Circular No. 60/2025/TT-BNNMT guiding the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of public service units implementing agricultural extension work at provincial and communal levels

CIRCULAR

GUIDANCE ON THE FUNCTIONS, TASKS, POWERS AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF PUBLIC SERVICE UNITS IMPLEMENTING AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION WORK AT PROVINCE AND COMMUNE LEVELS

Decree No. Decision No. 35/2025/NĐ-CP February 25, 2025 of the Government stipulating functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Decree No. 83/2018/ND-CP dated May 24, 2018 of the Government on agricultural extension;

Decree No. 150/2025/ND-CP dated June 12, 2025 of the Government stipulating the organization of specialized agencies under provincial People's Committees and central city People's Committees and commune, ward, and special zone People's Committees under provincial and central city People's Committees;

The phrase "or examination" is abolished pursuant to Clause 6, Article 8 of Circular No. 15/2025/TT-BVHTTDL dated November 25, 2025, of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars prescribing job codes, qualification standards, and salary grades for civil servants in the heritage culture, library, grassroots cultural activities, sports, fine arts, art performance, film, and cultural propaganda sectors, which takes effect from January 15, 2026.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development issues this Circular to guide the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of public service units implementing agricultural extension work at province and commune levels.

Article 1. Agricultural Extension and Public Service Units Implementing Agricultural Extension Work at Province and Commune Levels

1. Agricultural extension is an activity transferring technological progress, information, disseminating knowledge, and training skills for farmers in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, salt production sectors with the aim of enhancing their capacity and efficiency in agricultural production and business, protecting the environment, and building new rural areas.

2. Public service units implementing agricultural extension work at province and commune levels

a) Provincial Agricultural Extension Centers;

b) Public service units under commune, ward, and special zone People's Committees (hereinafter referred to as commune-level People's Committees) assigned to perform agricultural extension services.

Article 2. Provincial Agricultural Extension Center

1. Position and Functions

a) The Provincial Agricultural Extension Center is a public service unit serving state management directly under the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, having the function of organizing and implementing agricultural extension activities within its province and guiding, coordinating, urging, inspecting, and supporting communes in performing agricultural extension work according to the law;

b) The Provincial Agricultural Extension Center has legal personality, its own seal, and is entitled to open bank accounts as prescribed;

c) Operating funds of the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center shall be implemented in accordance with the law.

2. Tasks and Powers

a) Proposing the formulation of normative legal documents, policies, economic and technical standards on agricultural extension;

b) Developing programs, projects, plans, tasks of local agricultural extension and organizing their implementation after approval;

c) Guiding, coordinating, urging, and supporting commune-level agricultural extension work, agricultural extension cooperators, and community agricultural extension;

d) Developing programs, materials, and organizing training, seminars, information dissemination, forums, conferences, competitions, exhibitions, demonstrations, field trips to enhance the capacity of commune-level agricultural extension workers, agricultural extension cooperators, community agricultural extension, farmers, and producers;

đ) Building demonstration models applying technological progress and technology suitable for each locality and the development orientation of the sector; transferring technological progress and technology from models and exemplary production to a wider scale; guiding and supporting the construction and development of standard raw material areas;

e) Organizing the implementation and providing public services funded by the state budget on agricultural extension according to the law;

g) Consulting, services, international cooperation, and public-private partnerships in agricultural extension activities according to the law;

h) Cooperating in managing, inspecting, summarizing, concluding, and evaluating the effectiveness of agricultural extension activities throughout the province;

i) Participating in scientific research, technological innovation, digital transformation, disaster prevention and post-disaster recovery, disease control, and implementing programs and projects for agricultural and rural development, environmental protection at the local level;

k) Performing other tasks as prescribed by law and assigned by the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

3. Organizational Structure

The organizational structure of the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center includes specialized departments and technical organizations equivalent to serve agricultural extension work.

Based on work requirements, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for submitting to the provincial People's Committee regulations on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center in accordance with the law, suitable to the specific conditions of each locality.

