(VOVworld) - Three communes - Duy Hoa, Duy Son, and Duy Phuoc - in Quang Nam province were chosen to pilot a new rural development program over the past two years. To date, the communes have completed 7 of 19 criteria for new rural development. VOV’s Le Phuong describes the changes there.

Duy Xuyen district has identified agricultural production as a firm and sustainable foundation upon which to develop other economic spearheads. With the motto ‘the Government and people joining hands’, most inter-hamlet and inter-commune roads here have been asphalted, enabling the locals to expand their production and improve their lives. Ngo Ba Loi, Chairman of Duy Hoa’s People’s Committee, says the number of poor households has fallen every year thanks to restructuring crops. Loi says ‘The new rural development program affects every practical aspect from socio-economic development to security and defense. We have set goals to have a developed agricultural sector by 2015 while reducing the poverty rate to about 5%’.

In Duy Son, villagers have donated hundreds of hectares of land to make room for inter-hamlet roads, volunteered their labor to repair or build roads, canals, ditches, and inter-field lanes. Last year, Duy Xuyen district invested 24,000 USD for Duy Son commune to build an electricity system, a transportation system, schools, a medical clinic, and an irrigation system. With support from Duy Son’s people, the commune has been upgrading cultural facilities including markets, a post office, and a house of culture. Le Cong Tien who lives in Duy Son Commune says ‘As a resident of Duy Son, I support the Party and Government’s policy. All households who live along the inter-commune roads have agreed to donate their land to meet transportation needs. In order to fulfill the Government’s 19 criteria on new rural development, the commune’s People’s Committee is trying to complete its set targets every year’.

Duy Xuyen District is now focusing on reviewing the planning for the new rural development program and prioritizing infrastructure development. Van Ba Nam heads the district’s Agriculture section ‘By 2015, the three pilot communes are targeted to complete the program and the remainder will follow suit by 2020. Generally, we have done well with communications to mobilize local involvement. Villagers have contributed in various ways to the restructuring of farm land to create bigger fields and generate higher incomes’.