quang Tien, Eatul, and EaKpam were selected as Dak Lak province’s rural development role models. Pham Quang Muoi, head of Cu M’ga district’s agriculture division, said: "In addition to a steering committee established at the district level to manage the implementation of the national new rural development program from the very beginning, we have also set up similar committees at commune and hamlet levels to closely monitor performance. Thanks to effective communications and many emulation movements, we have created a broad consensus among local people for this program."

Training classes on farming technology for local farmers in Cu M'ga

Cu M’ga has identified coffee trees as the district’s main crop for agricultural development. The local authorities have applied a number of measures to improve coffee quality and productivity. The district now has 9400 households certified for merchandising coffee products. These households have been advised to grow pepper, durians, and avocadoes in addition to the coffee trees to achieve greater efficiency. Farms now raise pigs, cows, and poultry to generate more income for local households.

The local authorities have set up 74 classes to train 4000 people in farming and husbandry technology. Advanced farming models have been widely applied to the production of coffee, mushrooms, cows, and geese in 6 communes. Y Te, a local farmer, puts it: "I have grown coffee for a long time but I didn’t know how to invest effectively in my business. I have learned a lot about growing coffee sustainably in the training courses offered by the local authorities, which have provided me with information about climate change, planting techniques, and water conservation. I will share what I have learned from these classes with other people in my hamlet."

Quang Hiep commune today

Local people’s incomes are rising, a principal goal of the national program. According to Pham Quang Muoi: "Quang Tien commune has completed the 13^th criterion of the national program on rural development regarding production organization to enhance local people’s incomes. Effective production has helped local farmers find better outlets for their products."

President Truong Tan Sang visits Eatul commune

Cu M’ga district now has 5 communes that have completed 15 criteria of the program and 7 other communes have completed 8 criteria. Quang Tien is the only commune that has completed 17 out of the program’s 19 criteria. It expects to complete the other two criteria on upgrading the local transportation and culture infrastructures this year. Hundreds of households in Quang Tien commune have donated their land, labor, and money to building the local traffic system. Y Sui lives in Quang Tien commune. Y Sui said: "We understand that we are the ultimate beneficiaries of this program so we are very willing to contribute our land to build roads. Now that the local roads are paved, it’s easier for us to travel and the values of our houses will increase."  

97% of Cu M’ga’s communal roads have been paved. The improved local economy and infrastructure have already made people’s lives better.