Joint Circular No. 61/2008/TTLT-BNN-BNV guides the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of specialized agencies under provincial and district People's Committees and the state management tasks of village-level People's Committees regarding agriculture and rural development.

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines for the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of specialized agencies under the People's Committees at provincial and district levels, and the state management tasks of the People's Committee at commune level regarding agriculture and rural development.

Pursuant to Decree No. 13/2008/NĐ-CP dated February 4, 2008 of the Government stipulating the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities.

Pursuant to Decree No. 14/2008/NĐ-CP dated February 4, 2008 of the Government stipulating the organization of specialized agencies under the People's Committees of districts, towns, and cities under provinces.

Pursuant to Decree No. 178/2007/NĐ-CP dated December 3, 2007 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of Ministries and ministerial-level agencies.

Pursuant to Decree No. 01/2008/NĐ-CP dated January 3, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Pursuant to Decree No. 48/2008/NĐ-CP dated April 17, 2008 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Home Affairs issue guidelines on the functions, tasks, authorities, and organizational structure of specialized agencies under the People's Committees at provincial and district levels, and the state management tasks of the People's Committee at commune level regarding agriculture and rural development as follows:

Part I

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

I. POSITION AND FUNCTION

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is a specialized agency under the People's Committee of provinces and centrally-run cities (hereinafter referred to as the People's Committee at provincial level) advising and assisting the People's Committee at provincial level in performing state management functions at the local level concerning: agriculture; forestry; salt industry; fisheries; irrigation and rural development; flood and storm prevention; safety of agricultural, forestry, fishery products, and salt from production until they reach the market; public services within the scope of agriculture and rural development, and carrying out certain tasks and authorities delegated by the People's Committee at provincial level and as prescribed by law.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has legal personality, its own seal and separate account; it is subject to the direction and management of the People's Committee at provincial level regarding organization, staffing, and personnel work; at the same time, it is subject to the direction, inspection, and professional guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

II. TASKS AND AUTHORITIES

1. Submit to the People's Committee at the provincial level:

a) Draft decisions, directives; long-term plans, five-year plans, and annual plans for development; programs, projects about agriculture, forestry, salt industry, fisheries, irrigation, and rural development; disaster prevention and mitigation planning consistent with overall socio-economic development plans, national defense, and security objectives of the locality; programs and measures to organize the implementation of administrative reform tasks within the scope of state management assigned.

b) Draft regulations defining the functions, tasks, and authorities of subordinate Inspection Bureaus.

c) Draft normative legal documents specifying conditions and standards for positions of Heads and Deputy Heads of organizations under the Department; Heads and Deputy Heads of Agricultural and Rural Development Departments under District People's Committees; participate in drafting regulations on conditions, standards, and leadership positions responsible for the agricultural sector in Economic Departments under District, Town, and City People's Committees under provinces.

2. Submit to the Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial level:

Clause 2. Organize inspections of local press archives and manage local press archives.

b) Draft decisions, directives within the authority to promulgate of the Chairman of the People's Committee at provincial level.

c) Issue regulations on management, coordination, and reporting systems for provincial-level agricultural and rural development organizations stationed in districts with District People's Committees; technical staff stationed in communes with Commune People's Committees.

3. Guide and implement approved normative legal documents, development plans, programs, projects, national standards, national technical regulations, economic and technical norms concerning agriculture, forestry, salt industry, fisheries, irrigation, and rural development; provide information, disseminate, educate, and promote laws in areas within the scope of state management assigned.

4. Regarding agriculture (crop cultivation, animal husbandry):

a) Be responsible for organizing the implementation of land use plans for crop cultivation and animal husbandry after approval and measures to prevent degradation of agricultural land in the province according to regulations.

b) Guide and inspect the implementation of state management regulations on: crop seeds, livestock breeds, fertilizers, animal feed, plant protection chemicals, veterinary drugs, and other materials serving agricultural production according to the law.

c) Assist the People's Committee at the provincial level in directing agricultural production, harvesting, storage, processing of agricultural products; implement crop varieties, planting seasons, cultivation techniques;

d) Organize plant and animal health work (including aquatic animal health), prevention, control, and remediation of animal and plant diseases; guide and organize the implementation of domestic quarantine of animals and plants in the province according to regulations.

