Circular No. 60/2005/TT-BNN guiding the implementation of certain contents of the Government's Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP dated April 26, 2005 on agricultural extension and fisheries extension

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Implementing Certain Provisions of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP

dated April 26, 2005 on Agricultural Extension and Fisheries Extension

On April 26, 2005, the Prime Minister issued Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP on Agricultural Extension and Fisheries Extension. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development provides guidelines for implementing certain provisions of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP as follows:

Part I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. This Circular guides the implementation of agricultural extension activities including: content, methods of operation, and organization of agricultural extension.

2. Management and use of funds for agricultural extension programs and policies shall be carried out in accordance with the Joint Circular between the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

3. Economic and technical standards for agricultural extension must be adjusted and approved in a timely manner to align with market fluctuations and advancements in science and technology; at the central level, such adjustments are approved by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; at the local level, they are approved by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province or centrally-administered city.

4. In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

a) Programs, projects, and plans for agricultural extension are established to implement one or several components of agricultural extension activities, with specific objectives and beneficiaries, and defined timeframes and budgets;

b) National programs, projects, and plans for agricultural extension directly managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement national agricultural extension activities according to the National Agricultural Extension Program approved by the Prime Minister;

c) Local programs, projects, and plans for agricultural extension directly managed by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to implement local agricultural extension activities according to the plan approved by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee;

d) Enterprises and cooperatives as stipulated in Clause 3, Article 1 of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP refer to cooperatives, state farms, forest farms, agricultural, forestry, and aquaculture enterprises, including urban farmers engaged in agricultural extension activities in crop cultivation, animal husbandry, forestry, irrigation, salt production, processing, preservation of agricultural and forestry products, salt, rural industries, application and transfer of technology and equipment serving agricultural and forestry production and rural development;

đ) Organizations providing advisory and service activities for agricultural extension as provided in Article 7 of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP are organizations that carry out advisory and service activities for agricultural extension established by various economic entities in accordance with the law;

e) New technology-based agricultural extension models are models applying technologies not yet present in Vietnam to leapfrog scientific and technological advancements;

g) High-tech agricultural extension models are models surpassing traditional models, with higher efficiency and quality.

PART II

CONTENTS, METHODS OF OPERATION

AND ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

I. Contents of Agricultural Extension Activities

Agricultural extension activities as prescribed in Chapter II of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP are implemented through approved programs, projects, and plans for agricultural extension.

Depending on the program, project, or plan for agricultural extension, the following contents of agricultural extension are arranged:

1. Information and Publicity

In addition to the contents specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of Article 4 of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP, the following specific contents are guided:

a) Market information includes: fluctuations in supply and demand of export goods and substitutes for imported goods in domestic and international markets; price and transportation cost information; production technology and product quality standard systems; trade-related legal documents; results of trade negotiation and signing; production and marketing information; construction and promotion of brand names (trade names, product labels, origin names of goods); development of agricultural product markets under conditions of trade liberalization;

b) Mass media information includes: building channels, programs, columns, and web pages for agricultural extension on television stations, radio stations, central and local newspapers; web pages, email boxes for agricultural extension (with participation from research institutes, centers, training schools, agricultural and forestry enterprises, excellent farmers, organizations and individuals engaged in agricultural extension activities);

c) Publishing diverse agricultural extension materials such as magazines, newsletters, leaflets, posters, audiovisual materials, handbooks, technical books, directories of agricultural extension addresses to meet the needs of different farmer households during industrialization, modernization of agriculture and rural areas, and international integration.

2. Training and Capacity Building

In addition to Articles 1, 2, and 3 of Article 5 of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP, the training and capacity-building content includes:

a) Developing agricultural extension curricula and materials at all levels with advanced knowledge in technology, economic management, production organization, marketing skills, and dissemination of legal knowledge to farmers;

b) Organizing vocational training courses and issuing certificates to trainees.

