Vietnam New Rural adjust to new administrative organization model

The workshop took place in Yen Bai province, with the participation of representatives from 14 northern mountainous provinces, including Thai Nguyen, Ha Giang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Son La, Lao Cai, Phu Tho, and Yen Bai.

Some districts have "zero New Rural commune"

According to compiled data from local reports on new rural development (NRD) results, as of March 2025, nearly 6,000 communes nationwide (almost 78%) had met NRD standards. Among them, over 2,350 communes (nearly 40%) had achieved advanced NRD standards, while 597 communes (nearly 10%) had reached model NRD standards.

At the district level, 305 out of 645 units across 59 provinces and centrally-run cities have been recognized by the Prime Minister as having completed their tasks or met new rural standards. Among these, 20 districts have achieved advanced new rural standards.

At the provincial level, 23 provinces and centrally-run cities have 100% of their communes meeting NRD standards.

The new rural development program still faces certain limitations. There is a significant gap in the rate of communes meeting NRD standards across different regions. 

In the midlands and northern mountainous areas, four provinces have less than 30% of their communes meeting NRD standards. 

Some districts still have "zero new rural communes." In particular, four provinces – Cao Bang, Dien Bien, Quang Binh, and Kon Tum – do not have any district-level units recognized as meeting standards or completing the task of building new rural areas.

Infrastructure serving agricultural production and business has not met the requirements of industrialization and modernization. The irrigation system serving agricultural production is not effective. The commercial, logistic and transportation infrastructure is still weak-linked and not synchronized. The wholesale market system has not been invested to meet the rapidly increasing demand for agricultural trade. 

Economic restructuring and innovation in agriculture are still slow, agricultural production efficiency is uneven; businesses have not to invest in agriculture and rural areas; craft villages have not developed strongly, the operational capacity of cooperatives still has certain limitations, and they have not been bold in expanding development and implementing value chain linkages...

Pollution from waste, wastewater, and pesticides remains common. Some wastewater and waste treatment facilities are operating inefficiently. Public awareness of environmental protection is still low, and the habit of sorting waste at the source has yet to be established.

State budget capital, especially from the central budget, is disbursed slowly, requiring approval from the National Assembly to allow the transfer of implementation resources across multiple years.

Need to adjust criteria to suit 2-level government system

At the workshop, representatives from northern mountainous provinces highlighted various challenges in implementing the National Target Program on New Rural Development. At the same time, they shared ideas and proposed local initiatives for implementing the program during the 2026-2030 period, aligning with the specific realities of each region.

Mr. Ngo Truong Son, Central Coordination Office for NRD, stated that the current reformation of administrative units in localities greatly impacts the National Target Program on NRD. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment and analysis of each aspect is necessary to identify appropriate solutions.

The targets for commune and district levels also need to be adjusted accordingly. The current national criteria set, which applies to three levels – province, district, and commune – must be revised to align with the two-level government structure. Additionally, adjustments are needed in resource allocation, the assignment of implementation responsibilities, and the process of reviewing and recognizing NRD standards.

In the context of new development trends, the National Target Program on NRD must focus on several key tasks. Firstly, the implementation method must shift towards objective-based management, aligning with the new administrative organization model. The coordination role of the provincial level must be strengthened, while the commune level should be given greater autonomy.

At the same time, a flexible coordination mechanism between government branches should be established to ensure the effective implementation of the program.

Second, rural economic development must be linked to sustainable value chains, high-tech applications and e-commerce. This not only helps improve labor productivity, but also creates many local jobs, retains young workers and improves the competitiveness of agricultural products.

Third, climate-smart solutions need to become an important criterion in rural development. Localities, especially vulnerable areas, need flexible solutions, focusing on water resource management, developing low-emission production models, saving energy and protecting the environment.

Fourth, it is necessary to promote digital transformation in all areas, not only in agricultural production, but also in administrative management, public service provision and digital economic development. 

Rural development in the 2026-2030 period is not simply a continuation of the achievements of the previous period, but requires fundamental changes in approach, management and implementation. 

According to Mr. Ngo Truong Son, in parallel with the development of the NRD Program for 2026-2030, it will be necessary to urgently review existing policies to ensure continuity in the implementation of the Program, without any interruptions or bottlenecks.