National rural and agricultural census on July 1, 2025

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Law on Statistics stipulates that the Rural and Agricultural Census is one of the national statistical censuses chaired by the Central Statistical Office (General Statistics Office), in coordination with ministries, branches and localities. The National Statistical Survey Program issued together with Decision No. 03/QD-TTg dated February 15, 2023 of the Prime Minister stipulates that the Rural and Agricultural Census is conducted every 10 years on July 1 of years ending in 5. The 6th Rural and Agricultural Census will be conducted on July 1, 2025.

The rural and agricultural census collects basic information on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural areas to assess the results of implementing national target programs on industrialization, modernization of agriculture, rural areas and new rural construction; the results of implementing other indicators and executive documents of the Party and State.

The results of the Rural and Agricultural Census serve as a basis for developing plans and strategies for rural and agricultural development and improving the living standards of rural residents nationwide as well as in each locality; building an agricultural and rural database to facilitate in-depth research and sample selection for a number of annual periodic surveys in the fields of agricultural, forestry, and fishery statistics and other statistical requirements; serving international comparisons of indicators in the rural and agricultural fields.

The rural and agricultural census is a large-scale nationwide survey, collecting information from many types of survey units (households, farms, enterprises, cooperatives, commune People's Committees, etc.), with many complex contents. The rural and agricultural census requires the mobilization of a large number of statistical investigators, team leaders and supervisors at all levels to participate.

From now until the time of the General Census of Rural and Agricultural Areas, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (General Statistics Office) must do a good job of preparing for the General Census, focusing on the following contents: developing plans, determining survey content and indicators, designing survey forms and documents; researching and testing new technologies in collecting, processing and publishing information; organizing pilot surveys to perfect survey content and procedures; selecting and training statistical professionals and training on the application of information technology in the General Census for statistical investigators, team leaders and supervisors at all levels; ensuring logistics and information technology and communication infrastructure to prepare, collect, process, synthesize, analyze and publish information; estimating the budget for the General Census.

To successfully conduct the 2025 Rural and Agricultural Census, the Ministry of Planning and Investment submitted to the Prime Minister for signing a Decision on organizing the 2025 Rural and Agricultural Census with the following information:

The main contents of the Census include: (i) Information on agricultural, forestry and fishery production; (ii) Information on rural areas; (iii) Information on rural residents.

Establishment of the Steering Committee for the General Census at all levels: The Central Steering Committee is headed by a Deputy Prime Minister; members of the Central Steering Committee are leaders of a number of directly related ministries and branches, including: Minister of Planning and Investment (as Permanent Deputy Head); General Statistics Office; Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Finance, Natural Resources and Environment, Information and Communications, Central Vietnam Farmers' Union, Vietnam Cooperative Alliance.

The Provincial and District Census Steering Committees include: Chairman (or Vice Chairman) of the People's Committee as Head of the Committee; Head of the Statistics Agency at the same level as Permanent Deputy Head of the Committee; Heads (or Deputy Heads) of the following agencies: Agriculture and Rural Development, Planning and Investment, Finance, Natural Resources and Environment, Radio and Television, Farmers' Association and Deputy Heads of Statistics Agency at the same level as Members.

The Commune Steering Committee includes the Chairman (or Vice Chairman) of the People's Committee as Head of the Committee, officers in charge of Statistics, Agriculture, and Commune Land Administration as members, in which the commune statistical officer is a standing member.

The Provincial and District Steering Committees for the General Census establish a Standing Team to assist the Steering Committees at that level, which is organized and implemented by the Statistics Agency at the same level.

For districts, provincial cities, wards and towns: Only establish a General Census Steering Committee for units with agricultural, forestry and fishery households accounting for more than 30% of the total number of households in each unit. For districts, provincial cities, wards and towns that do not establish a Steering Committee, the Chairman of the People's Committee of the district, city, ward or town will directly direct and the district-level statistical unit and statistical officer will be the standing unit.