Cinnamon makes it easier for people to access the production of goods
If you come to Muong Te (Lai Chau) this season, you will see the green color of the mountains and forests, the rice fields mixed with the green of the newly planted cinnamon forests, and the mature cinnamon forests that are about to be harvested. One of the communities with the largest cinnamon acreage in Muong Te is the Bum To community.
The huge green cinnamon forests in Bum At the beginning of the thinning phase, all the branches and leaves can be sold, bringing a very good income. Picture: Hong Nhung.
Bum To is a western highland township of Muong Te District, bordering Muong Te Town and Bum Nua, Pa Ve Su, Muong Te, Nam Khao and Kan Ho townships with an average altitude of about 400 m above sea level.
Bum To is located over 19 km from the center of Muong Te district and has more than 3,470 residents and 862 households. Here 100% of the residents are of the La Hu and Ha Nhi ethnic groups, with the La Hu making up 99% of the population. For a long time, livestock farming and livestock breeding has been practiced here in the direction of self-sufficiency, the main foods being rice, corn, potatoes and cassava.
Since the majority of the population is La Hu people, stabilizing residence and raising people’s intellectual level is an important task to contribute to the stabilization and improvement of people’s lives. The main crop production of the people here has long been short-term food cultivation and domestic economy, the economy is isolated only on the household scale, there are no products for sale or service. large-scale customers.
First of all, cinnamon trees not only provide people with a good and stable income, but also help to increase the forest cover rate in Bum To. Picture: Hong Nhung.
The livelihood and all sources of income of the people of Bum To depend mainly on maize, cassava and upland rice, with very little on wet rice. The total wet rice acreage in the commune is 75 ha, of which 28 ha is bicrop rice, 100 ha is upland rice and 80-100 ha is maize. Average food production per capita is 325 kg/year. The food production of the community depends on the weather and seasonal conditions, so productivity and production are not stable…
Aware of the difficulties of the natural conditions and the knowledge and agricultural practices of the local people, the Bum To Municipality authorities have researched and selected a number of crops, including cinnamon, for testing. Beginning in 2017, the Bum To community began planting cinnamon trees on a trial basis in the community’s bald hill area. Initially, only 57 households participated in the trial planting of cinnamon trees on an area of 38 hectares in Bum To.
warmth has emerged
Considering the effectiveness of cinnamon trees, the cinnamon growing area in Bum To has been steadily expanding in recent years. To date, there are over 560 households growing cinnamon in the commune, with an area of almost 582 hectares, of which the area where cinnamon is exploited and pruned is 200 hectares (from 5 to 6 years). old). Cinnamon is about 6 – 7 years old and ready for the peel harvest.
Cinnamon opens up a bright future for the La Hu people in Bum To. Picture: Hong Nhung.
In 2021, Bum To will promote cinnamon cultivation in all villages. The new planting area in 2022 is more than 107 ha, reaching 107% of the district plan. In early 2023, the Bum To community will plant cinnamon in all seven villages.
Vang Hu Cho, chairman of the Bum To Commune People’s Committee, reiterated, “Cinnamon is the main direction of the community because it is suitable for the local soil, does not need high humidity, and therefore does not need to be watered, it is not laborious.” be. Regular care, the vegetation for the cinnamon forest only has to be cleared, fertilized and pests monitored 2-3 times a year. The cultivation of cinnamon not only brings income for the people, but also contributes to increasing the forest area of the community.
Referring to the high-income cinnamon-growing households, which are good examples of local production, Bum To community officials introduced us to Mr. Vang Gia Chu and Ms. Po Gia Me (Nam Xa Village). These are the households with the largest cinnamon acreage at more than 10 ha/household.
The cinnamon acreage in Bum To has grown rapidly in recent years thanks to many economic and environmental benefits. Picture: Hong Nhung.
Mr. Vang Gia Chu reiterated his belief that cinnamon cultivation will bring stable and sustainable income. In 2017, he planted 6 Sao, so his cinnamon acreage has reached 15 ha so far, the largest in Bum To commune. Next to Mr. Chu’s village of Nam
Although it has only been planted for about 5–6 years, the by-products from cinnamon leaves to extract essential oils also bring income to cinnamon-growing households. From early 2023 to today, many households have been collecting and pruning branches and leaves. Each hectare yields 11 tons of cinnamon leaves and sprigs, yielding around VND12-14 million/ha.
The fact that some households have a stable income from cinnamon has boosted the La Hu people’s confidence in this new crop. They actively learn how to grow and care for cinnamon and accept new plantings on abandoned hills and mountains. At present, the hilly areas with an altitude of 400–800 m or less, the old fields and the land where corn and cassava are cultivated are being converted into cinnamon.
Cinnamon not only makes the mountains green again, but also gives people the prospect of a very good and stable income. Picture: Hong Nhung.
Training sessions on the cultivation, care, pest control and use of cinnamon trees are regularly held in the community, encouraging people to participate. Farmers and women members are very active in learning and spreading the word about this local poverty alleviation tree. People support and share their knowledge about planting and caring for cinnamon forests and use funding funds effectively.
In Bum To township, there are more than 87% of poor households, so stable income from cinnamon tree is really a hope for people. Currently, Bum To Municipality’s per capita income is only about 18 million VND/person/year. That’s not a high income level, but it has helped the people of La Hu reduce poverty.
Cinnamon forests have covered most of the hilly area in Bum To. Picture: Hong Nhung.
About Bum By this time of year, the cinnamon forest has covered most of the hilly area and has helped increase forest cover rates throughout the community. In 2022, Bum To’s forest cover rate will reach over 55%, reaching more than 100% of the annual plan.
The area for cinnamon cultivation in the commune is 103 ha in 2022, which is 103% of the plan. In May 2023, numerous training courses on cinnamon cultivation will be held in the villages of the municipality. With this dynamic of development, cinnamon trees along with macadamia trees, cycads and galangal have helped to green the forest at Bum To Mountain and gradually bring people here a stable and prosperous life.