New vitality on the rocky land of Phu Vinh

Eleven of sixteen hectares of durian farmland cultivated by Hoang Duc Dung (Hamlet 7, Phu Vinh commune) generate more than 10 billion VND in annual revenue. Photo: Doan Phu

Some people stack and collect rocks into rows and piles to create open ground for plants to take root and spread their branches. Others bury rocks underground because the process of cultivating exposed rocks overwhelms the crops.

Conquer the rocks

To turn more than two hectares of rocky land into a tissue-cultured banana farm, Ly A Sau (Hamlet 5, Phu Vinh commune) and his father have poured in countless hours of effort, immeasurable by any standard.

Ly A Sau recalled: After the land was reclaimed, ethnic groups such as the Chinese, Tay, and Nung began cultivating rice, tobacco, and seasonal crops like corn, beans, squash, and pumpkins, along with traditional banana varieties such as moc, cau, and bom. These were used for food and sold at the market to earn money for essential goods. Over time, farmers gradually shifted to other crops, including cashew, coffee, pepper, and fruit trees.

Ly A Sau confided: Because the roots of tobacco plants and crops grow on the surface, they easily cling to the cliff to grow and absorb the dew from the sky to develop. Particularly for long-term industrial plants such as coffee, pepper, cashew, banana, etc., they need a large space with a lot of humus to nourish the plants and fruits for many years. Therefore, his family has to arrange rocks into walls around the garden, gather them into large mounds, or fill in the holes, helping the plants have a lot of soil to stand firmly and not fall when encountering storms.

This endeavor is how most farmers of the Hoa ethnic group, and others such as the Tay, Nung, and Dao, clear rocks after reclaiming land for cultivation in the rocky terrain of Phu Vinh commune. Yet human strength has its limits. Exposed rocks continue to challenge these hardworking farmers, resurfacing relentlessly after each growing season. To overcome the rocky soil, they persist in clearing it by hand, methodically and tirelessly, despite the lack of machinery and the immense effort required.

Farmer Hoang Van Phin (residing in Suoi Soong 2 hamlet, Phu Vinh commune) said: At the age of 15-16, he was strong enough to lift 50kg stones and place them neatly along the edges of the fields, or roll rocks weighing over 100kg to a position that is beneficial for crops without any help. To have 1.7 hectares of land as it is now, during the reclamation process, many of his tools, such as machetes, crowbars, and hoes, had their handles and blades broken during the process of clearing the fields and moving rocks.

As part of the younger generation, Le Hong Son (Hamlet 6, Phu Vinh commune) developed a new method of clearing rocks after many days of reflection. His approach involves using machinery to dig trenches 1–2 meters deep and wide between the planned tree rows. Then, he uses machines to push all excess rocks into the trenches. The humus-rich topsoil excavated during the process is then used to enrich the planting spots at the tree bases. This method gives the trees more fertile soil for growth without altering the original ground level, while also creating effective underground drainage channels for the rainy season.

"The stone not only helps Phu Vinh commune farmers to be more determined and creative in their farming experience, but also helps them to be closer to the government in their policies to force the stone to bloom, creating delicious trees, sweet fruits, and valuable for the development of the household and local economy".

Ha Van Diem, former chairman of the former Phu Vinh commune People's Committee

Stone blooms forever

Phu Vinh commune was formed through the merger of the former Phu Vinh and Phu Tan communes (previously part of Dinh Quan district) during the nationwide implementation of the two-tier local government model. The commune comprises 15 hamlets, with a population of 6,000 households and 31,000 people. Ethnic minorities, including the Hoa, Tay, Nung, Chau Ma, and Dao, make up 72 percent of the total population. The local economy and residents' income primarily depend on agriculture, aquaculture, small-scale industry, and services.

With a natural area of more than 69 square kilometers, over 80 percent of which is dedicated to agriculture and aquaculture, Phu Vinh commune also boasts natural landscapes such as Ba Giot waterfall, Bat Cave, and a number of lakes and streams. These conditions give local farmers significant advantages in developing integrated models of crop cultivation and livestock farming, alongside tourism and service industries.

Farmer Hoang Duc Dung (residing in Hamlet 7, Phu Vinh Commune) said: "With 16 hectares of land owned by my family and rented from many other farmers, I focus on growing durian to facilitate care, harvesting and consumption. The garden is large and is surrounded by a branch of the Dong Nai River, so I am willing to cooperate with people with potential capital and experience in tourism investment to exploit the maximum potential of the garden and the existing land position to generate more profit."

"In building a government that serves the people and cares for the people, one indispensable objective is to effectively implement grassroots democracy regulations, strengthen mass mobilization efforts, and maintain open dialogue with the public. Promoting communication and engagement, fostering consensus, and encouraging solidarity, trust, and public support are key factors in carrying out major local policies."

 Party Secretary, Chairman of the People's Council of Phu Vinh Commune Dao Van Tuan

With the two-tier local government model, people in Phu Vinh commune have greater hopes, and they are working alongside local authorities to make the rocks "bloom," cultivating quality crops and sweet fruits to improve their own livelihoods. At the same time, they are inviting visitors and investors from afar to explore the scenic landscape, aiming to boost economic development, enrich the people, and strengthen the commune.

By: Doan Phu

Translated by: Quoc Dung - Minho