(Vietnam News): The Central Highlands city of Buon Ma Thuot has changed from a battlefield into a fast growing economy in the past three decades since the war. This comment was made by local authorities during the 30^th anniversary celebration of the Buon Ma Thuot victory and Dak Lak's liberation on March 10, 1975.

Strategically located as the gateway to Saigon, the. then town of Buon Ma Thuot marked the first battle of the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign as the liberation army forces moved south to liberate Saigon and reunite the nation in the Spring of 1975.

The liberation army's victory has changed the life of the city forever, according to Nguyen Van Lang, chairman of We Lac Province's People's Committee.
After the war ended, he said, the city faced another struggle no less difficult poverty and stagnation.

A year after the war, the province built 11 new economic zones and generated jobs for 100,000 people from Dak Lak and other provinces.

But the economy did not take off until the mid-1980s when the policy of doi moi (renewal) was introduced. The economic reforms attracted new investment into the province's economy and infrastructure, and created fresh momentum for the local socio-economy.

Enjoying an improved economy and being the focus of State policy attention, Buon Ma Thuot and Dak Lak have successfully addressed poverty and have improved people's living standards exponentially.

Buon Ma Thuot, promoted to city status in 1995, has become a bright spot in the economy of Viet Nam's central region, an area long known for poverty and nomadic farming practices.

Local figures show Buon Ma Thuot and Dak Lak's economy grew by a whopping 10.43% annually last year, while the average growth- rate was maintained at a high of nearly 8% between 2001 and 2003.

This impressive economic performance features an increasing proportion of industry, seen expanding by an unprecedented pace of over 30%, and services at 17%.

Agriculture and forestry, once Buon Ma Thuot and Dak Lak main lifeline, now account for 70.25% of the province's GDP,- a 2% year on year decrease.

But Dak Lak remains the region's most important producer of agricultural commodities such as rice, coffee, cocoa, corn and cotton.

If the province produced just 204 ha of water paddy crops in 1975, today it has 64,OOOha of water crops equivalent to a yearly output of 630,000 tonnes.

Coffee acreage has also increased from 21,828ha to 163,000ha; rubber to 22,000 ha, com to 110,000ha; and cotton to 13,000ha.

According to the local People's Committee, the local agro-economy is being well supported by new processing industries. From an industry base of barely zero, the province has developed nearly 100 processing factories and mills for coffee, rubber, animal feed and timber.

This has helped Dak Lak reach an industrial value of over VND 1 trillion for the first time ever, local authorities said.

Chairman Lang added that Dak Lak holds four No 1 positions in contributing to the national economy: it produces 50% of the country's coffee output, 60% of the national cotton output, 600,000 tonnes of hybrid corn per year and 40% of the country's honey. '

Dak Lak has been earning US $800,000 a day in agricultural commodity exports. Its budget revenues is expected to reach approximately VND900 billion (US $57.32 million) this year.

Buon Ma Thuot City and Dak Lak have become models for successful social development as people's living standards are improved and a number of social projects have begun, thus changing the face of the locality.

Y Bin Siu, vice chairman of the Ea Sup District in Dak Lak, said that before 1995 the local population was chronically endangered by hunger, poverty, illiteracy and a lack of basic needs including health care and water for crops.
"People were so hungry during the war that they had to dig for roots and yam to supplement their daily meals," Siu said. "Houses were often ramshackle, decrepit thatched cottages, and people often feared being assaulted at any time by tigers and boars."

Siu added that life was not calm even in the first years after the war, with Fulro, an anti-revolutionary force, emerging and threatening stability. Ever since Fulro was eradicated, authorities have focused on rebuilding houses, building schools and teaching locals new methods for cultivation.

Chairman Lang said a key component of the province's policies is to help local farmers give up their nomadic traditions and farm on settled land.

The State has invested thousands of billions of dong into creating favourable conditions for local farmers to settle their lives, particularly in the building of 580 reservoirs and dams for the drought prone province, securing up to 60% of crop area and providing 10,000 ha for aquatic cultivation.

State investment also went to important social projects such as rural transportation, schools, health clinics and post offices.

"This has altered the face of the rural community," Lang said, pointing to affluent communes such as Ea Phe which have high quality roads and well-built houses. Ea Phe's population of 24,000 now has a per capita income of VND 5 million a year, a level equivalent to a full fledged township. The commune has a medical clinic with 10 beds, 2 doctors and 3 nurses, a trading centre with 400 trade stalls, and 30% of local households earn VND50 million a year.

Before 1975, Ea Phe residents used to cultivate only on the hill sides and suffered from hunger and poverty for many years.

Now thanks to the Krong Buk hydro-power project, they have had excellent crops of coffee, and further opportunities to develop animal husbandry.
Education was also paid great attention, Lang remarked, adding that the commune has a doctor of philosophy, 15 engineers and university graduates.
Locals are proud of their 11 primary and secondary schools and a high school that have attracted 10,000 pupils and 250 teaching staff.

Dak Lak province endeavours to build 1,000 classrooms each year, and has 700 students pursuing studies at the Tay Nguyen University.

Lang said the province also earmarks parts of the budget for the construction of local cultural houses which serve as a venue for the conservation of local traditions and values./.