Dai Dong Commune attracts investment, solving the problem of "leaving agriculture but not leaving home"

Early in the morning in Dai Dong commune, the sound of roosters crowing on the roofs of stilt houses still echoes, while from the factory gate, the sound of machinery is already bustling. On the road from the hamlets, a long line of workers going to work is mixed with farmers holding hoes to go to the fields. That picture is both familiar and new of a countryside that is changing strongly...

Many workers after a long time "away from home" in a foreign land have returned to work at factories invested in Dai Dong commune.

"Leaving the countryside but not leaving the homeland"

In previous years, An Nghia, Tan My, Yen Nghiep communes (belonging to Lac Son district, Hoa Binh province), now Dai Dong commune, Phu Tho province, were known as one of the localities with the most workers working far away in the region. Young people and women left their hometowns to follow the flow of people to Bac Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Ninh Binh, even Dong Nai, Binh Duong to make a living. Today, the socio-economic appearance of Dai Dong has changed a lot.

Locally built factories have attracted young workers who have gone to work far away to return home.

Factories built right in the locality have become a "magnet" attracting workers from far away to return home as well as creating jobs for local workers, contributing to effectively solving the problem of "leaving the countryside but not leaving the homeland".

Bui Minh Hieu, Deputy Manager of Forming Workshop 3 of the Shoe Factory of Thien Dieu Company Limited, is from Ho Hamlet, Dai Dong Commune. Previously, Hieu worked as a worker in Bac Ninh for many years. The job was stable and the salary was good, but when he heard that his hometown had a company coming to build a factory, Hieu decided to quit his job and return home.

Hieu shared: The salary in the countryside is not as high as when working far away. But in return, I live close to home, do not have to spend money on rent, food or transportation. From home to the factory is less than 1km. With such conditions, I want to stay in my hometown for a long time.

Like Hieu, Ms. Bui Thi Hong in Luc hamlet also left her hometown to work as a factory worker in Bac Ninh. Since 2023, she has been working as a factory worker in the locality. “My monthly income is nearly 9 million VND. Compared to working in Bac Ninh, it is a little less, but I get to live near my husband and children, and I don’t have to pay for rent or food. In fact, my life is much more stable and comfortable,” Ms. Hong confided.

Late in the afternoon, when the whistle blew from the factory gate, hundreds of workers left on familiar roads. Everyone’s face was filled with joy. Mothers rushed home early to pick up their children from school, fathers leisurely walked their bikes, chatting with neighbors as they walked. No more being far from home, leaving their children with their grandparents and rushing off to a foreign land.

Not only does it provide jobs for young workers, many people over 40 years old are still accepted into suitable jobs at factories with stable incomes.

According to Mr. Bui Van Lam - Chairman of Dai Dong Commune People's Committee, before the merger, this area used to be a "hot spot" for workers leaving the village to work far away. On average, each commune had over 1,000 workers working in industrial parks in the North and South. But now it is different.

After implementing the investment attraction policy, many companies have chosen Dai Dong as their base. Thanks to that, the number of local workers who have to work far away has decreased sharply, now there are only more than 100 people working in localities and industrial parks outside the province. The rest have returned to their hometowns to work for enterprises in the commune.

"Attracting" investment to solve the problem of rural labor and employment

Talking to us, Mr. Bui Dai Nghia - Head of Dai Dong Commune Economic Department said: Currently, there are 7 enterprises in the area that have started production, 2 other enterprises are completing legal procedures. Factories producing leather shoes, electronic components, children's toys, wood pellets for export to BVN... have created jobs for over 3,500 local workers with an average income of 7 - 9 million VND/person/month, not to mention the additional income from overtime work.

Ms. Bui Thi Tiu (right), despite her old age, was still accepted by Thien Dieu Company Limited to work as a worker at the factory in Dai Dong.

Among the investors, Thien Dieu Company Limited is a bright spot. Mr. Ran Fang Jiao - Deputy General Director of the Company shared: The factory in Dai Dong currently has over 1,000 employees, of which more than 90% are locals. From 2023, when it started operating, we found that the workers here are diligent and have good industrial style. The company always ensures to pay salaries on time, without debt, without delay. Thanks to that, it retains workers and also attracts those who work far away to return home.

Not only young workers, Thien Dieu Company also creates opportunities for middle-aged workers. Women over 40, even nearly 50 years old like Mrs. Bui Thi Tiu in Mu Ma hamlet, Mrs. Bui Thi Nhien in Bum hamlet also find stable jobs, suitable for their health.

“In the past, I had to work far away as a factory worker. Now that I am old, I can no longer travel far. But I was still hired as a factory worker near my house. I go to work in the morning and come back in the evening, my family is reunited, I am very happy,” Ms. Nhien said emotionally.

With a sustainable approach, right after implementing the project to build the factory, BVN Export Wood Pellet Processing Company in Bai hamlet sent 50 local workers for training. Up to now, these workers have become masters of modern technological lines.

Mr. Ran Fang Jiao - Deputy General Director of Thien Dieu Company Limited often guides workers to fix errors on products.

After the merger, Dai Dong has a population of over 24,000 people. Of which, about 45% are working-age workers. With a purely agricultural economic base, attracting industrial investment is considered the direction for this land to develop sustainably.

According to Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune Bui Van Lam, the locality is implementing many key projects. The Khoang Rao Industrial Cluster with a scale of 80 hectares is expected to attract about 10 investors, creating jobs for thousands of workers. In addition, the high-tech livestock project of Xuan Thien Group promises to create jobs for more than 1,000 workers. The BKG Export Plywood Factory project is being implemented, expected to recruit about 500 workers.

Most of the workers in Dai Dong come from rural areas, but after a period of training, they have grasped the techniques and have an industrial style on modern technological lines.

These figures show that Dai Dong not only solves local employment problems but also has the potential to become an attractive destination for workers from neighboring areas. When factories come to the area, workers no longer have to leave their hometowns, preserving family ties.

With the orientation of “leaving agriculture but not leaving the homeland”, Dai Dong has been proving its investment attraction. Opening up a new development path that both keeps people in their homeland and creates a stable life right on the land they are attached to.

Manh Hung

Source: https://baophutho.vn/xa-dai-dong-thu-hut-dau-tu-giai-bai-toan-ly-nong-nhung-khong-ly-huong-239311.htm