Stepping up Efforts to Build Livable Countryside

The highest goal of the National Target Program on New Rural Development for the 2021-2025 period is to build the countryside into livable places with improved living standards.

Creating sustainable values

New rural construction is one of the important contents in the report submitted by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to the Prime Minister for approval of the Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050. According to the report, the National Target Program on New Rural Development has strong effects and becomes a far-reaching movement engaged by the whole political system from central to grassroots levels and people. It is planned to be completed 1.5 years ahead of schedule.

With the view of "ecological agriculture, modern countryside, smart farmers", Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan asked the Central Coordination Office for Rural Development and specialized bodies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to develop models to help farmers create sustainable values. It is necessary to make the mindset of the digital economy in agriculture a criterion for new rural development in addition to the existing set of 19 criteria. There is a need for instructions that are specific, not generic and dogmatic.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Tien, Chief of the Central Coordination Office for Rural Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), said that central authorities are urgently carrying out the contents of the Resolution. The ministry has cooperated with other relevant agencies to formulate an action plan for implementation of Resolution 25; Program feasibility report; national criteria for rural areas at all levels (province, district and commune) according to different levels (standard, advanced and exemplary), thus ensuring suitability with actually localized conditions. It is urgently completing six thematic action programs, which are expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister for release in the fourth quarter of 2021.

According to data recently released by the ministry, the country has 64.84% of communes meeting new rural standards; 396 communes meeting advanced standards and 43 communes reaching exemplary standards, which fulfilled an average of 16.68 criteria. 196 out of 664 district-level units in 52 provinces and cities were recognized to complete new rural standards. 12 provinces have all communes certified to meet new rural standards and four provinces have been recognized to complete the task of building new rural areas.

Building locally adaptive rural areas

The draft strategy submitted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development started promoting effective new rural construction coupled with agricultural and industrial development. The approach to the new rural development program is closely linked to agricultural restructuring and industrial development in rural areas.

The draft strategy defines new rural construction by three regions. Region 1 features peri-urban communities where non-agricultural economy, services and trade are in a majority and infrastructure is good, heading for urbanization. Region 2 is characterized by large commercial agricultural production areas, heading for association and formation of specialized farming areas. Region 3 features traditional rural communes where local distinctive products, handicrafts and tourism activities linked to indigenous culture are focused on for development. The strategy eyes to preserve and promote local culture, develop local products, improve the quality of local products, approach domestic and international markets, and develop rural tourism. It will support building essential infrastructure, especially for disadvantaged areas and ethnic minority areas.

The ministry expects that VND2,450 trillion will be mobilized for program implementation in 2021-2025, including VND39,632 billion from the central budget (accounting for 1.6%), VND156.7 trillion from the local budget (6.4%), VND224 trillion from the integrated fund of the two other national target programs (9%), and VND2,000 trillion from other sources (more than 83%).

The draft Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision to 2050, states that the country will have at least 90% of communes meeting new rural standards by 2030, of which 50% will fulfill newly-advanced standards. Over 70% of district-level localities will achieve new rural development standards (35% will be recognized to reach new advanced standards).

By Do Ngoc, Vietnam Business Forum