Lai Chau Province: Agro-Forestry on the Move

The application of advanced solutions to agricultural production, crop and animal restructure and adaptation of cash-earning crops have helped farmers in Lai Chau Province to raise recent crop yields. The total food crop output reached 121,580 tonnes in 2005, or 330 kg per person, and the maize yield was 28,855 tonnes.

 

The industrial crop cultivation also made quick progress in area, yield and productivity in the 2001-2005 period. The major industrial crops are peanut, soybean, cardamom and tea. Particularly, tea and cardamom were widely adopted by farmers and these trees have helped create jobs for more farmers and raise incomes for them. As of 2005, the province has 1,682 ha of peanut, 4,233 ha of tea (which turn out 15,063 tonnes of fresh green tea) and 1,950 ha of cardamom (bearing 336 tonnes)

 

In recent years, the unfavourable climate and unforeseeable disease situation seriously affected the development of cattle husbandry in the province. Hence, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development cooperated closely with relevant bodies to instruct farmers to address the spreading of epidemics to other localities. The aquaculture area was significantly expanded, to 425 ha in 2005, which rear 744 tonnes. The forest coverage has already covered 37.5 per cent of the province’s total area.

 

From the successes in agricultural and forestry stimulation programmes, the living standards of local farmers have been significantly improved. In the 2001-2005 period, the promotion programmes generated many fields yielding VND30-40 million each hectare, such as Muong Thanh and Binh Lu fields. Many households have very high incomes, such as Mr. Nguyen Van Trach in Lai Chau Town earning VND165 million a year or Mr Tran Van Dang in Than Uyen District with an income of VND200 million a year.

 

The agricultural production was expanded and restructured strongly with more types of commodities. This sector has proven an important role in hunger eradication and poverty reduction in Lai Chau Province.
Nga Hien