Located in the southeast of Nam Dinh province, Xuan Truong district has many geographical advantages. About 30km from Nam Dinh city, bordering Thai Binh province and Giao Thuy, Hai Hau, Truc Ninh districts, surrounded by large rivers such as the Red River, Ninh Co River, and a well-connected waterway and road transport system, so there are many favorable conditions for developing a multi-sector economy of agriculture, trade and services.

New rural landscape of Xuan Truong district.

Re-established since 1997, with an area of ​​over 11,600 hectares and a population of nearly 165,000 people (95% living in rural areas), Xuan Truong is not only rich in agriculture but also rich in cultural and historical traditions. This is the hometown of many great politicians, military and cultural figures: Zen master Duong Khong Lo, Doctor Dang Xuan Bang, General Secretary Truong Chinh, Hero of Labor - Professor Vu Khieu... Hanh Thien village, Xuan Hong commune is known as a famous village of scholars in the country, which has entered the folk song "Dong Co Am, Nam Hanh Thien" with 7 great scholars, nearly 97 bachelors and 315 bachelors, becoming a symbol of the spirit of studiousness, patriotic and revolutionary traditions.

In Xuan Truong, there is a unique blend of religions and a harmony between religion and folk beliefs, creating unique values ​​in the spiritual and cultural life. Thereby, promoting resources of great significance to the process of building and developing the homeland; unique religious and belief architectural works become special national architectural and artistic relics such as Keo Hanh Thien Pagoda, Phu Nhai Minor Basilica, Bui Chu Bishopric... creating unique and characteristic cultural spaces.

From a purely agricultural district, Xuan Truong has been transforming strongly in recent years thanks to its perseverance and determination in pursuing the goal of building new rural areas (NTM), advanced NTM, and exemplary NTM. Since being recognized by the Prime Minister as meeting NTM standards in 2017, the district has constantly innovated its thinking, promoted its internal resources, and effectively exploited its potentials. Up to now, 100% of communes and towns have met advanced NTM standards; 7/13 communes have met model NTM standards; Xuan Truong Town has met civilized urban standards, Xuan Phuc Commune has met smart commune standards; 100% of hamlets have achieved cultural titles; 140/167 residential areas and exemplary residential groups. The district has been recognized by the Prime Minister as meeting advanced NTM standards in 2024 and is gradually realizing the goal of becoming a new growth pole in the southeast of Nam Dinh province - a center of sustainable and comprehensive development with modern agriculture, synchronous infrastructure, and a desirable living environment. In recent years, the district's economy has grown by nearly 10% per year, with the structure shifting towards industry and services. Industry and handicrafts have developed strongly, ranking second in the province, just after Nam Dinh city, creating abundant resources for new rural construction.

The rural traffic system has been invested synchronously, 100% of commune, hamlet and alley roads have been hardened and cleaned; over 81% of intra-field roads have been hardened, creating favorable conditions for production and daily life. The irrigation system has been invested systematically, ensuring that 100% of cultivated areas are actively irrigated. The complete network of dykes, pumping stations and canals ensures effective response to natural disasters. The whole district has 245 transformer stations to ensure electricity supply for production and daily life needs; more than 95% of village roads have public lighting systems, contributing to the construction of modern rural areas.

