New direction for ethnic minorities

In the period 2025-2030, Quang Ninh aims to develop agriculture in a green, ecological, circular and value chain-linked direction. In particular, forestry is identified as an important pillar, developing in a sustainable direction, increasing economic value and creating stable livelihoods for people, especially ethnic minorities through planting and exploiting medicinal herbs under the forest canopy.

In Pac Nay village, Quang Duc commune, Ms. Chieu Sau Nam's family has planted 2 hectares of 8-month-old groundnut. This is a precious medicinal herb that has long been associated with local people, and is currently being expanded for commercial cultivation on large areas, mainly under forest canopy or on favorable hills. Groundnut is usually planted in early spring, after 11-12 months the tubers can be harvested, with an average yield of over 15 tons/ha and a selling price of around 50,000 VND/kg.

2ha of land planted with terrestrial plants by Mrs. Chieu Sau Nam's family in Quang Duc commune.

Ms. Chieu Sau Nam (Pac Nay village, Quang Duc commune) said: In the past, almost every family in the village planted a few clumps of marigolds for medicinal purposes, but large-scale commercial planting has only begun in recent years. Realizing that market demand is increasing, traders come to the village to buy. This year, my family boldly planted 2 hectares to evaluate the effectiveness. If the results are positive, in 2026 the area will be expanded to about 10 hectares, the land has been prepared. People in the village also hope that the local government will pay attention and support stable output so that they can confidently invest, both increasing income and linking with sustainable forest planting.

Groundnut is a medicinal plant, with an average yield of over 15 tons/ha.

Over the past 5 years, Quang Ninh has newly planted over 98,200 hectares of concentrated forests. The output of non-timber forest products reached 39,800 tons, an average of about 6,633 tons/year, an increase compared to the period 2015 - 2020. The forestry economy has developed strongly, contributing to raising the average income in rural areas from 45 million VND/person/year (in 2020) to 83 million VND (in 2024). Closely following the orientation of sustainable forestry development, in addition to promoting the planting of large timber forests and production forests, many households have proactively developed non-timber forest products under the forest canopy, diversified forest economic models, improved land use efficiency and increased stable income.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai (Quang Long 4 village, Duong Hoa commune) shared: This year, my family has planted more than 13 hectares of dia lian in Khe Heo area. Investing in this medicinal plant started with the process of learning and studying through the mass media, then boldly planting it to evaluate the effectiveness. The dia lian garden was planted in January, and has now begun to form tubers, so the family is focusing on taking care of it so that it can be harvested in about 3 months. If this year's planting is successful, next year the family plans to expand by another 10 hectares to develop large-scale commodity production.

Growing medicinal herbs under the forest canopy of Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai's family, Duong Hoa commune.

In the new development stage, Quang Ninh focuses on promoting large timber plantation, firmly protecting protective forests, developing processing industry, forest environmental services and gradually participating in the carbon credit market. In addition, economic models under the forest canopy are opening up a multi-value, sustainable direction for mountainous people and ethnic minorities, contributing to improving the efficiency of forest land use.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Hieu, Head of the Economic Department of Duong Hoa Commune, said: The commune has a fairly large area of ​​forestry land, more than 17,500 hectares. Recently, some households have started planting medicinal plants under the forest canopy such as Morinda officinalis and Euryale ferox and have initially brought positive results. To develop sustainable forestry, the locality will link afforestation and forest economic development with the implementation of national target programs on new rural construction and socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period 2021-2030. At the same time, the commune also proposed mechanisms to support people in accessing preferential loans, in order to promote the potential of forest land, improve efficiency of use and create stable and sustainable livelihoods for households.

Hai Ha

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/huong-di-moi-cho-dong-bao-dtts-3378171.html