Hanoi Building New Rural Areas: 15 Years of Innovation and Sustainable Development

Building new rural areas (NTM) is a major policy of the Party and State to improve the material and spiritual life of rural people. For Hanoi, building NTM is not only a task of socio-economic development, but also a journey of comprehensive rural innovation, associated with cultural preservation and sustainable development. From peaceful rural areas to dynamic suburban areas, Hanoi has been writing a journey of strong transformation, becoming a model NTM city of the whole country.

The Prime Minister signed Decision No. 1226/QD-TTg dated June 22, 2025, recognizing Hanoi City as completing the task of building new rural areas in 2024

After nearly 15 years of implementing the National Target Program on New Rural Area Construction, Hanoi has been officially recognized by the Prime Minister as completing the task in 2024, one year ahead of schedule. This achievement not only marks a historic turning point for the capital, but also demonstrates the consensus of the entire political system and more than 4 million suburban residents, contributing to shaping the appearance of a civilized, modern rural area, but still imbued with identity.

Starting point with many difficulties

In 2010, when starting to implement the National Target Program on New Rural Area Construction, Hanoi faced many major challenges. Rural areas account for more than 70% of the area and 65% of the population, but infrastructure is still lacking and production is fragmented. The average income is only 13 million VND/person/year, the poverty rate is up to 11.25%. In that context, Hanoi has determined its own direction: "Not hasty, but determined - Not at all costs, but sustainable in the long term." To create momentum for agricultural and rural development worthy of the new space and stature, in the 2011 - 2015 and 2016 - 2020 periods, the Hanoi Party Committee has issued two key work programs for the entire term, both named Program No. 02, with the main content on agricultural development, new rural construction and improving farmers' lives. In the 2021 - 2025 period, the City Party Committee continues to issue Program No. 04 on promoting the effective implementation of the National Target Program on New Rural Development associated with restructuring the agricultural sector and developing the rural economy, improving the material and spiritual life of farmers. These are important guidelines, laying the foundation for synchronous development between inner and outer urban areas.

With the viewpoint of prioritizing the completion of institutions and policy mechanisms, Hanoi has concretized national criteria in accordance with its own characteristics. A series of specialized resolutions have been issued by the City People's Council to promote agriculture, craft villages and infrastructure construction. In particular, the land consolidation policy is considered a "revolution" in land, becoming an important breakthrough to help Hanoi complete the NTM criteria.

A model new rural commune

Technology opens the way for breakthroughs

2020, the year that ended the second phase of the Program, left a remarkable mark when the added value of the agricultural sector reached 4.2%. Farmers' lives have been constantly improved and enhanced, with the average income per capita in rural areas in 2020 reaching 55 million VND/person/year. The appearance of the countryside has changed dramatically, wearing a new coat.

Socio-economic infrastructure has been strengthened; cultural, social and sports activities have been organized with attention; politics, society and national defense and security have been ensured; social security has been taken care of. More than 90% of communes in Hanoi have met new rural standards, 13 communes have been recognized as meeting advanced new rural standards, and 7 district-level units have been recognized by the Prime Minister as meeting new rural standards.

The results of the Program have created a solid foundation, an important premise for the City to continue implementing the National Target Program on New Rural Construction for the 2021-2025 period. Achievements in agricultural production, rural infrastructure, environmental improvement, and improvement of people's material and spiritual life not only affirm the correctness of the previous orientation but also help Hanoi confidently enter a new phase with the goal of building a civilized, modern, and unique rural area.

High-tech agricultural production

Modern, green, rich in identity

On March 17, 2021, the Hanoi Party Committee issued Program No. 04/CTr on "Promoting the effective implementation of the National Target Program on New Rural Development associated with restructuring the agricultural sector and developing the rural economy, improving the material and spiritual life of farmers in the period 2021 - 2025". The program inherits and continues the success of the two periods 2010-2015 and 2016-2020 with three main goals: Building a more practical, more effective and more sustainable new rural area associated with the urbanization process; restructuring the agricultural sector and developing the rural economy; improving the material and spiritual life of farmers.

In this period, the City focuses on the criteria of improvement and model to create sustainable depth. Building new rural areas with higher criteria in the direction of linking with urban criteria, along with preserving culture, ecological environment and local identity, becoming a model of comprehensive rural development. Hanoi's agriculture and rural areas have transformed strongly for an ecological agriculture, modern countryside and civilized farmers.

Deputy Chief of Office in charge of the Office of the Hanoi New Rural Development Program Coordination Ngo Van Ngon said that this is a special period with many achievements. In particular, the locality has completed the task of building new rural areas at the city level in 2024 (1 year ahead of schedule).

Rural areas with a new look

At the same time, Hanoi is the leading locality in the country in building new rural areas with impressive figures with 100% of communes meeting new rural standards; 229 communes meeting advanced new rural standards (reaching 146.8% of the Program's target); 109 communes have met the standards of model new rural areas (reaching 136.2% of the Program's target); 100% of districts and towns have met the standards/completed the task of building new rural areas; 6/17 districts have met the standards of advanced new rural areas (reaching 150% of the Program's target).

The One Commune One Product (OCOP) program, Hanoi leads the country in the number of products with over 3,400 products evaluated and classified. Agricultural and forestry exports have exceeded the threshold of 2 billion USD. The city's handicraft and processed agricultural products have been exported to over 40 countries and territories. The city has no more poor households according to the multidimensional poverty standards of Hanoi City in the period of 2022 - 2025.

The period of 2021-2025 has ended, Hanoi has not stopped at completing the plan ahead of schedule, but has shaped a new standard: modern, prosperous, happy, democratic, civilized countryside; with synchronous economic - social infrastructure according to urban criteria; developing agriculture and rural areas associated with heritage spaces and national cultural identity.

To date, the capital has become the locality with the highest number of communes and districts meeting the standards of new rural areas, advanced new rural areas, and model new rural areas in the country. This result is thanks to the focused and drastic leadership and direction of the Party Committee and authorities from the City to the grassroots level, the participation of the entire political system and the consensus and joint efforts of local people. This is the solid foundation for Hanoi to confidently enter the next stage - where the new countryside is not only the destination, but also the driving force to spread civilized and prosperous values ​​to every citizen and every community.

5 years – impressive numbers

Source: Vietnam Business Forum