Integrated and Comprehensive Policies
Home to ethnic minorities accounting for more than 73% of its population and 87 communes classified as socio-economically disadvantaged, Tuyen Quang has consistently regarded ethnic affairs as a strategic pillar of its socio-economic development. The province has focused on the integrated implementation of national policies and directives, prioritising resources for infrastructure development, social welfare and the effective implementation of the National Target Programme on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas.
Benefiting from ethnic minority support policies, many households in Quan Ba commune have expanded the cultivation of specialty pear varieties
Lung Tam commune, where ethnic minorities account for more than 90% of the population, once faced numerous challenges due to inadequate infrastructure and limited livelihood opportunities. Through ethnic minority support programmes, more than VND 69.3 billion has been mobilised to implement a wide range of development projects in the commune. The funding has provided clean water support for 847 households and housing assistance for 30 families.
At the same time, various livelihood models, including cattle breeding, commercial black pig farming, red peanut cultivation and agricultural machinery support, have been introduced for poor and near-poor households, helping improve incomes and reduce poverty.
Beyond livelihood improvement, these policies have also played an important role in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values. In Tan Trinh commune, the traditional brocade weaving craft of the Pa Then people—one of Vietnam's smallest ethnic groups—is experiencing a vibrant revival. Since 2022, under Project 6 of the National Target Programme, numerous vocational training courses have been organised to restore traditional weaving techniques while improving product quality and design. As a result, the craft has not only been preserved but has also become a sustainable source of income for local women.
Unlocking Internal Strength
Since 2021, investment from ethnic minority development programmes has enabled the province to build nearly 800 transport infrastructure projects, 60 schools and classrooms, 84 irrigation works, 35 rural electricity projects and 125 community cultural centres, along with many other essential facilities.
Infrastructure networks have become increasingly comprehensive, with paved roads now reaching even the most disadvantaged villages and all communes connected to the national power grid. Schools, health stations and domestic water systems have also been developed in a coordinated manner. In addition, the province has supported more than 3,500 households in changing livelihoods and provided decentralised domestic water systems for nearly 37,000 households, contributing to an average annual poverty reduction rate of around 4% in ethnic minority areas.
In the current development context, the focus is no longer solely on providing financial support. Greater emphasis is being placed on enabling communities to maximise the unique potential and comparative advantages of each locality and ethnic group in order to generate long-term development momentum.
This approach forms the core of the Ethnic Affairs Strategy through 2030, with a vision towards 2045, which is currently being implemented across the province. The strategy aims to achieve an average annual economic growth rate of 10.5% in ethnic minority and mountainous areas by 2030, raise rural incomes to 2.5 times the 2020 level and fundamentally eliminate communes and villages classified as specially disadvantaged.
At the same time, the province is focusing on improving the quality of human resources, targeting vocational training for more than 70% of ethnic minority workers of working age. Looking further ahead, the strategy envisions comprehensive development in ethnic minority areas, with local communities serving as both the primary beneficiaries and the driving force behind the development process.
The achievements generated by previous ethnic policies will provide a solid foundation for this new strategy to take root and flourish. By combining state support with community self-reliance and local advantages, Tuyen Quang's ethnic minority areas will be well-positioned to achieve rapid, sustainable and culturally vibrant development.
Nguyen Thanh Hieu
From a Vietnamese news on the Tuyen Quang online