đ) Organize prevention and remediation of natural disasters, pests, and diseases affecting agricultural production.

e) Manage and utilize local reserves of crop seeds, livestock breeds, plant protection chemicals, veterinary drugs, and goods materials in the fields of crop cultivation and animal husbandry in the area after approval by the People's Committee at provincial level.

5. Regarding forestry:

a) Guide the establishment and be responsible for reviewing the planning and development of forests by the People's Committee at the district level;

b) Assist the People's Committee at provincial level in establishing protective forests, special-use forests, and productive forests within the management scope of the locality after approval; organize the implementation of forest classification, boundary determination, statistics, inventory, and monitoring of forest changes according to the guidance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

c) Organize the implementation of forest allocation plans to districts and communes after approval; organize the implementation of forest allocation, forest leasing, forest recovery, change of forest use purpose, recognition of forest use rights, and ownership rights of planted productive forests for organizations and individuals, including overseas Vietnamese and foreign entities implementing forestry projects in Vietnam; organize the establishment and management of forest allocation and leasing records and land for planting forests.

Assist the Provincial People's Committee in directing the People's Committee at the district level to implement the transfer of forests to village communities and the allocation and leasing of forests to households and individuals in accordance with regulations;

d) Organize the selection and recognition of mother trees, leading trees, and forest seedling areas within the province. Develop plans, measures, direct, inspect, and be responsible for the production of forestry plant seeds and the use of forestry materials; afforestation; processing and preservation of forest products; prevention and control of diseases and forest fires;

đ) Be responsible for approving plans for forest management and harvesting designs; assist the Provincial People's Committee in directing and inspecting afforestation, protection of upstream forests, special-use forests, and protective forests in accordance with regulations;

e) Guide and inspect the approval of opening forest exploitation gates and allocating exploitation plans to forest owners who are organizations and the District People's Committee after approval; the implementation of regulations on the responsibilities of the District People's Committee and Commune People's Committee in managing and protecting local forests; cooperation and mobilization of forces and means from organizations and individuals within the area for forest protection, forest product management, and forest fire prevention and extinguishing; 6. Regarding salt industry:

6 ||| a) Guide and inspect salt production, harvesting, storage, and processing at the local level;

b) Organize the implementation of the provincial salt reserve plan after approval;

a) Guide and inspect the implementation of regulations on corridors for aquatic species movement when applying various fishing methods; announce additional provisions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development regarding the list of prohibited fishing species and prohibited fishing periods; fishing methods, types of fishing, fishing gears that are banned or restricted; minimum size and type of permitted fishing species; fishing seasons; prohibited fishing areas and time-limited prohibited fishing areas in line with the province's fishing activities;

7. Regarding fisheries:

b) Guide and inspect the implementation of the provincial People's Committee decisions on establishing marine protected areas; management regulations for locally managed marine protected areas and fishing zones in rivers, lakes, ponds, and other natural water bodies under provincial management according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

c) Organize the assessment of aquatic resources within the province under national management;

d) Organize the detailed planning of aquaculture areas. Be responsible for reviewing aquaculture plans and programs at the district level and organizing the management of concentrated aquaculture areas;

đ) Advise and assist the Provincial People's Committee in implementing the allocation and leasing of sea surface areas under local management for aquaculture in accordance with regulations;

e) Organize inspections of the quality and quarantine of aquatic seedlings at breeding facilities; organize the implementation of disease prevention and mitigation measures for aquatic species in the province according to regulations;

g) Guide, inspect, and organize the implementation of regulations on分级管理渔船、渔港、渔码头、岸线和渔船避风锚地以及省管理范围内的渔船检验；关于批发市场渔业活动的规章和组织管理。

a) Guide and inspect the implementation of regulations on分级管理中小型水利工程和农村供水排水项目计划；指导、检查并负责中小型水利工程的建设、运营、使用和保护；组织实施经批准的农村供水排水项目计划；

8. Regarding water conservancy:

c) Guide and inspect the construction, operation, and maintenance of levees and flood control works; develop plans and measures and organize the implementation of flood, drought, typhoon, saline intrusion, and coastal erosion prevention and control in the province;

b) Implement regulations on river and stream management, utilization, and development of rivers and streams within the province according to approved planning and plans;

d) Guide the development of land use plans for water conservancy projects, organize the establishment of boundary markers on-site, and develop plans and measures for relocating works and houses related to levee protection and riverbank areas according to regulations;

