Many ethnic residents in Bao Lam District of northern Cao Bang Province, have been able to cultivate wet-rice in place of maize, as part of the district's poverty alleviation efforts. The district, one of the poorest of Cao Bang, has a population of about 58,000 and officials estimate that 45% of them are poor. It is located about 180 km from the city of Cao Bang and is surrounded by mountainous terrain and has extremely adverse weather. Previously, many households only ate maize powder instead of rice to survive. Last year, district officials asked residents to replace maize with wet rice. The district began reclaiming virgin soil in the mountain area and instructing residents to grow wet rice, providing them with financial support as regulated from the government. (Vietnam News Jun 7)
