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| Large-scale fields for the Cham people in Ninh Phuoc district of Ninh Thuan province |
Ninh Thuan is home to more than
161,000 ethnic minority people, or 23.3 percent of the province’s total
population, mainly of the Cham and Raglai ethnic groups. The poverty rate among
the province’s ethnic minority group is still high with about 11,140 poor and
5,300 near poor households, or 32.17 percent and 15.51 percent, respectively.
Local authorities have launched
various production models to grow sugarcane, corn and grapefruit, and raise
cattle. The province has also planted industrial plants and fruit trees in
mountainous localities of Bac Ai and Thuan Bac districts and develop
large-scale fields for Cham people in Ninh Phuoc district.
In 2017, Ninh Thuan focused on infrastructure
development in specially disadvantaged and ethnic minority localities. As many
as 32 constructions were built at a cost of VND 18.4 billion (USD 810,233)
while extremely poor communes received aid of nearly VND 7 billion (USD 308,236) for animal husbandry.
The province also provided
vocational training on farming techniques for ethnic minorities, helping them
improve income from agricultural activities.
To date, all ethnic minority
households in Ninh Thuan have access to electricity and more than 80 percent of
the households are able to use clean water. Notably, all households in remote
and disadvantaged areas have joined the health insurance scheme. The poverty
rate in ethnic minority groups has fallen two percent per year while nine
ethnic minority communes have been recognized as new-style rural areas.
Vice Chairman of the provincial
People’s Committee Le Van Binh said that Ninh Thuan will promote economic
structure shifting and select suitable plants and cattle for mountainous and
ethnic minority areas.
This year, the province will
continue to mobilize resources to develop infrastructure in mountainous and
ethnic minority areas, as well as build irrigation canals, water supply
stations and roads. It also hopes to attract more investors and create links
between businesses and local people.
Source: VNA