đ) Guide and inspect the implementation of state management regulations on water conservancy project exploitation and protection; about levee protection corridors for levees of grades IV and V; decisions on flood distribution and delay to protect levees within the local area according to regulations;

a) Summarize and submit to the Provincial People's Committee mechanisms, policies, and measures to encourage rural development; household economy, farm economy, cooperative economy, agricultural, forestry, fishery, and salt industry economies linked to rural industries and crafts at the commune level. Monitor and summarize reports to the Provincial People's Committee on rural development in the area;

9. Regarding rural development:

b) Guide and inspect the implementation of regulations on the division of responsibilities and levels of review for programs and projects related to rural relocation and resettlement; economic structure adjustment plans and rural development programs; the development of rural industries and crafts linked to households and cooperatives in the province; direct, guide, and inspect after approval;

d) Guide and inspect the implementation of permanent settlement, relocation, and resettlement work in agriculture and rural areas in line with local socio-economic development plans;

c) Guide the development of household economy, farms, cooperative economy, and the development of industries, trades, and craft villages in rural areas at the provincial level.

đ) Implement programs, projects, or components of poverty alleviation programs, new rural construction programs, community building, and rural infrastructure construction according to the division of labor or delegation by the Provincial People's Committee.

đ) Organize the implementation of programs, projects, or components of programs and projects to eliminate poverty and reduce it, new rural construction programs; build residential areas; construct rural infrastructure according to the division of labor or delegation of the provincial People's Committee.

10. Regarding processing and trade of agricultural, forestry, aquatic products, and salt:

a) Direct, inspect the implementation of planning, programs, mechanisms, and policies for development in the processing sector linked to production and markets of industries under the management of the Department; policies for developing agricultural machinery, crafts, and village industries linked to households and cooperatives after being approved by competent authorities.

b) Direct, inspect, and evaluate the development of processing for industries and fields such as agricultural machinery, crafts, rural village industries, and post-harvest storage under the management of the Department.

c) Organize the promotion of trade for agricultural, forestry, aquatic, and salt products under the management of the Department.

d) Coordinate with relevant agencies to organize market forecasting and trade promotion activities for agricultural, forestry, aquatic, and salt products.

11. Organize the implementation of agricultural extension work, applying scientific and technological progress to agricultural, forestry, salt, and aquatic production.

12. Develop and direct the implementation of measures to protect the environment in agricultural, forestry, salt, and aquatic production and rural development activities at the local level.

13. Implement and be responsible for inspection, registration, issuance, and revocation of licenses and certificates of practice within the scope of the Department's management according to laws or delegation from the provincial People's Committee and guidance from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

14. Establish information systems and archive materials on agriculture, forestry, salt, water conservancy, and rural development; organize statistical work on the dynamics of agricultural land, forest land, salt land, forest dynamics, and aquaculture water surfaces as prescribed.

15. Guide and inspect the implementation of projects and models for development in agriculture, forestry, salt, aquaculture, water conservancy, and rural development within the province; be responsible for implementing assigned programs and projects.

16. Carry out international cooperation in areas under the Department's management according to the division of authority of the provincial People's Committee and laws.

17. Guide and inspect the implementation of self-management and self-responsibility mechanisms of subordinate public service units and state-owned enterprises operating in the fields of agriculture, forestry, salt, aquaculture, water conservancy, and rural development within the province according to laws; be responsible for public services organized by the Department.

18. Assist the provincial People's Committee in managing state enterprises, collective economic organizations, private enterprises; guide and inspect the activities of associations and non-governmental organizations in the fields of agriculture, forestry, salt, aquaculture, water conservancy, and rural development according to laws.

19. Provide professional guidance to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; inspect the implementation of management regulations, coordination work, and reporting systems between the provincial agricultural and rural development organization located in the district and the district People's Committee; technical staff in communes with the commune People's Committee.

20. Organize research and application of scientific and technological progress into agricultural production and rural development within the province.

21. Conduct inspections, handle complaints, anti-corruption, and deal with violations of laws related to agriculture, forestry, salt, aquaculture, water conservancy, and rural development within the scope of management according to laws.

