Speech by Mr. Nong Minh Xuan, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Nari district, Bac Kan province

on 28^th March 2000.

Distinguishes guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

First of all, may I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Highland Education Development Organization (HEDO) inviting me to attend the Seminar and HEDO 10^th Foundation Anniversary. On behalf of cadres and people of Nari district in the upland of Bac Kan province. I wish all of you good health, happiness and success.

In this Seminar, I would like to exchange on Hunger Abolition and Poverty Reduction in the district of the difficult upland, and the first results of HEDO’s assistance.

Nari is one of 7 districts and town of Bac Kan province far from the provincial capital 70 km in the North East, with 5 ethnic groups: Tay, Nung, Dao, H’Mong, Kinh living together; weather and climate are not favorable for cultivation. The people’s spirit and material lives still face a lot of difficulties and hardship. Farmers have habit of cultivating single crop per year. They have not enough funds for production. Industry, handicraft, trade and services have not developed. General speaking, economic section is still self-sufficiency.

Due to the above-mentioned condition of economy and society, in order to implement the purpose of wealthy citizens, strong country and just and civilized society, the duty of the Party Committee and people of all ethnic groups of Nari district is to find out that way to develop production, firstly food outputs with short time and high economic value.

Regarding food product, rice and maize have mainly been growing in two spring and summer, autumn crops. But in the past 3 years 1997 -1999, farmers have been cultivating crossbreed rice in the spring crop, and having attained high yield, responding to demands of food for local people in our district.

On livestock breeding, mainly to develop fishes, cow, buffaloes, pigs and poultry. There are not good strains of cattle, therefore, livestock raising is in small scale. Now farmers have been developing crossbreed cows and pigs.

On the soybean, before farmers planted soybeans in small areas with low yield seeds and long time.

In order to support for the mountainous and ethnic minority people for the Hunger abolition and Poverty reduction, since 1997 HEDO have come to Nari district of Bac Kan province for supporting and developing livestock breeding, cultivating new soybean seeds with high yield DT84. In the review meeting of 3 years of implementing projects by HEDO including livestock and cultivating soybean to Nari district, it has shown that HEDO is always for the mountainous and ethnic people, and for the poor people in the difficult and remote areas. HEDO’s assistance of some projects for Nari are still a great significance to be aimed at encouraging farmers to apply new technology and know- how to plant soybean as well as livestock breeding accordance with advance technology to attain high productivity for every family, contributing “Hunger abolition and Poverty reduction”.

Once again allow me to express my sincere thanks to HEDO support and hope that HEDO will continue to support a lot of projects for hunger eradication and poverty reduction, for the development of education, health and science in Nari district.

Wish all of you good health

Thank you for your attention.