Circular No. 79/2007/TT-BNN amending and supplementing certain contents of Circular No. 01/2007/TT-BNN guiding the implementation of the Production Development Support Project under Program 135 for the period 2006-2010.

CIRCULAR

Amending and supplementing certain contents of Circular 01/2007/TT-BNN on guiding the implementation of the Project to Support Production Development under Program 135 for the period 2006-2010.

guiding the implementation of the Project to Support Production Development

under Program 135 for the period 2006-2010

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Pursuant to Decree No. 86/2003/NĐ-CP dated July 18, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

Pursuant to Decision No. 07/2006/QĐ-TTg dated January 10, 2006 of the Prime Minister approving the Program for Developing Socio-Economic Activities in Particularly Difficult Communes of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the period 2006-2010 and Circular Joint No. 676/2006/TTLT-UBDT-KHĐT-TC-XD-NNPTNT guiding the implementation of this Decision.

After reaching consensus with the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs and relevant ministries and sectors regarding the resolution of difficulties encountered by localities during the implementation process, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development guides the amendment and supplementation of certain contents of Circular No. 01/2007/TT-BNN dated January 15, 2007 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as follows:

1. Amending and supplementing Clause 2, Part II as follows:

2. The project supports the following activities:

2.1. Supporting agricultural extension activities, forestry extension, fishery extension, and industrial extension

- Propagating scientific and technological advances, market information, and prices; printing, distributing, and disseminating certain production techniques for crops, livestock, storage, and processing of agricultural and forest products to households;

- Training and capacity building to enhance knowledge and skills in economic management in the fields of agriculture and rural areas;

- Organizing visits and surveys to learn production experiences within and outside the locality;

- Establishing demonstration models applying scientific and technological advances in agricultural, forestry, and fishery production.

2.2. Supporting the establishment and dissemination of production models

- Models transferring scientific and technological advances into production: crop cultivation, animal husbandry, aquaculture, and processing of agricultural, forest, and aquatic products;

- Production models linked with processing, preservation, and consumption of agricultural, forest, and aquatic products;

- Models shifting the economic structure of agriculture and rural areas.

2.3. Supporting seeds and breeding materials for crops and livestock, and production inputs (applicable to poor households)

- Livestock breeds: large ruminants, small ruminants, poultry, and aquaculture; crop seeds: food crops, industrial crops, forestry crops, fruit trees, and medicinal plants suitable for local conditions;

- Chemical fertilizers, veterinary drugs, plant protection chemicals, and other inputs.

2.4. Supporting the purchase of equipment, machinery, and tools for production and processing and preservation of products

- Equipment and machinery for preserving and processing agricultural, forestry, and fishery products.

- Tools and machinery for agricultural, forestry, and fishery production.

Localities are not required to invest in all the above contents in one year at the same location; they may choose the most practical and appropriate contents according to the general orientation of the district for developing agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and the specific characteristics of the area and the needs of the people. The support ratio shall be determined by the Provincial People's Committee in accordance with the actual conditions and circumstances of the locality. Specifically, the minimum level of support for seeds and production inputs must be at least 90% of their value at the time of implementation (based on the notification of the Department of Finance - Price Control). (based on the notification of the Department of Finance - Price Control).

2. Amending and supplementing Point 3.1, Clause 3, Part II as follows:

3.1. Project Investor (all provisions related to the project investor in Circular 01 are replaced by the project investor): The commune is the project investor; if the commune officials lack the capacity to undertake the role, then the District People's Committee will directly act as the project investor.

3. Amending and supplementing the title of Clause 4 and the content of Point 4.1 of Clause 4, Part II as follows:

4. Procedures for preparing, reviewing, and approving investment plans

4.1. Sources of funds and procedures for implementation

The project is implemented using various sources of funds: public welfare funds, development investment funds from Program 135, and other integrated funds decided by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

a. Public welfare funds support the following activities: Supporting agricultural extension activities, forestry extension, fishery extension, and industrial extension; Supporting seeds and breeding materials for crops and livestock, and production inputs; and Supporting the establishment and dissemination of production models.

Implementation procedures include: Detailed plan and budget prepared by the project investor, approved by the District People's Committee.

b. Development investment funds support the activity of purchasing equipment, machinery, and tools for production and post-harvest processing and preservation.

Implementation procedures include: Economic and technical report, detailed budget, procurement document for equipment suppliers, and contract between the project investor and supplier, all approved by the District People's Committee.

The economic and technical report is prepared by the project investor or a consulting unit selected by the investor (if the investor cannot prepare it themselves), including the necessity for investment, types of machinery and equipment needed, investor, location, scale, duration, investment effectiveness, and detailed budget.

Based on the annual capital usage plan from the grassroots level, the supervising authority guides the allocation of funds for each activity in accordance with the actual situation of the locality and the overall direction of the State. Specific allocations are decided by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

To avoid the equal distribution of funds and promote households' participation in structural production changes towards effective markets, when formulating annual production plans, investors should focus on supporting key products that have advantages and align with the county's commodity production program. (but based on discussions and consensus among the beneficiaries in the village).

Regarding invoices for payment: Due to the nature of agricultural production and the beneficiaries of the production development support project, it is now unified that starting from 2008, for materials and seeds purchased from companies or individual traders, valid invoices are mandatory. In cases of transactions between farmers, a receipt signed by the seller, confirmed by the village head and the Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, and within the price range approved by the Provincial People's Committee, is sufficient for payment.

Budget for establishment, review, management, and direction of the project shall be assigned to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development based on current regulations, to develop appropriate standards (for each support content), to submit to the Provincial People's Committee for decision.

4. Amend and supplement Point 2.2, Clause 2, Part III as follows:

2.2. Assign the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as the leading agency, advising the Provincial People's Committee to issue policies and directly direct the implementation of the Project to support production under the Program 135 for the period 2006-2010. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall be responsible for performing the following main tasks:

- Establishing support levels for various types of crops, livestock, machinery, tools serving production, preservation, and processing of agricultural and forest products, and corresponding support ratios for the common 135 target group in the province and specifically for special regions, to submit to the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for approval as the basis for investors to prepare detailed budgets. Adjustments will be made annually to adapt to market fluctuations.

- Establishing support levels for costs related to the tasks of establishing, reviewing, managing, and directing the implementation of the project, to submit to the Provincial People's Committee for decision as the basis for calculating and allocating funds in the annual plan.

- Establishing procedures for implementing the project, specifying required procedures for each step of work; forms and tables (planning tables, economic-technical report templates...) from initial survey, project preparation, organization of implementation to final acceptance, settlement, and handover for training of investors.

- Guiding districts and communes to prepare investment plans, consolidating investment plans, and developing detailed capital allocation plans for investors to report to the Provincial Program 135 Steering Committee, to submit to the Provincial People's Committee for approval.

- Inspecting and supervising the implementation of the Project to support production within the province;

- Directing, summarizing, disseminating, and expanding production models within the province.

- Summarizing implementation results, reporting periodically every three months, six months, and annually to the provincial Program 135 Office and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

- Assigning the Cooperative and Rural Development Agency to lead, coordinating with relevant units to assist the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in performing assigned tasks.

5. This Circular takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette, all provisions contrary to this Circular in Circular 01/2007/TT-BNN dated January 15, 2007, are abolished.

During implementation, if there are issues that are not suitable, localities are requested to reflect them to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for study, amendment, and supplementation to improve./.