22. Perform the standing tasks of the Flood Control and Storm Prevention Command; search and rescue operations; urgent issues in protecting and preventing forest fires according to laws; participate in mitigating the aftermath of natural disasters such as typhoons, floods, landslides, droughts, flooding, acidification, saline intrusion, and diseases in agricultural, forestry, salt, and aquaculture production within the province.

23. Direct and implement administrative reform programs in areas under the Department's management after approval by the provincial People's Committee.

24. Specify the functions, tasks, powers, organizational structure, and working relationships of subordinate public service units; manage cadres, civil servants, officials, and workers according to laws and the division of authority of the provincial People's Committee; organize training and capacity building for cadres, civil servants, officials, and commune-level personnel engaged in agricultural, forestry, salt, aquaculture, water conservancy, and rural development management according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the provincial People's Committee.

25. Manage the financial resources and assets of the Department according to laws and the division of authority of the provincial People's Committee.

26. Carry out regular or ad hoc information and reporting on the implementation of state management tasks assigned according to the provincial People's Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

27. Perform other tasks assigned by the provincial People's Committee or according to laws.

III. ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING

1. Leadership of the Department:

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has a Director and Deputy Directors. Deputy Directors.

The Director of the Department is the head of the Department, accountable to the provincial People's Committee, the Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, and the law for all activities of the Department; responsible for reporting work to the Provincial People's Council, the provincial People's Committee, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Deputy Directors assist the Director of the Department in directing certain aspects of work, accountable to the Director of the Department and the law. regarding assigned tasks.

The appointment of the Director and Deputy Directors of the Department is decided by the provincial People's Committee based on professional standards issued by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and according to laws. The removal, resignation, commendation, punishment, and other policies for the Director and Deputy Directors of the Department are implemented according to laws.

2. Organizational Structure:

2.1. Organizations providing comprehensive and specialized advice under the Department:

a) Organizations established uniformly across localities include:

- Office of the Department (perform administrative, archival, administrative management, comprehensive monitoring, administrative reform, international cooperation, legal affairs, etc. tasks);

- The Department Inspection Agency;

- Planning and Finance Department;

- Organization and Cadre Department; (perform organizational, cadre-public servant-civil servant, training, system, policy, reward, discipline, etc. management tasks);

b) Specialized and professional organizations shall be established in accordance with the characteristics of each locality, including: Crop Production Department, Livestock Raising Department; Quality Management Department for Forestry, Aquaculture Products, and Construction Management Department (if there is a large volume of basic construction) or other specialized departments; The establishment of specialized and professional departments under the Department must ensure comprehensive coverage of all areas of work of the Department; the functions and responsibilities of each department must be clear and not overlap with those of other departments and organizations under the Department; for industries and fields requiring the establishment of a Bureau, no specialized department in the same industry or field shall be established;

Based on the characteristics, requirements, and workload of state management over agriculture and rural development in each locality, the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall coordinate with the Director of the Department of Home Affairs to submit to the Provincial People's Committee for decision the specific number and names of specialized and professional departments under the Department, but the total number of departments, offices, and inspection units shall not exceed 8 (for Departments under the Provincial People's Committee) and not more than 7 (for Departments under the People's Committee of centrally governed cities);

2.2. Specialized Bureaus:

a) At provincial level:

Specialized Bureaus assist the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in performing state management functions and implementing specialized tasks in organizing the enforcement of laws; they carry out regular operational work and propose mechanisms and policies for their respective fields;

The number of specialized bureaus shall ensure rational succession from existing effective bureaus and new establishments, but shall not exceed 9 organizations, including:

- Plant Protection Bureau b) Explanation and calculation of cost components and profit of Electricity Corporation i, including:

(The Plant Protection Bureau assumes the specialized management task of crop production if the Crop Production Department is not established); - Animal Health Bureau

(The Animal Health Bureau assumes the specialized management task of livestock raising if the Livestock Raising Department is not established, including aquatic animal health); - Forest Inspection Bureau;

- Forestry Bureau

(established in provinces and centrally governed cities with forest area and undeveloped land planned for forestry purposes exceeding 50,000 hectares. In other provinces, the forestry management function is assigned to the Forest Inspection Bureau); - Fisheries Resource Exploitation and Protection Bureau

(established in coastal provinces and centrally governed cities with large-scale exploitation); - Aquaculture Bureau