The trade and service infrastructure has developed strongly with 16 traditional markets and more than 2,000 shops, supermarkets and convenience stores. Many big brands such as Dien May Xanh, FPT, Home Center have been present in the locality, promoting consumption and consumption of agricultural products. The information and communication system covers the entire district with 100% of communes meeting criterion number 8. High-speed telecommunications and internet network, more than 300 free wifi points, 542 loudspeaker clusters and smart radio models in many communes help improve information and operation efficiency. Xuan Truong is also a bright spot in the development of people's and environmental infrastructure. 100% of the area is provided with clean water, 98.27% of households use standard water. Waste collection and treatment reaches 99%, with many advanced models such as "environmental parks", sorting household waste at source, and minimizing plastic waste. The district is shifting to linking centralized waste treatment by region according to the general planning, demonstrating a long-term vision. The basic health infrastructure has been comprehensively invested. The medical staff has been trained to improve their qualifications, modern equipment, the rate of people participating in health insurance has reached over 95%. The district health center has a high-tech area, advanced dialysis and CT scan systems; commune health stations have been renovated and upgraded. Primary health care for people is increasingly effective, contributing to ensuring the goal of "living healthy - living green - living modernly" right from the countryside. The quality of life is constantly improving, 100% of households have standard housing, no more temporary or dilapidated houses. The average income of the whole district reached 84.33 million VND/person/year, of which Xuan Phuc commune leads with 91.01 million VND. The rate of multidimensional poverty households has decreased sharply to 0.74%; trained workers reached 87.65%, exceeding the set criteria. National defense and security are ensured, social order and safety are maintained, creating a stable foundation for Xuan Truong to continue to develop sustainably in the new period.

New development thinking: From agricultural production to modern rural economy

One of the breakthroughs of Xuan Truong is to change the development mindset from a purely agricultural economy to building a comprehensive and sustainable rural economy. Resolutely implementing the Project on restructuring the agricultural sector, the district focuses on developing agricultural commodity production areas associated with value chains, promoting links between people, cooperatives and enterprises. Up to now, 100% of communes have effectively operating agricultural cooperatives, providing an average of 4-5 essential agricultural services. More than 30% of the main agricultural output is consumed through linkage contracts - creating stable output, increasing production value. The district has formed 29 linkage models with a scale of 627.6 hectares, typically the model of producing high-quality rice according to VietGAP process; the linkage model of producing cut black carp (OCOP 3 stars) in Xuan Vinh, Xuan Phuc with QR codes for traceability. Community agricultural extension teams in 13 communes are actively working, providing technical support, building safe farming models, contributing to improving productivity and quality. The whole district has 73 large fields/large field directions with a total area of ​​2,900 hectares (accounting for 55% of the cultivated area); more than 100 organizations and individuals have accumulated 850 hectares of agricultural land - forming large-scale production areas, applying 100% mechanization in land preparation and harvesting, using modern pesticide spraying aircraft.

Agricultural production in Xuan Truong district has made a breakthrough in land accumulation and large-scale production.

Xuan Truong is promoting crop conversion on rice fields, with 109 hectares achieving economic efficiency 1.5-2.5 times higher. In 2024, the district will deploy 13 models using funds to protect rice fields, more than 400 hectares applying organic microbial fertilizers and new varieties. The district currently has 20 chain production areas, consuming 5,381 tons of rice, with a total value of more than 80 billion VND. The OCOP program is effective, promoting startups, and elevating local agricultural products. The whole district has 54 OCOP products recognized as 3-star OCOP products in 14 communes and towns, of which 10 products are associated with typical economic models in Xuan Phuc, Xuan Vinh, Tra Lu communes... Many enterprises have effectively invested in high-tech agriculture such as JAPFACOMFEED, Fukyo, Cuong Tan, Xuan Truong... creating a breakthrough in leasing, concentrating land for large-scale commodity production. Typical models such as: F1 rice seed production in Xuan Ninh (linking 13 household groups), 2,000 pig farm in Xuan Thuong (revenue of 40 billion VND/year), aquaculture applying 4.0 technology of Mr. Tran Thanh Nam (3 3-star OCOP products), Xuan Hoa Cooperative (revenue of 31.5 billion VND/year; 3 3-star OCOP products) are vivid evidence of a dynamic and effective rural economy.

