Enhancing Agricultural Development for New Rural Growth, Sustainable Poverty Reduction

Thach That district has implemented many solutions to leverage its agricultural potential. The district continues to advance agricultural restructuring alongside new rural development and sustainable poverty reduction to boost incomes and support local socioeconomic growth.

The district focuses on building new rural areas while preserving cultural heritage

Agricultural value chains thrive

According to the Thach That District People’s Committee, the district is implementing the agricultural restructuring project this year, focusing on crop and livestock transformation and developing value chains for key industries.

Nguyen Do Ban, Director of Huong Ngai Agriculture Cooperative, said, its safe vegetable products are not only supported by the district to join the One Commune One Product (OCOP) Program but also to find markets for farmers. To date, the cooperative has signed contracts with An Viet Company (Nam Tu Liem district), Minh An Company (Bac Tu Liem district) and collective kitchens in the district to sell vegetables, tubers and fruits. Presently, it supplies more than one ton of vegetables, tubers and fruits to supermarkets every week, helping increase the value of one hectare of cultivation to VND300 million a year.

Currently, the district has formed concentrated agricultural production areas, including 600-ha high-quality rice farming areas in Canh Nau, Di Nau and Huong Ngai communes; 285-ha safe vegetable areas in Tien Xuan, Huong Ngai, Di Nau, Yen Binh and Yen Trung communes; 300-ha high-value fruit tree areas in Binh Yen, Kim Quan and Lai Thuong communes. To ensure product output, the district supports cooperatives in maintaining six value chains from production to consumption. This includes a 10-ha organic vegetable chain and a 15-ha spring potato area at Huong Ngai Agriculture Cooperative, as well as pig farming in Binh Yen commune and high-quality rice cultivation across many communes.

Mr. Do Xuan Nhung, owner of a livestock farm in Phu Kim commune, said, in addition to building a concentrated agricultural production area, the district also supports producers to pool money to expand production scale, build brands, label QR codes for traceability, and consult on participation in the OCOP Program.

According to Vice Chairman of the Thach That District People’s Committee Nguyen Kim Loan, every year, the district will allocate a budget for agricultural development, encouraging producers, traders, and research centers to create value chains for effective, sustainable production that boosts farmers' incomes. Additionally, it will support businesses and farmers in building product brands, marketing, and promoting trade to enhance the presence of strong agricultural products in supermarkets and convenience stores.

Thach That district promotes a shift to organic production

Mobilizing resources to boost production and business

Nguyen Kim Loan said that, implementing Program 04-CTr/TU dated March 17, 2021 of the Hanoi Party Committee, the Thach That Party Committee issued Program 03-CTr/HU on “Enhancing effective implementation of the National Target Program on New Rural Development in association with restructuring agriculture, developing the rural economy, improving the material and spiritual life of farmers in the 2021-2025 period.” In 2024, the district mobilized resources and disbursed capital for production development, crop and livestock restructuring, and labor restructuring. It focuses on meaningful cultural, social, and security projects to enhance the lives of rural residents, prioritizing five communes that meet advanced and model new rural development standards. The goal is to certify 11 communes as advanced and five as models by 2025, with an average income of VND120 million per capita, no poor households by Hanoi standards, all communes meeting national health standards, and at least 95% health insurance coverage.

In addition, Thach That has carried out a plan to develop agricultural and rural tourism together with new rural construction in the 2022-2025 period and to piloted agricultural and rural tourism development models, community tourism, smart tourism villages and craft village tourism in a green, responsible and sustainable manner in some communes. According to the plan, the district hoped that each commune/town will have potential strengths to develop agricultural and rural tourism and launch community tourism products, which will be associated with OCOP-certified products to introduce to tourists. In 2025-2030, Thach That district will strive to become one of the key tourism districts in Hanoi.

The district will invest in projects to support agricultural restructuring and aid qualified cooperatives with equipment for product processing, benefiting both the community and members. It will apply science and technology, particularly in high-tech and organic agriculture for export, create agricultural product brands, and enhance product value. Thach That will encourage a shift from traditional to organic production, focusing on quality and safety, while boosting marketing and communications for these products.

By Bao Dan, Vietnam Business Forum