Agriculture and rural modernization is one of top priorities of Krông Pak District in 2012(Photo: H.N)

(VOVworld) The Vietnamese Government has decided on 7 new ways of major solutions of implementing 11 sets of measures laid out in the National Targets Program on New Rural Development. The measures aim to ensure that 20% of all communes nationwide will conform to the new standards on rural affairs and 50% of all villages by 2020. In this week’s New Rural Landscape, VOV will discuss several solutions included in the package.

Tang Minh Loc, the Director of the Rural Development and Economic Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development says that of the 7 measures, top priority will given to a nationwide information campaign on the development of new rural areas. Loc who is also head of the Program’s Steering Committee says 'It is necessary to increase public access to information about the new program as a lot of it is very new. Therefore, to involve politicians, officials, and people from all walks of life to participate, we need to explain what exactly the model is. Villagers need to know what to do and how to encourage communes and local people to take part in the program. The main point is being made by the people and they are the beneficiaries. Many innovative ideas have come from the villagers themselves'.

Another way is to prioritize and be practical with a greater focus on future planning and improving the existing plans in line with the new criteria. Nguyen Van Kha, Deputy Chairman of the People’s Committee in Nui Thanh District, Quang Nam province elaborates 'This year, we have focused on planning in the 4 pilot communes. The Government’s policy of developing rural areas around the country has received a lot of support from local villagers. In 2012, the provincial authorities used 240,000 USD from the provincial budget to upgrade rural communities'.

The national targets program also includes long-term assistance for farmers in science and technology and the application of advanced technologies in agriculture and rural development. Personnel training is essential. Tang Minh Loc says that the Party and Government have changed a number of inappropriate policies and mechanisms so they can make full use of every resource to develop rural communities. Mr. Loc says 'The Government has outlined a credit policy to encourage credit institutions to lend more to new rural developments, and for businesses to increase their profits. The Government has also issued a decree to encourage businesses to invest in agriculture and rural developments and a decree to attract young people to work in the country’s remote areas. Currently, the Government is about to appoint 60 young academics to work in disadvantaged communes'.

To help farmers feel secure, the Government has decided to maintain the current 3.8 million hectares of land for growing rice and will set rice prices which must ensure up to 40% of the profits go to the farmers.