Pursuant to Decision No. 2041/QD-BQP dated August 31, 2001 "Approving the investment project to develop the Economic-Defense Zone in the border area of Ea Sup district, Dak Lak province" and Decision No. 1606/QD-BQP dated August 7, 2003 "Approving the adjustment to expand the investment project of the Economic-Defense Zone in the border area of Ea Sup district, Dak Lak province" of the Minister of National Defense , Ea Sup Economic-Defense Zone has invested hundreds of billions of VND for infrastructure construction.

Assessing the effectiveness of the Economic-Defense Zone, comrade Nguyen Thien Van, Vice Chairman of the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee, said: "The stability and development of the border areas of Ia Rve and Ia Lop communes is thanks to the practical and effective contributions of the Army units. The regiments of the 16th Army Corps, later the 737th Economic-Defense Group, have mobilized huge investment resources to ensure comprehensive development. Not only has political security, order and social safety been maintained, and the economy developed, but the defense potential has also been strengthened, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the national border have been protected."

Officers of Economic - Defense Group 737 guide Ms. Pham Thi Chi's household in Thanh Phu village, Ia Lop commune, Dak Lak province to take care of the longan garden.

In fact, in the past 10 years, when the Ea Sup Economic-Defense Zone Project was transferred in its original state from the 16th Army Corps to Military Region 5, directly managed by the 737th Economic-Defense Group (established under Decision No. 160/QD-BQP dated January 20, 2015 of the Minister of National Defense on the basis of merging the 737th Regiment and the 736th Regiment under the 16th Army Corps), the rural appearance of Ia Rve and Ia Lop communes has improved. Colonel Truong Van Binh, Political Commissar of the 737th Economic-Defense Group, said: After 10 years of receiving and implementing the Ea Sup Economic-Defense Zone Project, the unit has mobilized more than 200 billion VND for infrastructure investment and implementation of national target programs. In 2024 alone, the Ea Sup Economic-Defense Zone Project invested 45 billion VND to build 6 infrastructure works for socio-economic development. The Ea Sup Economic-Defense Zone project area has welcomed and organized settlement for more than 4,000 households with nearly 13,500 people, far exceeding the project's target approved by the Ministry of National Defense.

Talking to us about the effectiveness of the project area, Lieutenant Colonel Luong Van Dao, Deputy Commissar of Economic-Defense Group 737 said: "The greatest success in the past 10 years is building a "people's heart battlefield". Economic-Defense Group 737 has propagated and mobilized 71/2,487 households who have not liquidated their gardens, reaching a consensus to liquidate 378.79 hectares of gardens; satisfactorily resolving 19 households with petitions and complaints beyond their level. At the same time, Economic-Defense Group 737 organized the reclamation of 2,029 hectares of land, with a budget of 29 billion VND to compensate more than 4,000 households in the project area with enough 1,000m2 of residential land and 2 hectares of production land for each household. With this area of residential land and production land, people are assured to stay firmly in the project area; many households have risen to become rich and are assured to be attached to the border area of the Fatherland. Implementing the Target Program In the national socio-economic development program for ethnic minority and mountainous areas in the period of 2021-2030, Economic-Defense Group 737 has handed over livelihood models, including: Raising buffaloes and cows for breeding; raising wild ducks; raising crossbred pigs and growing fruit trees to 309 poor households, with a total cost of more than 8 billion VND. Not stopping at handing over the models, the unit also sent cadres to stay close to the area to provide technical support, helping households apply the correct procedures, gradually stabilize production, increase income, thanks to which 50 households have escaped poverty...".

Arriving at the Agricultural and Forestry Production Team 3, we were informed by Lieutenant Colonel Mai Kha Manh, Deputy Team Leader, that despite many difficulties, in recent years, the unit has supported households in 4 villages of Ia Lop commune to implement poverty reduction projects. Currently, Dong, Giong Trom Cho Lach, Du and Thanh Phu villages have 4 households benefiting from the program. As a result, Ms. Pham Thi Chi's household in Thanh Phu village has escaped poverty thanks to the longan growing model implemented by the support unit since 2020. The joy was clearly visible on Ms. Pham Thi Chi's face, confided: "In 2020, my family received 15 million VND in support from the model "Soldiers attached to the villagers". My husband and I were also enthusiastically guided by officers and soldiers of the Agricultural and Forestry Production Team 3 on techniques for planting and caring for 2 hectares of longan. By the third year, each hectare yielded 60 million VND; from the fourth year, it yielded nearly 100 million VND/ha. In 2025, my family will not only escape poverty but also build a spacious house with a budget of more than 400 million VND...".

With the joint efforts of the 737th Economic-Defense Group, the poverty rate in the communes in the project area has decreased rapidly, from nearly 100% of poor households in 2001 to 51% now. According to Colonel Nguyen The Thai, Head of the 737th Economic-Defense Group, one of the factors that has reduced the poverty rate in the Ea Sup Economic-Defense Zone is that in recent years, the 737th Economic-Defense Group has coordinated with businesses to successfully implement 4 models with positive socio-economic results, which have been agreed upon by Military Region 5 and the Ministry of National Defense for long-term cooperation. These are the Cocoa Planting Project of CIC Cocoa Joint Stock Company; the Thai Jackfruit Planting Project of Phuong Nam Xanh Trading and Service Company Limited; the Banana Planting Project of Toan Thang Company and the Longan Planting Project of Thuong Phu Company. These projects not only contribute to promoting local production development but also create more than 800,000 working days, with a total value of nearly 270 billion VND, thereby contributing to increasing income, stabilizing life, and effectively implementing the goal of sustainable poverty reduction for people in Ea Sup Economic-Defense Zone.

Article and photos: KIEU BINH DINH

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/quoc-phong-toan-dan/quan-dan-no-luc-phat-trien-vung-bien-dak-lak-839642