Đỗ Anh Hiếu, chairman of Hùng Mỹ Commune ( first right) examines a fish cage farming model of local residents. VNA/VNS Vũ Quang

TUYÊN QUANG — Đỗ Anh Hiếu, chairman of Hùng Mỹ Commune is known as a dynamic leader who has brought positive changes to the locality.

Hiếu is admired by local people for his enthusiasm and wholehearted attitude towards the people. Thanks to his dedication, the rate of poor households in the commune has decreased sharply from 40 per cent in 2017 to 15 per cent. The income per capita has reached VNĐ32 million (US$1,380) per person, up VNĐ15 million compared to 2017’s figure.

Hùng Mỹ is the only commune in Chiêm Hóa district where 100 per cent of households have hygienic latrines and are recognised by the district to have achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.

Hùng Mỹ is an extremely disadvantaged commune in the northern province of Tuyên Quang’s Chiêm Hóa District, so Hiếu has put a lot of efforts into helping people become better off since he was appointed as chairman of the commune three years ago.

He determined that forestry development, cattle husbandry and aquaculture are the strengths of the locality.

Taking advantage of his relationships since he was an official of Chiêm Hóa District, Hiếu has managed to bring local people to visit outstanding economic development models in several provinces so they can expand their knowledge and choose one that suits them.

Hiếu has mobilised people to shift from raising buffalos and cows in free-range farming to keeping them in barns. He suggested the establishment of a collective group for breeding buffaloes and cows and called on people to grow elephant grass which brings high nutritious value to cattle.

Hùng Mỹ is the first commune of the district to associate with Tiên Thành High-Tech Agricultural Cooperative in breeding and consuming buffaloes and cows for locals. Nowadays, husbandry is thriving in the commune. Many households have escaped poverty and become better off thanks to cattle breeding.

The family of Lương Hải Tuyên is an example.

His family has raised cattle since the end of  2017. Three months later, they got nearly VNĐ20 million of profit after selling five buffaloes.

Inspired by high income from buffalo farming, Tuyên has expanded the family’s production scale.

Each year his family sells from 15-20 buffaloes, earning a profit of about VNĐ80 million per year.

He attributed the family’s success to Hiếu who dares to think, dares to do and calls on people to work together.

Tuyên, director of Thành Công Agro-Forestry and Service Cooperative, said the co-operative had 30 members who together own about 200 buffalo and cows.

In addition to mobilising people to engage in breeding cattle, Hiếu has also advised them to raise aquatic products.

He organised a symposium on fisheries development, bringing households to tour effective aquaculture models in the province. Then, he guided the establishment of three collective groups to raise fish in cages and ponds.

Hiếu also contacted the Fisheries Centre and salespeople in the province to get assistance in the supply of baby fish and the sale of the products.

Dozens of households have had support from aquaculture development with funding from Government Programme 135 which was launched by  in 1999 to improve living conditions for rural residents with a particular focus on ethnic minority communities.

Hùng Mỹ commune now has 70 cages for fish farming and more than 50ha of surface water for pond fish farming.

Local authorities are working with the Provincial Fisheries Department to complete the procedures for the issuance of geographical indications and fish products to be recognised as meeting VietGap standards.

Ma Thị Điều, a local fish breeder, said in the past she couldn’t earn a stable income due to the impact of diseases.

After getting advice from Hiếu, she started raising fish in cages and used science and technology to improve the quality of the products.

Each year, her family has an income of VNĐ20 to 30 million from breeding tilapia, a solid extra income stream to support her children’s schooling.

To create jobs and increase incomes for residents, Hiếu collaborated with the district's Centre for Vocational Education and Training to invite craftsmen from Hà Nội’s Chương Mỹ District to train bamboo and rattan knitting to locals.

Hùng Mỹ Commune was once a hot spot for deforestation and illegal logging as the allocation of forest protection to the people was ineffective. Therefore, he tightened the allocation along with improving productivity of the planted forest.

Hiếu also worked with Woodsland Tuyên Quang Joint Stock Company to tell people about the efficiency and value of afforestation according to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards.

Locals are advised on afforestation in accordance with the FSC process. Currently, the commune has 150 hectares of forest of 40 households that have been granted FSC certificates.

“An official must always listen to the people’s thoughts and aspiration and must have a specific plan. We can overcome all difficulties when gaining the consensus from people,” he said.

With his devotion, Hiếu was awarded a certificate of merit by the People's Committee of Tuyên Quang Province for his achievements in the patriotic emulation movement in 2016 – 2020.

When asked about Hiếu, Lê Ngọc Sơn, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hùng Mỹ Commune praised him as an enthusiastic, dynamic, creative and responsible official.

“Over the past three years, he always completed all assigned tasks well. He has a lot of contributions to the development and positive changes of Hùng Mỹ Commune today,” Sơn said. — VNS