Article 3. Public service units implement agricultural extension work at the commune level

1. Public service units with the function of providing basic and essential public services under the People's Committee of communes, wards, and special administrative-economic zones shall be assigned to carry out agricultural extension tasks at the commune level for communes, wards, and special administrative-economic zones that engage in agricultural production.

The operating expenses of agricultural extension at the commune level shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of the law.

2. Tasks and Powers

a) Develop programs, plans, and tasks to support farmers in developing agricultural production, building new rural areas, community development, rural tourism, and Ocop products to improve and enhance material and spiritual life for the people, and protect the environment in the locality, to be submitted to the People's Committee of the commune for approval and implementation in accordance with regulations;

b) Guide the activities of community agricultural extension, agricultural extension volunteers, business agricultural extension, and the agricultural extension activities of organizations and individuals within the commune;

c) Organize and manage the activities of the team of agricultural extension volunteers and community agricultural extension groups to assist residents in the commune in developing agricultural production, protecting the environment, building new rural areas, and serving the main political tasks of the locality;

d) Provide information and promote the policies, guidelines of the Party and state laws, scientific and technological progress, market demands, advanced models and exemplary cases in agricultural production;

đ) Organize training, capacity building, vocational training, and teaching skills to farmers; promote the formation of farmer start-up groups, professional farmers, and innovation in agricultural production and business; expand and disseminate models of excellent farmers, economically successful farmers, and farmers teaching other farmers;

e) Build demonstration models for technology transfer and provide consulting and services on production, preservation, processing, market promotion, product sales, and the formation of concentrated raw material production areas meeting standards;

g) Monitor the evolution of natural disasters and epidemics affecting crops and livestock, participate in tasks related to prevention, control, and recovery from natural disasters and epidemics, and environmental protection in the locality;

h) Carry out other tasks as prescribed by law and assigned by the commune-level People's Committee;

3. Agricultural Extension Officers at the Commune Level

Based on the scale of production, specific conditions of each locality, and the staffing quota allocated by the provincial government, the People's Council of the commune decides the number of agricultural extension officers at the commune level to meet the requirements of the tasks.

The recruitment, use, and management of agricultural extension officers at the commune level shall be conducted according to job positions and relevant laws.

Article 4. Organization of Implementation

1. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for advising competent authorities

a) To improve public service units implementing agricultural extension work at the provincial and commune levels; arrange and allocate agricultural extension staff to meet task requirements and fit the specific conditions of each locality;

b) To issue mechanisms and policies regarding agricultural extension activities, incentives for agricultural extension volunteers, and community agricultural extension; rules for coordinating the implementation of agricultural extension work in the province according to assigned tasks.

2. Provincial Agricultural Extension Centers

a) Provide professional guidance and coordinate with the People's Committee of the commune in managing and implementing agricultural extension tasks in the area;

b) Organize training and capacity building to enhance the capabilities of agricultural extension officers at the commune level, agricultural extension volunteers, and community agricultural extension.

3. Commune-level People's Committee

a) Define the tasks of agricultural extension for public service units under the commune-level People's Committee to organize implementation in accordance with regulations;

b) Manage the staffing of agricultural extension officers at the commune level in accordance with regulations;

c) Strengthen, improve, and enhance the effectiveness of community agricultural extension teams and agricultural extension volunteer forces in the commune.

4. The Chairman of the Commune-level People's Committee directs and organizes the implementation of the recruitment, use, and management of agricultural extension officers at the commune level in accordance with the law and the delegation of the higher-level state management agency.

Article 5. Effectiveness and Responsibility for Implementation

1. This Circular takes effect from October 15, 2025.

2. Repeal Article 8 of Circular No. 15/2015/TT-BNNPTNT dated March 26, 2015, guiding the tasks of the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development and their affiliated organizations.

3. During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or need for supplementation or amendment, please consolidate and report to the provincial People's Committee and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for submission to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for consideration and resolution within its authority./.