The district has actively put in place the province's support policies, and prioritised capital sources for high-tech agriculture and organic farming, thus bringing in high economic efficiency, and helping communes achieve the new-style rural area status early.

Notably, the organic rice growing model has been replicated in many communes. To date, the district has cultivated more than 520 hectares of rice following organic methods, of which 130 have obtained the organic agriculture certificate by the Agricultural Products Quality Certification and Analysis Centre. The Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam has also granted the trademark registration certificate to "Phu Yen Rice,” contributing to perfecting the legal framework and creating a solid foundation to enhance the position of the product in the market.

With support from programmes and projects, the Quang Huy Agricultural Service Cooperative in Quang Huy commune has shifted from traditional methods to organic rice farming. Its director Cam Thi Ngan said cooperative members have received technical support and fertilizers, and training on organic farming methods, how to use biological pesticides, and clean water for irrigation.

Organic rice farming helps the cooperative create high-quality, safe rice products with a yield of nearly 7 tonnes per hectare, and raise product value by 20-25% compared to the price of normal rice, she added.

In 2008, Le Van Toan's family in Van Tan hamlet, Muong Coi commune invested in improving 2 hectares of poor hill land to grow oranges organically. Toan said his family harvests about 30-50 tonnes of oranges each year, earning more than 1.2 billion VND (49,504 USD), noting organic orange farming helps protect the health of growers and the environment, and increase the quality and value of the fruit.

Muong Coi commune’s Nghia Hung, from a poor hamlet, has become the first model new rural area in Phu Yen district.

Nguyen Duc Cuong, secretary of the Party cell and head of Nghia Hung hamlet, said locals have changed their mindset and are no longer dependent on one type of crop or livestock, as they applied the diverse models of husbandry, afforestation, citrus growing, business and transportation, among others, which bring about significant income.

Together with over 2 billion VND sourced from the State coffer, households in Nghia Hung have contributed 730 million VND and more than 1,300 workdays to infrastructure works such as the cultural house, concrete alley roads and intra-field roads, and water and lighting systems. All of the roads in the hamlet have been asphalted and cemented. Meanwhile, 100% of households there have followed hygiene protocols, with 18 daily waste collection points. Local residents clean up hamlet roads monthly. Local security and order have been maintained.

Such models not only create economic values but also help raise locals’ living standards, contributing to the new-style rural area building programme. As a result, 10 out of 26 communes in Phu Yen have been recognised as new rural areas.

Promoting agricultural restructuring towards improving product value and quality associated with environmental protection and the efficient and sustainable use of natural resources, Phu Yen district continues to promote organic farming, contributing to boosting agricultural and rural development, and effectively building new rural areas./.