Hundreds of ethnic minorities in the northern mountainous province ofLai Chau have risen out of poverty through access to farming innovationsand incentives unveiled in newspapers and magazines distributed free ofcharge.

The provision of daily and monthlypublications to the ethnic, mountainous and especially disadvantagedareas is pursuant to a Prime Ministerial order.

Giang A Sinh - a Mong native from Then Pa village, Ta Leng commune -shared his success story of receiving a government preferential loanwhich he decided to invest in raising fish, pigs and goats and currentlyearns over 100 million VND (4,580 USD) per year.

He learnt about the preferential loan policy and farming model all from newspapers.

Even officials and Party members have offered useful production expertise to share with residents.

Chairman of the People’s Committee of Pa Vay Su commune, Phong Thoborder district Hang A Tua said Vietnam News Agency’s daily Tin Tuc(News) and bilingual editions of the Pictorial Dan toc va Mien nui(Ethnic and Mountainous Regions) have been popular with readers,introducing them to effective farming models and accurate countrycontexts.

Ma Cang Dinh, Chairman of the People’sCommittee of Nung Nang commune, Tam Duong district, said moreillustrative images should be printed in these editions, making iteasier for locals to engage with the publications given the persistentlyhigh rates of illiteracy in impoverished and border areas.

Last year, over 1.5 million issues of 24 different papers reachednearly every local commune, according to the provincial Committee forEthnic Affairs.-VNA