In Phiêng Bung hamlet (Tủa Chùa commune), many residential clusters are scattered across the area. Between them lies about 20 hectares of maize and upland rice fields, the main cultivation area for local residents. However, for years, the only link between residential areas and farmland was a single narrow path. This trail, once a small dirt footpath, made travel, production, and especially the transportation of farm produce, difficult and labor-intensive.

At the end of 2024, Phiêng Bung hamlet received investment under the National Target Program on New Rural Development to build a road connecting residential areas to farmland. The nearly 1km-long road meets Rural Road Standard C, with a 4m-wide roadbed, a 3m-wide concrete surface, and 0.5m-wide shoulders on each side. The total project investment was VND 2.66 billion.

After more than five months of construction, the project was completed and put into use at the end of May 2025, giving rural transportation in Phiêng Bung a fresh look. It also facilitates agricultural production, produce transportation, and connection between residential clusters.

Thào A Páo, Head of Phiêng Bung hamlet, shared: “Previously, the dirt road was narrow and slippery in the rainy season, making travel very difficult. Now, the road is concreted and sturdy, allowing smooth travel year-round. It not only serves agricultural production but also shortens distances and strengthens ties between the hamlet’s residential clusters.”

At the end of 2024, another nearly 2km-long inter-field road from National Highway 279 through the Mường Thanh field to Văn Tân hamlet (Thanh An commune) was concreted and put into use. The project not only facilitates two rice crops per year but also supports greater mechanization in agriculture.

Tòng Văn Hồng, of Team 3, Thanh An commune, said: “My family’s 5,000m² of rice fields are concentrated here. In the past, muddy dirt roads made it hard to bring machinery into the fields. Since the road was widened and concreted, travel is much easier. In the last two rice crops, tractors, harvesters, and trucks could reach the fields directly, making production, harvesting, and transport much easier and less labor-intensive.”

Alongside investment in inter-field roads, in recent years localities have also focused on concretizing irrigation canals to ensure efficient water supply and drainage for agricultural production.

The family of Trần Thị Phương, in Sam Phương hamlet (Thanh An commune), cultivates over 3,000m² of rice located at the end of a drainage canal. In the past, during the rainy season or when the canal pumped water, her fields were often flooded, affecting crop growth and yield. However, since the summer-autumn crop of 2025, this problem has been completely resolved thanks to the concretization of the drainage canal.

Phương said: “Previously, the earthen canal was narrow and shallow, and silted up, making drainage very poor. Whenever it rained heavily, water could not escape quickly, causing localized flooding. Since the new canal was built, with a widened bed and higher banks, water drains quickly and no longer stagnates. As a result, our recent crop grew very well, and yields have clearly improved.”

Thanh An commune currently has 1,168 hectares of rice fields, located in the Mường Thanh basin. In recent years, thanks to investment from various programs and projects, the inter-field road and irrigation canal systems have been gradually concretized, providing a major boost to agricultural production.

Trần Văn Hải, Chairman of the Thanh An commune People’s Committee, said: “So far, all secondary irrigation canals in the commune have been concreted, ensuring water supply and drainage for the fields. Most main inter-field roads have also been concreted, with branch roads partially completed. This synchronized infrastructure facilitates production, enhances mechanization, saves labor and costs, and improves economic efficiency while contributing to new rural development.”

To date, the province has more than 1,000 irrigation works in operation, with over 1,741km of water channels, of which more than 1,451km have been concreted. From 2021 to 2025, the province has invested in upgrading, renovating, and building 101 irrigation works, concretizing 163.48km of inter-field canals, ensuring irrigation for 108,353.5 hectares of farmland; aquaculture areas with water supply and drainage systems total 1,900.35 hectares.

In the coming period, the province will continue to seek and effectively use central government support funds and sponsorship programs to invest in synchronized production infrastructure, expand raw material areas, and gradually promote sustainable agricultural development.