Currently, the total outstanding loans from the Farmers' Support Fund (QHTND) at all levels in Hai Phong are more than 44 billion VND, with 1,454 households borrowing [...]
Currently, the total loan balance from the Farmers Support Fund (QHTND) at all levels in Hai Phong is more than 44 billion VND, with 1,454 households borrowing to implement 526 projects. Projects that borrow from People's Congress after completing the loan cycle achieve economic and social efficiency, with income equivalent to or higher than the initial estimate.
The shrimp farming model of Ms. Dinh Thi Thu's family in Nam Hai ward, Hai An district received a loan from the Farmers Support Fund.
Practically supporting farmers to link production and get rich
In 2017, through the Ward Farmers' Association, Ms. Dinh Thi Thu, a member of the Farmers' Association of Residential Group 14, Nam Hai Ward (Hai An District) was able to borrow 50 million VND from the Social Policy Bank to invest in 1 hectare of black tiger shrimp pond. Thanks to her hard work in learning from experience, Ms. Thu's family's first shrimp crop was successful, bringing high economic efficiency. From initial success, Ms. Thu continued to invest in expanding the scale of shrimp farming and other aquatic products to 3 hectares. To support each other in production techniques and product output, with the guidance of the Ward Farmers' Association, Ms. Thu and 11 other farmer member households established an economic cooperation group. Joining the cooperative group, members are supported with loans from People's Relations, receive scientific and technical training, and visiteconomic models... Currently, the aquaculture economic cooperative model has a total area of more than 30 hectares, with investment costs for building ponds, equipment, seeds, guard houses... is over 6 billion VND. Minus expenses, the annual income is from 600-800 million VND/household, creating stable jobs for the whole cooperative group with 22 workers, average income from 4 to 4.5 million VND/person/month.
With the help of the Commune Farmers' Association, Mr. Nguyen Tien Dung, Ho Dong village, Hong Phong commune (An Duong district) borrowed 50 million VND from the city's People's Committee. From this loan, Mr. Dung invested in building a processing chicken farm for Luong Hue Poultry Breeding Joint Stock Company with a scale of 11,000 chickens/ batch. Thanks to implementing closed livestock farming and linking production with businesses, the model brings stable income, 5-7 times higher than previous small, unlinked livestock farming.
Not only Ms. Thu and Mr. Dung, but also with thousands of other farming households in the city, Rural Relations has become a practical credit channel for farmers. Not only that, this is also the address to gather and organize farmer members to work together to develop agricultural models and build new rural areas.
Open capital sources, strengthen management skills
Currently, the capital of Hai Phong City People's Committee managed at 3 levels is more than 44 billion VND. Of which, the Central People's Congress's entrusted capital is more than 14.7 billion VND; City People's Planning capital is more than 17.3 billion VND and district-level capital is more than 11.9 billion VND. In 2019 alone, the city's People's Congress increased by more than 5.3 billion VND, reaching 106.8% compared to the target assigned by the Central Committee.
Through the lending activities of the People's Association, the City Farmers' Association at all levels established 169 economic cooperative groups and 3 cooperatives according to the Cooperative Law. This result actively contributes to localities supporting people in economic development, escaping poverty sustainably and creating jobs for rural workers.
However, according to the general assessment of officials and members of the city's farmer associations, the construction and development of the fund currently faces some difficulties. Especially the annual additional capital from the district budget is still limited, not meeting the loan needs for production and business development of members and farmers. The financial management of QHTNH in some districts, communes and wards is still confused; People's relations fees and other fees have not been accounted for in accordance with regulations; The bookkeeping system still has many limitations. The team of staff directly advising the People's Congress in some district-level units is not yet proficient and has a firm grasp of the profession, thereby leading to problems in guiding the grassroots level in choosing models and construction.
To overcome the above difficulties, the Hai Phong Farmers' Association is implementing the project "Improving the effectiveness of Hai Phong City People's Relations activities in supporting economic development for farmers in areas changing agricultural land use purposes in the period 2020-2030". Carry out propaganda work well, help officials and members clearly understand the purpose, meaning and activities of the Fund, and participate in well implementing the Party and State's guidelines and policies on capital support for agriculture and rural areas. Strengthen training for fund management staff at the grassroots level; Direct the Farmers' Association of districts and establishments to focus on capital investment through projects to build economic development models, hunger eradication, poverty reduction and integrate with other activities of the association...
In order for the People's Congress to promote greater effectiveness, the Hai Phong Farmers' Association requests that the city pay attention and periodically direct the People's Committees of the districts to annually allocate additional capital funds under the People's Council of the districts and districts from the budget source. Create conditions for the fund to receive funds from mobilization and donors from domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to support members and farmers to develop and transform the structure of agricultural production, in accordance with the actual requirements of the market, and improve the quality of life.
Article: Ha Minh – Photo: Ha Trung
Procedures
