Deputy Prime Minister (6th from left) presents gifts to people in Bac Khanh Vinh commune, Khanh Hoa province. (Photo: VGP)

In his speech, Mr. Chinh said the festival inspires local residents’ spirit and aspirations and encourages innovation, responsibility, and action as drivers of development in mountainous areas.

He urged local communities to build on their traditions of diligence, creativity, and dynamism, while making use of the area’s natural advantages - terrain, climate, forests, and fertile land - for sustainable and ecological agriculture, complemented by community and experiential tourism.

Focus should also be placed on forest protection, water conservation, and environmental preservation, he said.

“Local authorities, the Fatherland Front, and other organizations should help local residents access capital, technology, and scientific innovations, including digital tools, to turn this area into a model of ‘digital farmers and digital rural areas’,” Mr. Chinh noted.