Great success achieved from creative models

Stationed in remote, mountainous, and economically disadvantaged border areas, officers, soldiers, and workers of units under Army Corps 16 (Ministry of National Defense) have upheld the noble qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers and boldly implemented numerous effective and innovative models. These efforts have created more jobs, improved incomes for workers and contracted households, and contributed to the unit's outstanding fulfillment of all assigned targets and tasks.

Officers and soldiers of Regiment 720 visit the "Coffee garden rejuvenation" model featuring workers and contracted households. Photo: Vu Thuyen

"Rejuvenating" coffee gardens

Despite being meticulously and carefully cared for, the more than 1-hectare coffee garden of Nguyen Huu Du's family, a worker of Production Team 3, Regiment 720, only yielded 2.5 tons of beans per hectare. The reason was that the coffee trees were planted more than 20 years ago, so they were old, and the yield had decreased significantly. Encouraged by the unit and guided by technical procedures, in 2023, he boldly replanted the entire garden to replace the old coffee trees. Up to now, after only nearly 3 years, the coffee garden is laden with fruit, yielding a superior harvest of 4-5 tons of beans/hectare.

Du's family's coffee garden is just one among many at Regiment 720 that have been "rejuvenated" to achieve higher economic efficiency. Regiment 720, under Army Corps 16 (stationed in Quang Tan commune, Lam Dong province), currently manages and cultivates nearly 500 hectares of coffee. After more than 20 years of exploitation, much of the area has become aged, resulting in declining yields and increasing maintenance costs.

How to improve productivity and quality in the coffee gardens, thereby increasing income for workers and contracted households, has long been a concern for the Party Committee and Command of the Regiment.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel, Commander of Regiment 720, said: Based on practical experience, the unit has replaced and restored coffee gardens with new high-yield varieties such as TRS1, TR9, and TR4. In addition to replanting, healthy old trees are grafted with new, stronger, higher-yielding varieties. After only more than 3 years of "rejuvenating" the coffee gardens, the entire unit has converted nearly 90% of the area, and the yield of the new gardens has reached 4.5-5 tons of beans/hectare, roughly double that of the old coffee gardens. In particular, the trees are healthier, less susceptible to pests and diseases, and the quality of the beans is more uniform. Currently, the income of workers has increased by 25-30% per unit area.

Small capital - great significance

Visiting the "3-in-1" agricultural production model of Nguyen Thi Nguyen's family, a worker of Production Team 5, Regiment 726 (Quang Truc commune, Lam Dong province), one can truly appreciate the effective use of capital. Making the most of existing advantages, Nguyen's family creatively combined rabbit and hamster farming with coffee cultivation in a closed-loop process.

Starting with just a few dozen animals on a trial basis, the family’s farm now raises more than 150 breeding mother rabbits, supplying both breeding stock and commercial rabbits to the market, generating a stable annual income of hundreds of millions of dong. Surplus vegetables and roots from rabbit farming are used to feed dozens of hamsters, boosting income while cutting costs. Notably, waste from the animals is used as fertilizer for the coffee garden, forming a circular and sustainable production system that helps improve both productivity and product quality.

Nguyen shared: "When I first started working as a worker for the unit, my family's circumstances were still greatly challenging. With the will and determination to get rich in the new land, in addition to the attention and support from the unit, I also received sharing and encouragement from the local women's association, especially support for production investment capital, which is why I am where I am today."

The effective "3-in-1" production model of Nguyen Thi Nguyen's family is just one of many outstanding examples successfully implemented by women members of Regiment 726, made possible through small but meaningful capital: the "Piggy bank fund" at the branches. Saved from daily expenses, this fund, after nearly three years of implementation from 2023 to the present, has grown to exceed 500 million VND, serving as a support mechanism for dozens of members to further develop their household economies.

Beyond its material value, the Piggy bank movement also serves as an invisible thread that fosters connection and compassion, embodying the spirit of "mutual affection and assistance." It helps strengthen unity and solidarity among the women, contributing to the building of a shared home filled with warmth and care.

"The Piggy bank fundraising model to help each other, initiated by the grassroots women's union, although newly implemented, carries many practical meanings. In addition to economic value, the model also has great spiritual significance, demonstrating solidarity and attachment for women to strive to complete their tasks well," said Senior Lieutenant Colonel Do Van Trang, Secretary of the Party Committee, Political Commissar of Regiment 726, Corps 16.

"The 'Women helping each other to excel in business' model is a vivid testament to the solidarity, creativity, and upward striving spirit of female cadres and members. This activity not only helps women improve their lives and develop their family economy but also ignites a spirit of self-reliance and self-sufficiency, contributing to building a strong union organization and creating a positive ripple effect in the unit's 'Determined to win' emulation movement."

Senior Lieutenant Colonel VU HUU VIET, Secretary of the Party Committee, Political Commissar of Regiment 717

The appeal of a good model

Women supporting one another in business is no longer a rare or new story. Yet in practice, it continues to hold strong appeal, serving as a "key" for women to rise in life and build legitimate wealth. At Regiment 717 (Thien Hung commune, Dong Nai province), this model not only remains sustainable but also inspires women to engage actively in labor and production, increase their incomes, and contribute to the unit’s outstanding fulfillment of all assigned targets and tasks.

When she first started working as a laborer for the unit, Phan Thi Luyen, Head of the Women's Branch and a worker of Production Team 4, Regiment 717, earned just enough to make ends meet. However, through hard work, diligence, and careful saving, she has now become part of a well-off household. After 22 years of service, her family owns 4 hectares of rubber and cashew trees, generating an annual income of 400–500 million VND after expenses.

With pioneers and leaders in labor and production, many women in Production Team 4 also strive to follow suit. Thanks to revolving capital, support for seedlings, livestock, cultivation techniques, and the exchange of labor days, many women in the unit have built household economies with annual incomes of hundreds of millions of VND.

By Vu Thuyen – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho