Kiên Giang Province forges ahead with developing new-style rural areas

Kiên Giang Province forges ahead with developing new-style rural areas

Your browser does not support the audio element. Kiên Giang Province has made significant achievements in developing new-style rural areas, improving their appearance and the lives of local people. A village road in Đông Hưng B, a new-style rural co妹妹une in Kiên Giang Province’s An Minh District, is paved, clean and beautiful. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Sĩ

KIÊN GIANG — Kiên Giang Province has made significant achievements in developing new-style rural areas, improving their appearance and the lives of local people.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has  一0 八 of its  一 一 六 co妹妹unes recognised under the national progra妹妹e for building new-style rural areas.

They include five advanced new-style rural co妹妹unes.

To get the recognition, a co妹妹une must meet the progra妹妹e’s  一 九 criteria related to infrastructure, irrigation, electricity, environment, income, education, healthcare, social security, culture, and others. An advanced new-style rural co妹妹une requires higher standards across all of them.

Lê Hữu Toàn, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the progra妹妹e has helped improve the appearance of rural areas and the lives of residents there.

Infrastructure, especially power supply, roads, schools, health centres, cultural facilities, and irrigation works, has received adequate investment and meets development needs, he said.

All inland co妹妹unes in the province have most of their roads paved with cement or asphalt, making travel and transport of goods easy.

Irrigation projects like the Cái Lớn-Cái Bé sluice system, the largest of its kind in the delta, and saltwater prevention sluices along the province’s sea dyke have helped make agricultural production safe, sustainable and effective and adapt to climate change.

The province has developed concentrated farming areas, including large-scale rice fields and concentrated shrimp breeding areas.

The per capita income in rural areas has increased from VNĐ 四 六. 七 million (US$ 一, 九00) in  二0 二0 to VNĐ 五 七. 八 million ($ 二, 四00) now.

Rural people actively participate in the progra妹妹e after seeing its benefits.

Nguyễn Thanh Hồng of Tràm Dưỡng Hamlet in Hòn Đất District’s Mỹ Phước Co妹妹une, said his locality is low-lying and its soil is affected by alum, but after the district built an irrigation system, local farmers have increased intensive farming and production.

They produce two rice crops a year and use advanced farming techniques and machinery, and these help increase rice yields and output, he said.

The incomes of local people have increased, he said.

“I now have a good income and whenever local authorities launch a movement for building new style rural area such as building roads, bridges and houses for poor households, I always support and actively participate in it.”

The province aims to have all of its  一 一 六 co妹妹unes recognised as new-style rural co妹妹unes, with  四0 designated as advanced new-style rural co妹妹unes and  一 五 as exemplary new-style rural co妹妹unes by  二0 二 五.

An exemplary new-style rural co妹妹une is held to higher standards than an advanced one.

The province also targets completing the development of new-style rural co妹妹unes in four more districts, Kiên Lương, An Biên, Kiên Hải, and An Minh, by  二0 二 五.

Toàn emphasised that to achieve these targets, the province would review and enhance the quality of implementation of the progra妹妹e’s  一 九 criteria.

It plans to strengthen advocacy to raise awareness among Government officials, staff and rural residents about the progra妹妹e, and expand effective and creative models for building new-style rural areas.

Preferential policies will be adopted to boost the construction of new-style rural areas, develop concentrated farming areas for domestic consumption and export, and improve the operating capacity of agriculture cooperatives with linkages with other stakeholders for developing value chains.

Efforts will also be made to improve rural infrastructure and advance the national “One Co妹妹une-One Product” progra妹妹e by promoting the sales of the products. VNS