Mr. Le Van Dong in his coconut orchard. (Photo: baoapbac.vn)

At the age of 70, Mr. Le Van Dong serves as Chairman of Ban Long commune’s Association of the Elderly and still operates a 1 hectare orchard. He has worked very hard to improve the lives of the Association’s members who now number more than 1,000.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, Chairman of Ban Long commune, said Mr. Dong has contributed a lot to the new rural development movement.

“Mr. Dong has encouraged people to donate their land for roads and electrical lines. He is also a model of agricultural production,” said Mr. Tuan.

Despite his age, Mr. Dong still researches farming techniques, seeking new plant varieties suited to the soil in his locality. His jackfruit and coconut orchard produces a profit of about 13,000 USD per year. In 2019, Mr. Dong was awarded the Third-class Labor Order by the President for his excellent agricultural production.

“I focus on gardening economy, applying technology and experience to boost production. As Chairman of the commune’s Association of the Elderly, I work hard to improve the living conditions of the Association’s members,” he said.