(established in coastal provinces with aquaculture scale ensuring at least one of the following criteria: + Concentrated intensive aquaculture area planned from 5,000 hectares or more;

+ Planned marine water surface for aquaculture from 20,000 hectares or more;

+ Artificial fish seed production capacity reaching 3 billion fry per year or more);

- Fishery Bureau

(established in provinces and centrally governed cities that do not meet the criteria for separate establishment of the Fisheries Resource Exploitation and Protection Bureau and the Aquaculture Bureau); - Water Resources Bureau

and Flood and Storm Prevention Bureau send a text message (established in provinces and centrally governed cities with large agricultural water conservancy systems and short dike lengths, carrying out both rural water supply, water resources, dike, and flood and storm prevention tasks); - Dike Management and Flood and Storm Prevention Bureau

(established in provinces and centrally governed cities with large river and sea dikes); - Rural Development Bureau

(carrying out cooperative economic, household, farmstead, village craft, rural industry, and agricultural, forestry, and fisheries product processing tasks); - Agricultural and Forestry Product Quality Management and Fisheries Bureau

(established in provinces with many food processing facilities, testing capabilities, and analysis of factors ensuring food safety, and without establishing a Quality Management Department for Agricultural and Forestry Products and Fisheries); Based on the specific conditions of each locality, the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall coordinate with the Director of the Department of Home Affairs to submit to the Provincial People's Committee for decision on the specific number and names of the Bureaus;

b) At district level:.

Some bureaus may be organized as Stations or Posts within the district, including:

- Forest Inspection Bureau (with District Forest Inspection Station), Dike Management and Flood and Storm Prevention Bureau (with District Dike Management Station or Joint District Dike Management Station);

- For other bureaus that require organization within the district, based on the characteristics and management requirements of the locality, the Provincial People's Committee decides to establish Plant Protection Stations under the Plant Protection Bureau and Animal Health Stations under the Animal Health Bureau;

These Stations and Posts are responsible for organizing the implementation and proposing or coordinating proposals to help the District People's Committee perform state management in the assigned fields within the district; they also accept direction, inspection, and mobilization by the Chairman of the District People's Committee when necessary according to regulations;

c) At commune level:

Based on the specific characteristics of the locality, the Provincial People's Committee decides to contract specialized and technical staff and cooperators for the Animal Health Bureau, Plant Protection Bureau, and Water Resources Bureau to operate within the commune;

2.3. Affiliated Public Service Organizations:

Based on the characteristics and actual workload of the locality, the Provincial People's Committee decides to establish specialized public service organizations affiliated with the Department, including: Agricultural and Aquacultural Extension Centers; Rural Clean Water and Environmental Sanitation Centers; Seed Centers (crop, livestock, and aquaculture); Management Boards (fish ports, fish landing sites, forests, projects, etc.).

Based on the characteristics and actual workload at the locality, the provincial People's Committee decides to establish specialized public service organizations under the Department, including: Agricultural Extension Center; Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation Center; Seed Centers (crops, livestock, aquaculture); Management Board (fish ports, fish landing sites, forests, works, projects...).

The Agricultural Extension Center-Fisheries Promotion Center shall establish stations subordinate to it on the territory of the district, with contractual employees and cooperators performing agricultural extension and fisheries promotion work at the commune level in accordance with the regulations of the Provincial People's Committee.

3. Staffing:

a) The determination of staffing levels and the allocation of civil servants and public officials of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development must be based on the functions and tasks of the Department and the job titles and standards for civil service positions as prescribed by law;

b) Based on the volume of work, the nature, and specific characteristics of management in the sector and field within the province, the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall coordinate with the Director of the Department of Home Affairs to determine the administrative staffing level of the Department to submit to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for decision within the total administrative staffing quota of the province;

c) The staffing level of non-administrative units under the Department shall be decided by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee according to the delegation of authority.

Part II

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

IN DISTRICTS AND ECONOMIC DEPARTMENTS IN DISTRICTS,

MUNICIPALITIES, AND PROVINCE-CITY LEVELS,

I. POSITION AND FUNCTION

The Agriculture and Rural Development Departments in districts and Economic Departments in districts, municipalities, and province-city levels are specialized agencies under the District People's Committees; they advise and assist the District People's Committees in implementing state management functions at the local level regarding agriculture; forestry; salt production; water resources; aquaculture; rural development; household economic development; rural farmstead economy; rural cooperative economy; rural industry and craft village economies linked to agricultural, forestry, fishery, and salt industries, and perform certain duties and powers delegated by the District People's Committees and as prescribed by law, ensuring unified management in the sector and field of work at the local level.

