Circular No. 86/2009/TT-BNNPTNT guiding the development of agricultural extension and fisheries promotion programs under the Program to rapidly and sustainably reduce poverty for 61 poor districts.

 

CIRCULAR

Guidelines for developing agricultural extension and fisheries promotion programs under the Program to rapidly and sustainably reduce poverty in 61 poor districts

support for rapid and sustainable poverty reduction in 61 poor districts

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

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2009/NĐ-CP dated September 10, 2009 amending Article 3 of Decree No. 01/2008/NĐ-CP dated January 3, 2008 of the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;
Pursuant to Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008 of the Government on the Program to rapidly and sustainably reduce poverty in 61 poor districts;

Pursuant to Decision No. 162/2008/QĐ-TTg dated December 4, 2008 of the Prime Minister on policies for agricultural extension and fisheries promotion in difficult areas;
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development hereby issues guidelines for developing agricultural extension and fisheries promotion programs under the Program to rapidly and sustainably reduce poverty in 61 poor districts as follows:

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

These Circulars provide guidance on the contents and procedures for developing agricultural extension and fisheries promotion programs in accordance with Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008 of the Government on the Program to rapidly and sustainably reduce poverty in 61 poor districts (hereinafter referred to as the Program).

Article 2. Objectives of Developing the Program

The objectives of developing agricultural extension and fisheries promotion programs under this Circular are the 61 poor districts according to Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008 of the Government (the list of poor districts is set out in Appendix I attached to Circular No. 705/TTg-KGVX dated May 11, 2009)

Chapter II

CONTENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR DEVELOPING THE PROGRAM

Article 3. Contents of the Program

The agricultural extension and fisheries promotion program must ensure the following contents:

1. Assessing and analyzing natural conditions, economic and social status; current agricultural, forestry, and fisheries production; organization systems and activities of agricultural extension and fisheries promotion in the locality; difficulties and issues that need to be addressed.

2. Objectives of developing the Program:

Determining the Administrative Reform Index to monitor and evaluate in a substantive, objective, and fair manner the annual implementation results of administrative reform of ministries, agencies equivalent to ministries (referred to as ministries), and people's committees of provinces and central-supervised cities (referred to as provinces) during the implementation of the Comprehensive Program on Administrative Reform of State Agencies for the 2011-2020 period.

Based on the general objectives of Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP, determine the specific objectives of the agricultural extension and fisheries promotion program to be achieved by 2020 to contribute to achieving the general objectives of the Resolution.

b) Specific Objectives:

Specific objectives for agricultural extension work in poor districts include:

Strengthening the agricultural extension and fisheries promotion system in poor districts to implement extension and promotion activities at the local level.

Supporting poor districts to implement agricultural extension and fisheries promotion activities, contributing to improving the efficiency of agricultural, forestry, and fisheries production, increasing income, and rapidly and sustainably reducing poverty among farmers.

Contributing to enhancing the production capacity of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries for farmers in poor districts.

3. Building and strengthening the organizational system for agricultural extension and fisheries promotion:

a) At the district level:

Supplement staff, enhance capabilities, technical infrastructure, and necessary working equipment for agricultural extension stations in poor districts so that district-level agricultural extension stations have sufficient capacity to implement agricultural extension and fisheries promotion programs, technology transfer, and provide necessary services to farmers, promoting production development in the locality.

b) At the commune level:

Each commune, ward, or town shall have at least one commune-level agricultural extension officer as stipulated in Decree No. 56/2005/NĐ-CP of the Government on agricultural extension and fisheries promotion. Commune-level agricultural extension officers shall receive salaries based on their educational qualifications and current regulations, funded from the local budget.

c) At the village level:

Each village shall have one village-level agricultural extension worker. Village-level agricultural extension workers shall receive allowances as prescribed by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Funding for allowances for the village-level agricultural extension worker system in poor districts, enhancing capabilities, technical infrastructure, and working equipment to support agricultural extension and fisheries promotion work is allocated from the Program's budget implementing Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP of the Government.

4. Developing and implementing agricultural extension and fisheries promotion programs to promote agricultural production development in poor districts:

a) Basis for developing agricultural extension and fisheries promotion programs under the agricultural extension and fisheries promotion program for poor districts during the period 2010-2020:

Based on the socio-economic development goals of the locality and the needs for supporting agricultural extension and fisheries promotion activities to develop production for households in the district.

Based on economic and technical norms and state support policies for agricultural extension and fisheries promotion:

Agricultural extension and fisheries promotion projects apply economic and technical norms issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

In cases where projects do not have norms issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, they shall apply norms approved by the provincial People's Committee.

