By partnering with businesses and cooperatives, the Mường Phăng commune is implementing short-term crop rotation models to effectively exploit the land fund, align with local farming conditions, and improve the quality of life for its residents.

Trịnh Doãn Hoàng, the Head of the Mường Phăng Economic Office, noted that the commune’s 50 villages possess a significant total area of single-crop rice land. Leaving this land fallow during the dry months is considered a massive waste of resources. While some households have historically grown short-term crops like vegetables and tubers, these efforts were typically small-scale and intended for family consumption.

To ensure that crop rotation is economically viable, selecting plants suited to the specific climate and soil of each area while securing stable market outlets is essential. Consequently, beyond promoting the movement, the commune is connecting residents with sponsors and cooperatives to provide technical guidance and establish production-consumption links.

In the villages of Nà Ngám 1 and Nà Ngám 2, which are home to over 180 Thai ethnic households, the farming areas are closely intertwined. Historically, the majority of these fields produced only one seasonal rice crop. Lù Văn Nọi, a resident of Nà Ngám 2, shared that after the rice harvest, the land was usually left empty due to the water shortage.

Although some families attempted to grow vegetables during the dry season, the lack of scale meant the results were only sufficient for household needs. To revitalize this land, since early 2026, Mường Phăng has facilitated a partnership between local farmers and the Linh Quang Cooperative to implement a chili and cucumber cultivation model across nearly 10 hectares of formerly single-crop land.

Unlike the fragmented and small-scale production methods used previously, this model operates through a formal linkage. The cooperative provides advanced materials, offers technical guidance on organic farming, and signs contracts to guarantee product buybacks. This arrangement removes the burden of seed procurement and market uncertainty for the farmers, allowing them to focus on economic development.

Quàng Văn Tài, Party Secretary of Nà Ngám 1, mentioned that although residents were initially hesitant about crop suitability and price stability, they gained confidence once the cooperative committed to technical support and on-site purchases at VND 6,000 per kg for chilies and VND 8,000 per kg for cucumbers.

At present, the crops are developing steadily, with the first harvest expected in approximately two months. If this model proves successful, the villages plan to calculate an expansion of the cultivation area. This systematic approach, grounded in clear orientation and strong partnerships, is opening a new economic path for the people of Mường Phăng.

By integrating short-term crops into a production-consumption chain, the commune is enhancing land-use efficiency and fostering stable agricultural growth for highland communities.