(HBO) – The Hoa Binh Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the An Phuoc Agricultural JSC began a trial planting of ramie (scientific name: Boehmeria Nivea) in some localities in the province in January 2021. After nearly two years, the plant has grown well on the local soil, bringing about incomes for growers.
Farmers in Chieng Chau commune, Mai Chau district, take care of ramie plants.
The main product of ramie, a quite familiar plant in Vietnam, is fiber, which can be used to weave raw fabrics or make ropes and fishing nets. However, it was not until 2021 that the plant was planted in large areas across districts in Hoa Binh.
As of October this year, the total area of ramie in the province neared 260 ha, mainly in upland districts and Hoa Binh city, with 435 households participating in the planting. Da Bac district has the largest plantation of 107 ha, followed by Mai Chau district with 72 ha.
As one of the first to join the trial planting in Bua hamlet, Trung Thanh commune, Da Bac, Luong Van Toan said the plant is relatively easy to cultivate, grows well and quickly for harvest if properly fertilised.
According to the leader of the provincial sub-department of cultivation and plant protection, the average yield of each crop is between 750 and 900 kg of dried bark per ha, creating an income of some 120 - 145 million VND (5,049 – 6,101 USD) per ha on an annual basis. However, this is not the maximum productivity of the plant; higher yields are expected in better cultivation conditions.
An Phuoc plans to expand the current ramie plantation to 300 hectares in 2023.
Many households growing the plant said that the initial investment cost is quite high, at about 40 million VND per ha. For sustainable and long-term growth, it is necessary to have a bark processing facility in the area and a commitment from enterprises involved to ensure long-term planting areas, they said.
Echoing the view, Nguyen Duc Bien, Vice Chairman of the provincial Farmers' Association, said that before scaling up and mass planting, it is necessary to conduct research and carefully evaluate the economic efficiency of the plant./.
Over recent years, the Farmers' Union of Mai Chau district has implemented numerous specific programmes and activities to support its members in developing products under the One Commune One (OCOP) programme. These efforts have contributed to enhancing local agricultural branding, increasing goods value, and improving incomes and living standards for residents.
Since 2022, the Hoa Binh Department of Education and Training has provided advice for the provincial People's Committee to issue Plan No. 219/KH-UBND on November 17, 2022, which outlines the implementation of a project titled "Enhancing the application of Information Technology (IT) and Digital Transformation in Education and Training for the 2022–2025 period, with a vision to 2030.” As of now, the local education sector has made significant progress in IT adoption and digital transformation.
Hoa Binh allocated over 30 trillion VND (nearly 1.18 billion USD) to develop infrastructure systems in ethnic minority and mountainous areas during 2019 - 2024. Priority was given to transport and irrigation infrastructure; markets; schools; medical stations; communal houses; and power grid, telecommunication, radio, and television systems.
The Hoa Binh provincial organising committee for anniversary activities on December 17 held a ceremony to unveil a ceramic mural on the local military-civilian ties and release a book on the Party and political work of the provincial armed forces during 1947 – 2024, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and 35th anniversary of the All-People Defence Festival.
In recent years, Hoa Binh has allocated significant resources to foster cooperative economy, helping ethnic minorities capitalise on their potential and advantages to escape poverty.
As a mountainous district still facing numerous challenges, Da Bac has made notable progress in advancing administrative reforms across various areas. The district has prioritised reorganising and streamlining its administrative apparatus, operating "one-stop-shop” units, and applying information technology (IT) in the handling of administrative procedures. Efforts have also been directed toward upgrading infrastructure and equipment to enhance service quality for residents and businesses.
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