The Agriculture and Rural Development Departments and Economic Departments have legal personality, seals, and separate bank accounts; they are subject to the direction and management of organizational structure, staffing, and personnel work by the District People's Committees; at the same time, they are subject to professional guidance and supervision by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

II. TASKS AND AUTHORITIES

1. Propose decisions, directives; long-term plans, five-year plans, and annual plans; programs encouraging the development of agriculture, forestry, salt production, aquaculture, water resources, and rural development to the District People's Committee for submission to the same-level People's Council for approval; programs and measures to organize the implementation of administrative reform tasks assigned in the field of state management.

2. Draft documents in the specialized agricultural and rural development field within the authority of the County People's Committee Chairman for submission to the County People's Committee Chairman.

3. Implement legal normative documents, plans, technical standards and specifications approved; disseminate information and promote laws related to fields under their jurisdiction.

4. Organize the implementation of agricultural, forestry, fishery production development work and salt-making operations; work to prevent, mitigate, and recover from natural disaster consequences, pests, and diseases on the local territory.

5. Organize the protection of dikes, medium and small-scale water resource works; aquaculture works; rural water supply and drainage works; flood prevention and control works; manage the irrigation network on the local territory in accordance with the law.

6. Provide professional guidance to the Commune People's Committees in carrying out tasks and powers in the fields of agriculture, forestry, salt production, aquaculture, water resources, and rural development; on implementing measures to adjust the economic structure, develop agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, protect forests, plant trees, and exploit forest products; process agricultural, forestry, and aquaculture products and salt; develop rural industries and crafts..

7. Serve as the focal point for organizing and guiding the implementation of contents related to rural development; compile situations and report to the District People's Committee on the construction and development of rural areas in the district across fields such as household economic development, farmstead economy, cooperative economy; rural industry and craft development; rural clean water exploitation and utilization; processing of agricultural, forestry, and aquaculture products and salt.

8. Conduct statistics on the changes in agricultural land, forestry land, salt production land, aquaculture water surfaces, and forest changes; organize the implementation of appropriate cultivation methods to rationally utilize land and water resources for agricultural production, aquaculture, and salt-making.

9. Manage activities serving the development of agriculture, forestry, salt production, and aquaculture; agricultural and forestry materials, fertilizers, livestock feed, and aquaculture on the district territory.

10. Organize the implementation of agricultural extension, forestry extension, fishery extension, salt production extension, and projects for developing agriculture, forestry, salt production, aquaculture, water resources, and rural development on the district territory.

11. Assist the District People's Committee in implementing and being responsible for reviewing, registering, and issuing various types of permits within the scope of responsibility and authority of the specialized agency as prescribed by law and as assigned by the District People's Committee.

12. Assist the District People's Committee in managing state affairs concerning collective economic organizations, private economic organizations; guide and inspect the activities of associations and non-governmental organizations on the territory within the fields managed by the department as prescribed by law.

13. Coordinate with relevant agencies to inspect and audit the enforcement of laws; advise the District People's Committee on resolving disputes, complaints, and accusations regarding agriculture, forestry, salt production, aquaculture, water resources, and rural development in accordance with the law.

14. Carry out the standing tasks of the Flood and Storm Prevention Command; search and rescue; urgent issues in protecting and preventing forest fires and firefighting in the county as prescribed; propose plans, measures, and participate in directing the prevention, mitigation, and recovery from natural disaster consequences such as floods, storms, landslides, droughts, waterlogging, saline intrusion, and diseases in agricultural, forestry, salt production, and aquaculture production on the district territory.

15. Implement information dissemination and regular and urgent reporting on the implementation of assigned tasks in the fields of agriculture, forestry, salt industry, fisheries, water conservancy, and rural development according to the regulations of the People's Committee at the district level and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

16. Carry out other tasks assigned by the People's Committee at the district level or the Chairman of the People's Committee at the district level pursuant to the provisions of the law.

