Directive No. 24/2005/CT-TTg On further promoting the implementation of the Central Resolution No. 5 (Term IX) on accelerating industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas

DIRECTIVE

Regarding the continued acceleration of the implementation of Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW dated March 18, 2002 of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (Term IX) on accelerating industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas for the period 2001-2010

 After three years of implementing Resolution No. 15/NQ-TW dated March 18, 2002 of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (Term IX) on accelerating industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas for the period 2001-2010, all levels of party committees, governments, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and mass organizations have paid attention to leading and directing the implementation of the Resolution and achieved many important results: national food security has been ensured; the value of agricultural, forestry, and fishery production has grown continuously at a high rate (5.4% per year, exceeding the target set by the Ninth National Congress Resolution); the structure of agriculture has positively shifted towards commercial production, gradually linking production with processing and markets; science and technology have been strengthened and have proven effective; the economic structure of rural areas has shifted towards increasing the proportion of industry and services, linked with changes in labor structure and increased labor time in rural areas; production relations have continued to reform positively; socio-economic infrastructure in rural areas has improved; poverty reduction has achieved significant results (the poverty rate has decreased rapidly, averaging 3% per year); health care, education, and culture in rural areas have received more attention, the living standards of farmers in many regions have improved, and the appearance of rural areas has changed significantly.

However, the dissemination and thorough understanding of the Resolution have not yet been as extensive and comprehensive as required; the structure of agriculture and rural economy in many places has not clearly shifted and lacks sustainability; productivity and quality of many types of agricultural products and competitiveness are low; the value obtained from each hectare of agricultural land is low; state-owned farms and collective economies have not been reformed and improved in efficiency; planning and management of production, infrastructure, and urban residential areas are weak; unemployment and low income in many rural areas remain pressing issues, and the environment in many places has been polluted; at the same time, new issues have emerged, particularly the situation of some farmers who have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet after having their production land confiscated.

To continue accelerating the implementation of Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW dated March 18, 2002 of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (Term IX) on accelerating industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas for the period 2005-2010, the Prime Minister requests:

1. Relevant Ministries, sectors, People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities:

Continue and regularly disseminate widely within their respective sectors and localities to create real changes in awareness about the special importance, objective necessity, and content of accelerating industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas, and develop specific programs and plans, regularly pay attention to directing and allocate appropriate human resources and resources to implement them. In the short term, organize a mid-term review of the implementation of Resolution No. 15-NQ/TW dated March 18, 2002 of the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (Term IX) on accelerating industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas for the period 2005-2010 within ministries, sectors, and localities, considering this mid-term review as part of the evaluation of the term of office of party committees at all levels.

Ministries and sectors, according to their functions, tasks, and authorities, promptly complete the assigned tasks as stipulated in Decision No. 68/2002/QD-TTg dated June 4, 2002; simultaneously develop plans to monitor, urge, and inspect the implementation.

2. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Fisheries, and localities continue to review, supplement, and adjust production planning at the sectoral and local levels in the direction of leveraging the natural advantages of each region, the economic advantages of crops and livestock, increasing the proportion of animal husbandry (aquaculture), and services; forming commodity production zones linked with markets and processing industries, ensuring effectiveness and sustainability. Study the production or importation and transfer of good varieties in crop cultivation, animal husbandry, and aquaculture, focusing on crops and livestock with advantages and markets; continue to effectively implement the crop and livestock breeding programs. Strengthen agricultural extension work, forestry extension work, fisheries extension work, veterinary work (including aquaculture), plant protection, quality control, and food safety management.

Provincial and municipal people's committees directly under the central government coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to review, supplement, and adjust socio-economic infrastructure planning (transportation, irrigation, electricity, roads, schools, health clinics, markets, postal services, telecommunications...) to be consistent with sectoral planning and overall socio-economic development planning, land use planning of the locality, ensuring unified and synchronized management within the administrative area. Pay attention to the formation of agricultural advisory support centers (markets, prices, establishment of agricultural enterprises, trade promotion...). Review and supplement land use planning, especially agricultural land, rural industry and service land, rural industrial clusters, and rural craft villages.

