General Secretary To Lam: Urgently improve the agricultural extension system when operating a two-tiered local government system.

According to a report by the Ministry of Interior, regarding the implementation of a two-tiered local government system and the reorganization of grassroots and community-based agricultural extension forces, each locality has now reorganized one public service unit under the Department of Agriculture and Environment to carry out agricultural extension tasks.

Accordingly, in addition to the functions and tasks related to agricultural extension activities as stipulated in Decree 83/2018/ND-CP, localities are now assigning provincial-level agricultural extension organizations to perform many other tasks in the agricultural sector such as plant protection, veterinary medicine, and quality management of agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products. The total number of agricultural extension officers working at the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center Office is currently 1,763.

Implementing a two-tiered local government system, provinces and cities nationwide have reorganized district-level agricultural extension organizations (Agricultural Service Centers) according to the following plans: 24 out of 34 provinces established regional agricultural extension stations managed by the provincial-level Agricultural Extension Center; 3 out of 34 provinces established regional agricultural service stations managed by the Department of Agriculture and Environment (Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri); and 2 out of 34 provinces established regional agricultural service stations managed by the commune People's Committee (Lao Cai, Quang Ngai). After the reorganization, the total number of regional agricultural extension stations nationwide is 324; the total number of agricultural extension officers working at these stations is 4,518.

Speaking at the meeting, General Secretary To Lam stated that regarding general issues at the commune level, the Politburo has made very specific assessments and conclusions. According to feedback, one of the most difficult issues at the commune level currently is personnel management. The Politburo requires localities to allocate and arrange sufficient professional staff before October 15, 2025.

Regarding agricultural extension specifically, the General Secretary emphasized that it is crucial to recognize agriculture as a very important issue, receiving special attention in accordance with the Central Committee's directives. Agriculture is a national advantage and a pillar of the economy. Agricultural extension is identified as an important task for commune-level authorities. It must be closely linked to the grassroots and the fields. Each commune should have two agricultural extension officers. At the provincial level, there will continue to be agricultural extension centers, primarily responsible for guiding, coordinating, supervising, and supporting commune-level implementation.

The General Secretary requested that the agricultural extension organization at all levels, from provincial to commune, be urgently reorganized, eliminating intermediaries and ensuring interconnectedness, synchronization, uniformity, regular and effective operation; that positions for civil servants with expertise in agriculture at the commune level be arranged; and that the effectiveness of commune-level agricultural extension officers be strengthened and improved to ensure that agricultural extension activities at the commune level are not disrupted or interrupted.

The General Secretary proposed strengthening the agricultural extension apparatus according to the two-tiered local government organization, selecting a team of civil servants and officials who meet the job requirements, simultaneously performing state management and providing agricultural extension services at the commune level.