The Ho Chi Minh City authorities are planning to develop six extremely poor suburban communes into modern and sustainable rural areas.
The communes that will be developed under a national criteria development plan include Tan Thong Hoi and Thai My in Cu Chi District, Xuan Thoi Thuong in Hoc Mon District, Nhon Duc in Nha Be District, Tan Nhut in Binh Chanh District and Ly Nhon in Can Gio District.
The national norms for developing this new rural area will include an improved transport and road system, better education facilities, regular supply of water and electricity, functional markets and housing for the poor, good health facilities and a quality infrastructure for cultural events. There is expected to be better law and order, a stable political system and a vast improvement in the social lives of people. This new environment will see an increase in the personal income of every household, more jobs and a higher yield from agriculture and other farm produce.
According to Nguyen Tan Tuyen, chairman of the Tan Nhut People’s Committee, residents have contributed tens of billions of dong and thousands of square meters of land to support the local authorities to build many roads. In Tan Nhut Commune most of the roads have already been improved and covered with asphalt or concrete.
Life in this rural residential area is beginning to show signs of prosperity.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Nam is one farmer who has switched from rice cultivation to fish and pig breeding very successfully and is earning hundreds of millions of dong every year.
Gardener Nguyen Van Xuan of Tan Thong Hoi Commune earns VND14 million a month from orchid farming while Nam Chau breeds dairy cows and earns around VND 100 million per year. The average personal income in this region is VND24.2 million per year which is an increase of 35.9 % per year.
The Tan Thong Hoi commune government has helped farmers grow high-yield rice and marketable vegetables under the guidance and cooperation of enterprises knowledgeable about consumer demands. This will further stabilize sales and production according to VietGap standards (Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices standard for production of fresh fruit and vegetable).
In Tan Thong Hoi Commune many development projects are underway for roads, schools, houses and health centers. The fast pace of work at which these projects are being completed is impressive. Some projects have already been put into operation.