Along with agricultural economic innovation, Xuan Truong identifies industry, small-scale industry and craft villages as important development drivers. Traditional craft villages such as Tra Lu sculpture, Xuan Duc mat weaving, Xuan Phuc mechanics... are preserved, associated with environmental protection and sustainable livelihood development. The district has 4 industrial clusters in operation, creating jobs for over 7,700 workers; 5 typical craft villages maintain jobs for 2,650 people, with stable income of 7-12 million VND/person/month. In 2024, the value of industrial and construction production is estimated at 12,338 billion VND, with an average growth of 11.1-13.5%/year. Enterprises such as Song Hong Garment, Axuzu, Tan Thien Phu, Dinh Moc... contribute to shaping the brand and local economic identity. The district is promoting planning and investment in new industrial clusters such as Thuong Thanh, Xuan Kien, Xuan Tien 2, Nam Dien... expected to operate in the 2025-2030 period, opening up prospects for job creation for thousands of workers, accelerating the shift of rural economic structure towards modernity and sustainability.

People's Power is the Foundation - Consensus is the Key to Success

Comrade Trinh Van Hoang, Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Xuan Truong District, said: The success of Xuan Truong today is the result of the consensus and determination from the Party Committee, the government to each person. From 2018-2024, Xuan Truong has mobilized more than 3,085 billion VND to build advanced new rural areas (an increase of nearly 1.6 times compared to the previous period); of which, credit capital accounts for 51.01%; people voluntarily contributed nearly 567 billion VND, accounting for 18.37%, clearly demonstrating the spirit of "people know, people discuss, people do, people benefit". Resources are allocated publicly and transparently, focusing on investing in essential infrastructure such as schools, transportation, irrigation, medical stations, production development, etc. By the end of 2024, Xuan Truong will have no outstanding debts for basic construction, demonstrating the effective management and drastic operation of the government, the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations as the core, launching and spreading extensive emulation movements such as "The whole country joins hands to build the new rural area", "Bright - green - clean - beautiful - safe"... From the tree planting movement, making flower roads to building model roads, mass organizations such as the Women's Union and the Veterans Association have turned each alley into roads with brilliant colors of flowers, cool shade of trees, sparkling lights at night - contributing to shaping the appearance of a modern, livable new rural area. The whole district has over 2,209 green - clean - beautiful roads, nearly 95% of commune and village roads have lighting systems; 100% of localities built roads under the care of the union; 26.3/29.3km of district roads were covered with green, reaching 89.76%. Major traffic axes such as National Highway 21, provincial roads 488, 489, Xuan Thuy - Nam Dien... were synchronously and harmoniously renovated with model rural landscape design - creating "green veins" to enhance living space. The movement to build advanced new rural areas was strongly spread from "house to alley, from alley to hamlet", attracting the voluntary participation of people with more than 83 thousand square meters of donated land, nearly 23 thousand working days. With over 30% of the population being Catholics, Xuan Truong has effectively promoted the strength of great national solidarity. Parishes and parishes such as Phu Nhai, Kien Lao, Lac Thanh… are typical examples in movements to encourage learning, maintain security and order, build environmental landscapes, and spread the cultural beauty of “living a good life, living a good religion”.

In the coming time, when not organizing district-level administrative units according to the general policy of the Party and the State, localities in Xuan Truong will persist in the path of building new rural areas, considering this a process without an end point, linking industrialization, building civilized urban areas, preserving identity and protecting the environment. With the development perspective of "taking people as the center" - people need, people know, people discuss, people do, people supervise, people benefit - the new rural construction program continues to be strongly implemented in each locality, becoming a driving force to improve the quality of life and sustainable development. Xuan Truong plans to set a target by the end of 2025: having 3 more communes meeting the model new rural standards, 10-15 model hamlets; average income exceeding 65 million VND/person/year; the poverty rate reduced to below 0.7%; health insurance reaching over 95%; trained labor over 87%; production value reaching over 272 million VND/ha. By 2030, strive for 100% of communes and hamlets to meet model NTM standards; average income over 160 million VND/person/year; all waste is treated according to regulations; production value/ha of cultivation exceeds 300 million VND.

To realize that vision, localities of Xuan Truong district will continue to focus on 4 key groups of solutions: Completing planning, connecting synchronous infrastructure; promoting investment in essential infrastructure, digital transformation, education and health; developing commodity production, specialized areas, OCOP products; preserving traditional culture, promoting community tourism and protecting the ecological environment.

Article and photos: Thanh Thuy