Renewing agricultural extension for a green agricultural economy mindset

In the context of Viet Nam's strong shift toward green growth, emission reduction, and sustainable agricultural development, the agricultural extension system is identified as the core force for translating the Party and State's policies into reality. This contributes to the intellectualization of farmers, boosts the agricultural economy, and builds modern and civilized rural areas.

Intellectualizing farmers for green development

Implementing Central resolutions on agricultural development, science and technology, innovation, and the private economy, the National Agricultural Extension Center has determined that the comprehensive renewal of agricultural extension work is an urgent requirement. If agricultural extension previously focused mainly on technology transfer, it must now serve as an effective bridge among scientists, businesses, cooperatives, and farmers, helping farmers master knowledge, markets, and technology.

Agricultural extension must not only guide farming but also accompany farmers, enhancing their capacity for commodity production, value chain management, proactive response to climate change, and international market integration. The agricultural economy mindset has become the foundation for repositioning the role of agricultural extension in the digital age.

The renewal of agricultural extension is linked to the mission of intellectualizing farmers, helping them not only understand techniques but also grasp economics, management, and markets. Training and coaching activities are shifting from teaching technical skills to mentoring production and business, enabling farmers to master the value chain from production to consumption, aiming for a model of professional, innovative, and sustainable farmers.

Furthermore, agricultural extension must become the nucleus for connecting stakeholders in the agricultural value chain, promoting production and consumption linkages, disseminating effective models, and mobilizing social resources for green agricultural development, emission reduction, and environmental protection.

In the coming period, the National Agricultural Extension Center has identified four breakthrough directions in its work: strengthening the capacity of the agricultural extension system at all levels to be streamlined and effective, and linking responsibility to local realities. Decentralization and empowerment must go hand-in-hand with enhanced implementation capacity. Promoting coordination mechanisms among state, enterprise, and community-based agricultural extension across the value chains.

In addition, renewing the content and operations methodology, shifting the focus from technical support to consulting on the development of green and sustainable agricultural production and businesses. Extension programs must be linked to vocational training, the development of OCOP products, agricultural tourism, urban agriculture, and multimedia/multilingual communication to reach people in remote and deep-lying areas.

Accelerating digital transformation in agricultural extension work. The National Agricultural Extension Center is building a digital extension platform that integrates data on farming areas, electronic logs, traceability, and connects experts, farmers, and businesses. Utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data to forecast pests, weather, and prices, supporting production decision-making.

Finally, aggressively promoting the socialization of agricultural extension work, mobilizing businesses, cooperatives, scientists, and socio-political organizations to participate. Fostering Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in training, model demonstration, and providing extension services; developing the "farmer-helping-farmer" movement, encouraging knowledge sharing, and disseminating initiatives from the community.

The knowledge bridge for modern agriculture

For agricultural extension work to develop sustainably, synchronized mechanisms and policies are required. The review and amendment of legal documents, compensation regimes, and the recruitment and training of extension officers must be implemented urgently, aligned with the requirements of digital transformation and agricultural economic development.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment continues to play a role in coordination, professional guidance, and resource connection across different levels and localities. Provinces and cities need to proactively allocate resources and restructure the agricultural extension system to suit local realities, ensuring efficiency and flexibility in supporting people and businesses.

The renewal of agricultural extension is not just a professional task but also an important political requirement in implementing the Party's resolutions on the development of agriculture, farmers, and rural areas. Under the comprehensive leadership of Party committees at all levels, and the companionship of businesses and the people, the agricultural extension system will continue to uphold its core role, accompanying farmers, cooperatives, and businesses on the journey to build an ecological agriculture, modern rural areas, and civilized farmers.

In celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the First National Emulation Congress, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is organizing a series of events running from July to December 2025. The centerpiece of this is the Ceremony for the 80th Anniversary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the First National Emulation Congress, scheduled for the morning of November 12, 2025, at the National Convention Center (Hanoi) with over 1,200 delegates attending. VAN News will broadcast this event live.