After 12 years of being reclaimed and guided by the Border Guard to cultivate rice fields, the majority of the Chut ethnic households in Ka Ai village have gradually become accustomed to growing rice. However, due to the perception of a simple life and the mentality of waiting and relying on others, as soon as the soldiers "let go", some households will neglect to cultivate staple food crops in the fields. Realizing that, along with the task of protecting the border and controlling the border gate, the Cha Lo International Border Guard Station has maintained a working group in Ka Ai village to ensure security and order, and take care of people's lives. In particular, the "village-based" cadres directly help and urge people to grow rice and other food crops.

Border guards and people go to the fields to prepare for the new crop.

Particularly on the 5-hectare field, each year the army and people will plant two rice crops, Winter-Spring and Summer-Autumn, contributing to the Chut people's food self-sufficiency. According to the annual plan, the Winter-Spring rice crop will be sown before the Lunar New Year. However, before the Lunar New Year in 2025, the area experienced severe cold weather, forcing farming and rice planting to be postponed compared to the plan. Therefore, after Tet, taking advantage of the warm weather, the Cha Lo International Border Guard Station mobilized all its forces and machinery to urge people to go to the fields to urgently prepare the land for the new crop.

Border guards use small tractors to help people farm.

Chut ethnic people prepare rice seeds for sowing.

  On the vast fields, each officer and local people have their own job, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere. Border guards operate tractors at maximum capacity to till the soil from one field to another. People fertilize, build banks, conserve water, sow rice seeds, etc. Ms. Ho Thi Khoa, Ka Ai village said: “On the rice fields assigned by the army, each year, my family harvests 2 rice crops, bringing in 500-600 kg, and no longer worries about hunger. Along with that, the army and local authorities also guide the villagers in raising livestock, poultry, and growing food crops, gradually improving their lives.”

Panoramic view of rice fields and Ka Ai village.

Lieutenant Colonel Ngo Anh Tuan, Political Commissar of Cha Lo International Border Post, said: “Currently, people in Ka Ai village have become more proactive in production, but we still have to maintain our forces to urge and support difficult tasks. In particular, calculating the time to sow crops and driving tractors to till the land is completely dependent on the army. At the same time, we continue to guide people to be completely autonomous in the process of growing rice in the fields.”

During the new crop planting process, along with the Border Guard, the Ka Ai people also received help from forces sent by the local government and police. Mr. Hoang Son Binh, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People's Committee of Dan Hoa commune, said: "In the past few days, we have also mobilized commune officials and organizations to go to Ka Ai to coordinate with the Border Guard to support people in producing the winter-spring crop. Hopefully, this year's weather will be favorable so that the Chut ethnic people in the border area can enjoy a bumper crop and be well-fed."

Article and photos: HIEU AN – HOAI NAM

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