If there are no norms in the locality, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the province shall establish temporary norms and submit them to the provincial People's Committee for approval to implement.

b) Programs and projects for agricultural extension and fisheries promotion:

Including the following contents: Demonstration model construction; Training and education; Information dissemination.

The contents and detailed budgets of agricultural extension and fisheries promotion projects are developed according to the template attached to this Circular and submitted along with the Program for review.

c) Implementation time for agricultural extension and fisheries promotion programs and projects: from 1 to 3 years, depending on the nature and scale of each project.

- Directing the Department of Information and Communications to advise on management, plan formulation, and implementation after approval by the Provincial People's Committee;

The agricultural extension and fisheries promotion system in poor districts (including district-level agricultural extension stations, commune-level agricultural extension officers, and village-level agricultural extension workers) is responsible for organizing the implementation of the agricultural extension and fisheries promotion program.

The District People's Committee is the investor and is responsible for the results and effectiveness of the agricultural extension and fisheries promotion program.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development guides poor districts in implementing the agricultural extension and fisheries promotion program.

Article 4. Support policies to implement the Project

1. Funding:

The funding for implementing the agricultural and fisheries extension project in poor districts shall be allocated at twice the average level compared to other districts in the province. The allocation of funds shall be carried out according to Circular Joint No. 10/2009/TTLT-BKH-BTC dated October 30, 2009, jointly issued by the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance on the provisions for integrating various sources of capital to implement the Program for Rapid and Sustainable Poverty Reduction in Poor Districts under Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP dated December 27, 2008 of the Government.

2. Support Standards:

a) Building demonstration models: The State will cover 100% of costs related to seeds and materials for building agricultural, forestry, and fisheries extension models.

b) Training and education: Participants in training and instruction will be provided with materials and supported with 100% of costs for training, accommodation, travel expenses, and VND 10,000 per day per person.

c) Information dissemination and promotion:

Each district will be supported up to VND 100 million per year to organize trade fairs and promote and introduce agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products and market information to farmers in accordance with Point 6, Clause a, Part II of Resolution 30a.

Supporting county-level agricultural extension officers, commune-level, village-level, and ethnic group-level Agricultural Extension Newsletters.

Providing free agricultural publications of all types, such as leaflets, brochures, audio-visual materials in two languages: Vietnamese and the local ethnic language, to farmers and producers in poor districts.

For the Agricultural Extension Newsletters and other agricultural publications compiled and distributed by the central agency, each poor district shall register their needs annually with the National Agricultural Extension Center (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) to receive support. For agricultural publications compiled and distributed by local agencies, poor districts shall place orders with the supplying units and request local budgets to provide support.

d) Consulting and services:

Farmers and producers in poor districts shall receive free consulting from agricultural extension officers at all levels in all aspects of agricultural production.

Organizations providing support services for agricultural, forestry, and fisheries production shall be prioritized by local authorities in leasing land for production and business, receiving preferential policies when borrowing capital, and enjoying other favorable policies as prescribed.

Article 5. Procedures for Drafting, Approving, and Implementing the Project

1. Based on this Circular and current state policies, People's Committees of poor districts shall draft the agricultural and fisheries extension project for the period 2010-2020, submit it to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for review, and then submit it to the provincial People's Committee for approval.

2. Based on the approved project, each year, People's Committees of poor districts shall organize the implementation of the project to ensure the completion of the project's objectives.

3. Management mechanisms, distribution, and settlement of accounts for funding shall be implemented according to Circular No. 199/2009/TT-BTC dated October 13, 2009, of the Ministry of Finance.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 6. Implementation Organization

1. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development shall advise the provincial People's Committee to direct and guide the People's Committees of districts listed in Resolution No. 30a/2008/NQ-CP to organize the drafting and implementation of the agricultural and fisheries extension project under the Program for Rapid and Sustainable Poverty Reduction for 61 poor districts.

2. People's Committees of poor districts shall base their projects on guidelines and current state regulations to draft the agricultural and fisheries extension project under the Program for Rapid and Sustainable Poverty Reduction, submit it to the provincial People's Committee for approval, and organize its implementation. They shall report periodically monthly, quarterly, and annually to the provincial People's Committee, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (National Agricultural Extension Center), and relevant ministries and sectors as prescribed.

3. The provincial People's Committee shall direct the Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development, relevant departments, and districts to regularly organize inspections, supervision, and evaluations of the implementation status and results and effectiveness of the project.

Article 7. Effective Date

This Circular shall take effect 45 days from the date of issuance.

During the implementation process, if there are difficulties or obstacles, they should be reported to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for timely supplementation and adjustment to ensure appropriateness.