Society

Lai Chau reduces poverty with local crops

Authorities in northern Lai Chau province are making efforts to promote local crops and raise incomes for local residents, aiming to reduce hunger and poverty.
Authorities in northern Lai Chau province are making efforts to promotelocal crops and raise incomes for local residents, aiming to reducehunger and poverty.

The promoted crops includecassava, bananas and edible canna, which are highly suitable for theconditions in Ma Ly Pho commune in Phong Tho district, one of thepoorest localities in the province with a rate of impoverishedhouseholds exceeding 70 percent.

According to LyTa May, a banana grower in the commune, a hectare of bananas cangenerate 180 million VND (8,400 USD) for a six-month crop, five timesthat of growing rice.

May has nearly 300 banana trees and plans to plant 200 more to increase family income.

Cassava is also a high-yield crop. Its rich starch has attracted anumber of traders to the locality, boosting its per kilogramme pricefrom 8,000 VND (38 cents) to 1,500 VND (71 cents).

This year, Lu Van Pao from Son Than 2 village earns 40 million VND (1,870 USD) from four hectares of cassava.

He is one of the highest earners in the locality from cassava, withhis average income ranging between 20-30 million VND (900-1,400 USD)annually.

Lo Van Ty, Chairman of the Ma Ly Phocommunal People’s Committee, said happily that, these crops, which wereonce underestimated, are bringing sustainable source of income for localpeople.

The commune has zoned off nearly 30percent of its land to develop these crops, aiming to reduce the localimpoverished household rate to below 30 percent.-VNA
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