The road leading to the village has now been concretized, making commuting and trade more convenient. Yet, life for local residents remains burdened with hardships, with up to 27 poor households and 10 near-poor households under the new poverty standards.

Years ago, upland swidden rice served as the primary source of subsistence for the people here. Animal husbandry was practiced mainly through traditional, small-scale methods yielding modest economic returns. Land was available, but production depended heavily on natural conditions, leaving living conditions little changed. In 2025, the story took a different turn when the communal government mobilized residents to restructure crop patterns, introducing crops of high economic value into production. For the people of Thộ Lộ, this represented a new direction as well as a formidable challenge, as villagers had long been accustomed solely to upland rice and livestock rearing.

Village Head Giàng A Cao was among the pioneers responding to the call. Realizing that his family’s more than 1ha of swidden land delivered low efficiency, in late 2025, he boldly transitioned to intercropping coffee with macadamia - aiming both to elevate income and to lead by example so that villagers would gain confidence when opting for new crops. Cao shared: “Previously, villagers mainly grew upland rice; whenever there was a bumper harvest, there was enough food to eat, but securing a stable income was very difficult. When the commune mobilized us to switch to coffee and macadamia, I realized this was an appropriate direction, so my family took the lead. If my venture proves effective, villagers will trust the approach and follow suit.”

Across the newly converted area, rows of coffee trees remain in their fundamental capital construction stage, with well-growing macadamia trees interspersed among them. Cao regularly inspects the orchard, slashes weeds, tends to the trees, and consults with technical cadres on care protocols suited to local soil and climate conditions. According to Village Head Giàng A Cao, perennial trees do not reveal their returns within just a few harvest cycles. Therefore, the immediate imperative is tending them in strict accordance with technical specifications, ensuring healthy vegetative growth, while mobilizing more households in the village to boldly convert low-efficiency production plots.

Listening to commune mobilization campaigns and observing the lush, green coffee and macadamia orchard of Village Head Giàng A Cao, in 2026, the family of Sùng A Tú also boldly converted 2ha of swidden land to coffee intercropped with macadamia. Previously, this area was utilized primarily for growing upland rice and grazing livestock. Tú shared: “We are used to upland rice farming, but the returns are low, fluctuating with good years and bad years. My family wanted to seek another avenue to generate future revenue streams. Coffee and macadamia are perennial crops requiring labor and an investment wait of several years before harvest, yet if tended well, they can yield long-term earnings. My family determined to manage the planted area well first; once it proves effective, we will consider further expansion.”

From a few pioneering households, the coffee and macadamia acreage in the highland village of Thộ Lộ has expanded steadily. To date, the entire village counts over 15ha of coffee and macadamia with nearly 20 participating households.

Kiều Xuân Hoàng, Vice Chairman of the commune People’s Committee, stated: “What is noteworthy is that the people of Thộ Lộ have become more conscious of exploring economic development paths. Several households have boldly converted low-efficiency swidden plots to coffee and macadamia, and the trees have shown promising early vegetative growth. This provides the basis for the commune to continue communicating, mobilizing, and guiding residents in tending existing acreage, while replicating suitable practices.”

Accompanying the people of Thộ Lộ village in economic development, Búng Lao commune directs specialized divisions to coordinate with the village management board to regularly visit the grassroots, monitor crop growth, and guide residents across weeding, fertilization, and pest and disease prevention. Households newly transitioning to coffee and macadamia receive direct, on-site technical coaching from specialized cadres, mitigating production risks.

Nguyễn Văn Hoàn, Director of the Búng Lao commune Integrated Service Center, said: “Because most Thộ Lộ residents previously cultivated mainly upland rice, technical care for coffee and macadamia is completely new to them. Therefore, technical cadres go straight to the fields to deliver hands-on guidance, resolving difficulties on the spot at whatever stage villagers encounter hurdles. The objective is to help people master techniques, properly care for cultivated land, and step by step establish production routines suited to new crops.”

For Thộ Lộ, the journey out of poverty remains long given that most households still fall under poor or near-poor brackets. Yet from former swidden rice slopes, the green canopies of coffee and macadamia are opening up a promising new alternative. The boldness of local residents, coupled with reality-grounded orientations and support from local Party committees and authorities, is fostering added confidence for villagers to adjust their practices and proactively seek income improvements right on their native land. While the rows of trees remain young today, they already embody high hopes for a more prosperous life among the people of highland Thộ Lộ village.