3. Model Construction and Technology Transfer

In addition to the contents specified in Clauses 1, 2, and 3 of Article 6 of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP, the model construction and technology transfer content includes:

a) Summarizing and promoting good models from practical production, processing, circulation, and marketing experiences;

b) Constructing various types of agricultural extension models suitable for smallholder households, farmsteads, state and private agricultural and forestry enterprises, and urban farmers;

c) Constructing new and high-tech agricultural and forestry models at different levels appropriate to local economic and ecological conditions.

II. Methods of Operation of Agricultural Extension

1. Developing and Approving Programs, Projects, and Plans for Agricultural Extension

a) At the Central Level: The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development develops and submits to the Government for approval short-term and long-term national programs, projects, and plans for agricultural extension. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development approves annual implementation plans.

b) At the Local Level: Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, county economic offices develop and submit to the provincial and county People's Committees for approval short-term and long-term local programs, projects, and plans for agricultural extension. Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development and county-level People's Committees approve annual implementation plans.

2. Organizing the Implementation of Agricultural Extension Activities

a) The National Agricultural Extension Center directly organizes and implements short-term and long-term agricultural extension programs, projects at the national and regional levels according to approved plans.

b) Provincial Agricultural Extension Centers and District Agricultural Extension Stations organize and implement short-term and long-term agricultural extension programs, projects at the provincial and district levels according to approved plans.

3. Training, instruction, and agricultural extension education

a) Training courses for farmers and agricultural extension workers organized at the grassroots level shall not exceed ten days.

b) Vocational training courses for farmers shall not exceed thirty days.

4. Building agricultural extension models

a) Demonstration models on new technologies, equipment introduced into local production for the first time shall be established as follows:

- For short-cycle crops, not exceeding five hectares;

- For long-cycle crops, not exceeding ten hectares;

- For forestry, not exceeding fifteen hectares;

- For large livestock, not exceeding twenty heads;

- For small livestock, not exceeding fifty heads;

- For poultry and aquatic animals, not exceeding two hundred heads;

- For storage and processing equipment, not exceeding ten households;

- For water management, following the scale for short-cycle and long-cycle crops as mentioned above;

- For rural industries and salt-making, not exceeding thirty households;

- For crop mechanization, not exceeding ten households;

- For animal husbandry mechanization, not exceeding thirty households.

b) Dissemination of models on a wider scale includes activities such as mid-term reviews, final evaluations, assessments of demonstration models, organizing field visits, exchanges, field seminars, and disseminating model results through appropriate means.

c) New technology and high-tech models in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

5. Advisory and agricultural extension services

Based on specific conditions, the following advisory and service forms shall be selected:

a) The Ministry-level Agricultural Extension Advisory Council is established by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; the Provincial Agricultural Extension Advisory Council is established by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province; the District Agricultural Extension Advisory Council is established by the Chairman of the People's Committee of the district;

b) Agricultural Extension Advisory Centers, offices, and points are established by organizations and individuals participating in agricultural extension activities;

c) Establishing columns, email forums for agricultural extension advisory services on mass media and at convenient locations for farmers;

d) Linking with organizations and individuals to act as intermediaries for agricultural extension advisory services to meet farmers' needs;

e) Supply of agricultural and forestry materials and technical equipment under economic contracts.

6. Depending on the scale of agricultural extension programs, projects, the following methods shall be implemented:

a) Sectoral Departments under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development perform state management functions in agricultural extension as assigned by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development perform state management functions in agricultural extension as assigned by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee;

b) The National Agricultural Extension Center directly implements national-level agricultural extension programs, projects approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

c) Provincial Agricultural Extension Centers directly implement provincial-level agricultural extension programs, projects approved by the Provincial People's Committee;

d) District Agricultural Extension Stations directly implement agricultural extension programs, projects approved by the District People's Committee;

đ) Other organizations and individuals participating in agricultural extension activities voluntarily carry out according to Article 12 of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP and other relevant laws;

e) Households and organizations, individuals independently implement agricultural extension programs, projects approved by competent authorities and other agricultural extension activities based on their needs.

II. ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION

1. At the Central Level

The National Agricultural Extension Center is a subordinate public institution under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

The functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the National Agricultural Extension Center are stipulated by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.

2. At the Provincial Level

The functions, tasks, and organizational structure of local agricultural extension organizations are specified in Clause 2 of Article 10 of Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development provides detailed guidance as follows:

- The provincial agricultural extension organization is the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center or the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center and Fisheries Center under the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development;

- The Provincial Agricultural Extension Center is directly managed by the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; it also receives professional guidance from the National Agricultural Extension Center.

- Regarding staffing, there must be sufficient quantity, structure, and quality of staff to meet the requirements of implementing agricultural extension activities in the locality.

3. At the District Level (including towns and cities under provinces, hereinafter referred to as districts)

- Establish Agricultural Extension Stations or Agricultural Extension and Fisheries Stations;

- Based on specific conditions of each locality, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee specifies that the Agricultural Extension Station belongs to the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center or is managed by the District People's Committee; the number and structure of staff at the Agricultural Extension Station are arranged appropriately to meet the agricultural extension needs in the district.

4. Grassroots Agricultural Extension Organizations

- Each commune, ward, town has at least one agricultural extension officer. For remote communes, multi-industry communes, more than one agricultural extension officer can be arranged;

- In villages, hamlets, phums, socs, there are agricultural extension volunteers. Agricultural extension volunteers may be concurrently serving officials such as village chiefs, hamlet chiefs, production team leaders, members of mass organizations, or people trusted and nominated by farmers;

- Agricultural extension officers in plain area communes must have at least a college degree; in remote communes, they must have at least a high school diploma or be experienced farmers with credibility and extension capabilities;

- Agricultural extension officers and volunteers are selected and managed by the Commune People's Committee, while receiving professional guidance from the District Agricultural Extension Station.

Part III

IMPLEMENTATION

1. At the Central Level

a) The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development uniformly performs state management functions over agricultural extension activities and assigns sectoral departments to directly manage specific areas of agricultural extension as follows:

- The Crop Production Department manages state affairs in crop extension and livestock extension;

- The Forestry Department manages state affairs in forestry extension;

- The Processing and Salt Industry Department manages state administration on agricultural extension in the fields of processing and preserving agricultural and forestry products, salt, agricultural machinery, rural trades, and salt production;

- The Water Resources Department manages state administration on agricultural extension in the field of water resources;

- The Cooperatives and Rural Development Department manages state administration on agricultural extension in building new rural models;

b) The contents of state administration on agricultural extension by specialized departments include:

- Developing short-term and long-term agricultural extension programs, projects for submission to the Minister;

- Reviewing and submitting annual agricultural extension plans;

- Drafting legal regulations and policies on agricultural extension;

- Coordinating with the Ministry's Inspectorate to conduct inspections and supervision of agricultural extension activities;

- International cooperation on agricultural extension;

- Identifying scientific and technological advancements for transfer;

c) The National Agricultural Extension Center

- Compiling and proposing agricultural extension programs, projects, and plans through specialized departments and the National Agricultural Extension Advisory Council for review;

- Implementing national agricultural extension plans approved by the Minister;

- Collaborating with domestic and foreign organizations and individuals engaged in agricultural extension to enhance investment resources and implement agricultural extension programs, projects, and plans;

- Managing the use of central agricultural extension funds in accordance with the intended recipients and legal provisions;

2. At the local level

a) The Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development performs state management functions on agricultural extension within the province;

b) The People's Committee at the district level performs state management functions on agricultural extension within the district;

c) The People's Committee at the commune level performs state management functions on agricultural extension within the commune. Agricultural extension staff and cooperators directly carry out agricultural extension activities implemented by the Commune People's Committee and other organizations and individuals;

d) The provincial agricultural extension centers and district agricultural extension stations directly implement local and central agricultural extension programs, projects, and plans within their respective areas;

Part IV

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

This Circular takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette. Previous regulations that conflict with this Circular are hereby abolished;

Any difficulties encountered during implementation should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for resolution./.