The Ministry of Construction will take the lead, coordinating with relevant ministries and sectors to complete and direct the implementation of the rural planning proposal (housing, infrastructure, environment...) in line with the process of industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas while maintaining the unique characteristics of rural Vietnam, to be submitted to the Prime Minister in the third quarter of 2005. 3. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will take the lead, coordinating with the Ministry of Trade and provincial and municipal people's committees directly under the central government to organize a mid-term review and assessment of the results of implementing Decision No. 80/2002/QD-TTg dated December 6, 2002 of the Prime Minister on policies encouraging the consumption of agricultural products through contracts, based on which solutions will be developed to address difficulties and obstacles, especially legal grounds, to implement sales contracts between producers and businesses. Direct state-owned enterprises and industry associations to effectively implement key trade promotion programs approved by the Prime Minister.

The Ministry of Construction shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to complete and direct the implementation of the rural planning project (housing, infrastructure, environment, etc.) in accordance with the process of industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas while preserving the unique characteristics of Vietnamese rural areas, and submit it to the Prime Minister in the third quarter of 2005.

3. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Trade, People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities to organize a mid-term review and evaluation of the results of implementing Decision No. 80/2002/QĐ-TTg dated December 6, 2002 of the Prime Minister on policies encouraging the consumption of agricultural products through contracts, and based on that, develop solutions to address difficulties and obstacles, particularly the legal basis for implementing commitments in contracts for the consumption of agricultural products between producers and enterprises. Direct state-owned enterprises and industry associations to effectively implement key trade promotion programs approved by the Prime Minister.

4. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Fisheries to study and innovate scientific management mechanisms (financial management, human resources) in the agricultural and fisheries sectors to enhance the connection between research units, extension systems for agriculture and fisheries, thereby improving the effectiveness of scientific research and technology transfer; priority should be given to allocating state funds for the implementation of programs and research topics aimed at accelerating industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

5. The Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and localities shall have policies to support and create conditions for the formation of industrial zones and clusters, craft villages in rural areas to attract industrial establishments, processing industries, and rural trades that employ a large number of workers and utilize raw materials from agriculture, forestry, and fisheries in rural areas, and to relocate existing industrial processing facilities and craft villages within residential areas to reduce environmental pollution. By the third quarter of 2005, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall submit to the Prime Minister a draft Decree on certain policies to encourage the development of rural trades.

6. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities to review current land policies and adjust them if necessary to meet the requirements for industrial and urban development in the process of industrializing and modernizing agriculture and rural areas, and then submit them to the competent authority for approval.

Coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to review and assess the current status of environmental pollution, particularly water pollution, to develop solutions for remediation, while implementing measures to control and prevent environmental pollution in industrial clusters, craft villages, and newly formed rural towns.

7. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Fisheries, and the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities to develop policies and plans for vocational training that align with the requirements for restructuring agriculture and the rural economy to achieve industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

8. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Fisheries, and localities shall organize and direct the effective implementation of the Law on Cooperatives 2003 and guiding Decrees to improve the efficiency of cooperative economic activities; by the end of 2005, complete the reorganization of state-owned farms and forest enterprises according to Decree No. 170/2004/NĐ-CP dated September 22, 2004, of the Government on the reorganization, renovation, and development of state-owned farms, and Decree No. 200/2004/NĐ-CP dated December 3, 2004, of the Government on the reorganization, renovation, and development of state-owned forest enterprises; encourage and create favorable conditions for household economies, farms, agricultural enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises to develop.

9. The Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, and the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, in addition to current policies, shall establish mechanisms to mobilize capital sources for the structural transformation of the agricultural and rural economy, prioritizing state funds for key tasks, primarily: irrigation, transportation, electricity and water supply, technology transfer, and market development. In the short term, efforts should focus on:

- Completing and finishing major irrigation projects; reviewing degraded irrigation works and dike systems in vulnerable areas to plan timely maintenance, repair, and upgrading.

- Implementing the rural road project 3, emphasizing the improvement of road quality in mountainous areas, remote regions; by the end of 2007, all communes must have roads accessible by automobiles.

- Completing the national power grid extension to villages without electricity in the Central Highlands and implementing the rural electrification program for the period 2005-2010.

- Continuing the development of postal and telecommunications services in rural areas, building commune cultural-post offices, especially in remote communes.

10. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall organize monitoring of the implementation of this Directive, and report periodically to the Prime Minister.

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairmen of provincial and centrally governed city People's Committees, and heads of related units and organizations are responsible for enforcing this Directive.