General Secretary To Lam: Agricultural extension must tie to the grassroots and fields

The Office of the Party Central Committee has just issued Announcement No. 371-TB/VPTW, dated October 4, 2025, conveying General Secretary To Lam's conclusions at the working session with the Ministry of Home Affairs on the system of public service units performing agricultural extension tasks at the local level when operating the two-tier local government model.

The announcement stated: On October 3, 2025, at the headquarters of the Party Central Committee, Comrade To Lam, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee, chaired a working session with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on the system of public service units performing agricultural extension tasks at the local level when operating the two-tier local government model.

Attending the working session were leaders representing the Central Organizing Committee, Central Policy and Strategy Committee, Office of the Party Central Committee agencies, along with Assistants and Secretaries of the General Secretary.

After listening to the report of the Ministry of Home Affairs and opinions from delegates, General Secretary To Lam concluded that it is essential to thoroughly grasp and fully understand the role and importance of agriculture and the task of agricultural development in economic and social development, building new rural areas, and improving people's lives in accordance with the spirit of "agriculture is a national advantage and a pillar of the economy." The General Secretary also emphasized that agricultural extension is a key task of commune-level governments and must tie to the grassroots and fields.

Regarding the organizational model, the General Secretary concluded as follows: Provincial and municipal levels maintain agricultural extension centers, mainly responsible for guiding, coordinating, urging, inspecting, and supporting commune levels in implementing agricultural extension work. Regional and inter-commune agricultural extension stations are not organized.

Commune-level governments establish public service units to perform multi-sector, multi-field essential basic public services, including agricultural extension functions and tasks. Commune-level Party committees and governments must pay attention to directing the good implementation of agricultural extension work, not "outsource" it to public service units.

The operations of community-based agricultural extension groups shall continue to be strengthened and made more effective, with an emphasis on disseminating knowledge and production experience and assisting and guiding farmers in linkages to develop agricultural production.

Based on the agricultural extension officers at the provincial level and regional and inter-commune agricultural extension stations, they will be assigned to communes to coordinate with officers working in the agricultural and environmental fields in existing communes, ensuring that each commune has at least 5 to 6 agricultural extension officers, without increasing the total number of agricultural extension staff.

The Government Party Committee is tasked with directing the Party Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs to coordinate with the Party Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to urgently issue legal documents within their authority to guide localities in implementing the above orientations. This must be completed before October 15, 2025. Localities are required to finalize the establishment of commune-level public service units before October 30, 2025.

The Office of the Party Central Committee informs relevant agencies to know and implement.