Currently, Tam Đường District is focusing on improving the criteria in eight communes that have already achieved New Rural Development (NRD) status. The district has proposed recognizing Sơn Bình Commune as meeting the NRD standards and aims to maintain three communes—Nà Tăm, Tả Lèng, and Giang Ma—that have basically completed all 19 criteria, striving for the district to achieve NRD status by 2025. To accomplish this goal, the district emphasizes breakthroughs in leadership and governance, effectively utilizing local potentials and advantages, and fostering socio-economic development.

Located more than 7 km from the district center, Bản Bo Commune benefits from National Highway 32, which facilitates rural transportation. After achieving NRD status in 2015, the commune has continuously worked to maintain and enhance the quality of its criteria, aiming to reach advanced NRD status by 2025.

To achieve these results, the Party Committee, government, and people of Bản Bo have persistently strived to leverage resources from the province and district to invest in sustainable infrastructure and socio-economic development. The commune focuses on comprehensive planning, detailed planning for new residential areas, and modernizing infrastructure.

Additionally, they have upgraded and paved 12.12 km of main intra-field roads, built a primary boarding school with level-2 facilities, and established a cultural and sports center. The commune also integrates resources to support diverse livelihoods, production development projects, and poverty reduction models. Efforts include encouraging residents to collect hazardous waste into designated containers and constructing additional storage facilities with proper disposal plans. In 2024, Bản Bo aims to achieve six more advanced NRD criteria.

In an interview, Đèo Văn Tình, Chairman of the Bản Bo Commune People’s Committee, shared: “To achieve advanced NRD status, the commune strives for breakthroughs in all aspects, particularly by encouraging residents to develop agriculture through production links and high-efficiency livestock farming. Currently, the commune has over 200 companies, enterprises, cooperatives, and individuals engaged in large-scale production and livestock farming, contributing to job creation for over 2,000 rural workers in tea, arrowroot, and commercial rice production. Additionally, we motivate residents to invest in improving housing, yards, gardens, and gates to create a clean and beautiful environment, jointly building an advanced and model NRD commune.”

**Focusing on Crop Structure Transformation for Sustainable Income**

Through practical implementation, the Party Committee, government, and people of Sơn Bình Commune have clearly identified their primary roles, key tasks, plans, and timelines for NRD. Thanks to efforts to innovate leadership, governance, and public engagement by the entire local political system, residents have voluntarily changed their production mindset, self-reliantly advancing without relying on state support. Currently, the average income per capita exceeds 42 million VND per year, and the rural poverty rate decreases by 5-7% annually. Many other criteria have also been met with the support of the community. The district has proposed recognizing Sơn Bình Commune as meeting NRD standards in 2024.

Hạng A Linh, a resident of Nậm Dê Village in Sơn Bình Commune, shared: “Thanks to the guidance and communication from commune and village officials, my family and fellow villagers understand the purpose, significance, and role of NRD. Consequently, my family has applied scientific and technical advancements in agricultural production, developing a sustainable family economy instead of previous small-scale production. I actively contribute money and labor to build village roads, repair irrigation canals, and renovate the cultural house.”

Leveraging agricultural advantages, Tam Đường District directs specialized agencies and communes to review and identify concentrated agricultural production areas. Residents are encouraged to convert inefficient cultivated land to high-value crops. The district effectively implements the “One Commune One Product” (OCOP) program.

To date, the district has six OCOP products rated 4 stars and 26 products rated 3 stars. Residents have shifted their mindset, approaching production, business, and enjoying rural services while preserving and promoting unique cultural values, aiming for intelligent NRD development. Many households, cooperatives, and OCOP entities effectively use information technology to promote OCOP products and specialty agricultural products on websites and e-commerce platforms, facilitating product market access.

Sùng Lử Páo, Chairman of the Tam Đường District People’s Committee, noted: “To create new breakthroughs in NRD, the district integrates state investment sources to build, repair, and maintain rural agricultural infrastructure. We collaborate with enterprises to invest in processing facilities and encourage the renewal of processing equipment and technology towards high-tech use, applying technical processes in clean and organic agriculture, with deeply processed products featuring packaging and branding. Additionally, we promote trade and link tourism with the introduction and promotion of agricultural products, gradually boosting product consumption and increasing residents’ income.”

Progress and Achievements

Implementing multiple key and breakthrough solutions in NRD has significantly contributed to Tam Đường District’s socio-economic development. In 2023, the district achieved notable results: the average per capita income reached 42 million VND, meeting 100% of the plan; total food production was 41,550 tons, meeting 100% of the plan; the poverty rate decreased by 6.57%, exceeding the plan by 117%; 2,023 people gained employment, achieving 175.9% of the plan; and 1,156 workers received training, meeting 103.7% of the plan. Out of the nine criteria for district NRD, Tam Đường has met three: irrigation and natural disaster prevention, electricity, and the political system, public security, and administration. In 2024, the district aims to achieve three more criteria: planning, economy, and quality of living environment.