III. ORGANIZATION AND STAFFING

1. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development or the Economic Department shall have a Head and Deputy Heads.

2. Professional staff responsible for managing agriculture and rural development in the district shall be allocated in accordance with the assigned tasks.

3. The specific number of staff positions for managing the agricultural sector and rural development in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development or the Economic Department shall be determined by the Chairman of the People's Committee at the district level within the total administrative staffing of the district.

Part III

NATIONAL MANAGEMENT TASKS

ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE AT THE COMMUNE, WARD, TOWN LEVEL

I. TASKS AND POWERS

In the fields of agriculture, forestry, salt industry, fisheries, water conservancy, and rural development, the People's Committee at the commune, ward, town level (hereinafter referred to as the People's Committee at the commune level) shall perform the following tasks and powers:

1. Organize and guide the implementation of planning, programs, plans, and proposals to encourage the development of agriculture, forestry, salt industry, and fisheries.

2. Organize propaganda and dissemination of laws and policies on agriculture and rural development.

3. Direct annual production plans for agriculture, salt industry, fisheries, and forest development; organize guidance for farmers to implement technical measures to adjust economic structures, crops, and livestock in agricultural and forestry production and fisheries according to approved planning and plans.

4. Direct the formulation of plans, mobilize forces, and implement disease prevention and control for crops, livestock, and fisheries; organize the maintenance and protection of dikes, embankments, works, and specialized support facilities, forest protection; forest fire prevention and extinguishing, illegal logging, and restoration of drought, typhoon, flood, subsidence, landslide, and forest fire damage; promptly prevent violations of laws on dike protection, forest protection, and specialized support facilities in the locality.

5. Direct, inspect, and supervise the construction of small water conservancy projects and irrigation networks; monitor, inspect, and protect the use of water in water conservancy works and clean water in rural areas according to the law.

6. Implement and inspect statistical work on the changes in agricultural land, forestry land, salt industry land; statistics on forests, forest inventory, changes in forest resources, and the number of livestock and poultry in the commune according to regulations; compile the situation of agricultural, forestry, and fishery production progress.

7. Organize the exploitation and development of traditional rural industries and trades; apply scientific and technological advances to develop production and new industries and trades in the commune.

8. Implement and inspect quality management of products, crop seeds, livestock breeds, fertilizers, animal feed, plant protection chemicals, veterinary drugs, and food safety on the commune level according to regulations.

9. Implement activities providing public services related to agriculture and rural development in the commune.

10. Report regularly and urgently on the situation of agricultural, forestry, salt industry, and fisheries production and water conservancy and rural development work in the commune according to regulations.

II. ON THE FORMS OF ORGANIZATIONAL ACTIVITY

1. The People's Committee at the commune level organizes working locations and directs, inspects the activities of professional and technical staff working in the commune according to the management and coordination regulations and information reporting system.

2. Assign a Vice Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level to be responsible for coordinating the activities of professional and technical staff working in the commune.

3. Based on the actual conditions of the locality and the management and coordination regulations for technical staff in the commune issued by the Chairman of the People's Committee at the provincial level, the People's Committee at the commune level may establish a Commune Agricultural Management Board consisting of technical staff in the commune to manage and coordinate agricultural activities in the commune.

Part IV

IMPLEMENTATION

1. Provincial People's Committees, centrally governed cities:

a) Direct the improvement of the organizational structure of the agricultural sector and rural development in the locality.

b) Specify the functions, tasks, powers, organizational structure, and staffing of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; direct, guide, and inspect the definition and implementation of functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of specialized agencies under the management of the People's Committee at the district level for national management in agriculture and rural development.

2. This Circular takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette. This Circular replaces Circular Joint No. 11/2004/TTLT-BNN-BNV dated April 2, 2004, of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Home Affairs guiding the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of specialized agencies assisting the People's Committee in managing the state in agriculture and rural development; Circular No. 01/2005/TTLT-BTS-BNV dated February 3, 2005, of the Ministry of Fisheries and the Ministry of Home Affairs guiding the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of specialized agencies assisting the People's Committee at the provincial level in centrally governed cities in managing the state in fisheries and previous regulations of the joint ministries contrary to this Circular.

3. During the implementation, if there are difficulties or need for supplementation or amendment, the People's Committee at the provincial level shall report to the joint ministries of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Home Affairs for research and resolution./.