Harvesting rice in the Mekong Delta (Illustrative image. Photo: VNA).

He made the remark at a meeting on August 2 between the Central Steering Committee for reviewing 10 years of implementing Resolution 26 and the Party committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, which discussed a draft report summing up the resolution’s implementation in the past decade.

Politburo member Binh noted that agriculture has witnessed a strong shift towards commodity production, with the export value of agro-forestry-fishery products in 2017 increasing nearly six times over that of 2008. Rural areas across the country get a facelift thanks to the campaign of building new-style rural areas, and the spiritual and material life of rural residents has improved remarkably.

The draft summing report attested to the correctness of Resolution 26 on a sector that accounts for nearly 70% of the national population and 40% of the nation’s workforce.

According to the report, several goals for 2020 set in the resolution are likely to be fulfilled, including raising the income of rural residents by more than 2.5 times compared to present (the per capita income in rural areas in 2017 was VND32 million, up 3.49 times from 2008). The agricultural sector will employ around 30% of the workforce by 2020 (the rate was 38.6% in June this year), while half of the communes nationwide will achieve all criteria for new style rural areas.

Besides the achievements, delegates at the meeting pointed out the problems in the implementation of the resolution and targets that are unlikely to be completed. They also put forth recommendations on how to carry out the resolution in the 2021-2030 period.

Opinions at the meeting and reports from relevant ministries, agencies and localities will serve as important foundations for the Steering Committee to compile a report on the implementation of Resolution 26 to be submitted to the Politburo in the fourth quarter of this year.

Resolution 26, which was passed by the 7th plenum of the 10th Party Central Committee on August 5, 2008, was the first thematic resolution to assess and define comprehensive and synchronous solutions to issues related to agriculture, farmers and rural areas.

Source: NDO/VNA