Hanoi will push forward efforts to fulfill the target of building new-style rural areas by the end of 2025, seen as a major achievement since the city's administrative boundary expansion 15 years ago, according to Nguyen Xuan Dai, Director of the city's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

"In 2023-2025, Hanoi aims to build a modern, democratic and civilized rural area with synchronized socio-economic infrastructure in line with urban criteria, a clean green environment and a healthy, rich cultural life imbued with national identity," Dai said.

He added that the city is determined to achieve all the goals of new-style rural construction by 2025: 100% of districts and communes will meet the standards for new-style rural areas, 20% of districts and 40% of communes will meet the standards for advanced new-style rural areas, and 20% of communes will be recognized as "model new-style rural areas".

A sizable number of craft villages may be found in Hanoi's rural areas. The city has several advantages for creating large-scale, high-tech farming and huge concentrated agricultural zones since it is a major science and technology hub.

An aerial view of the outskirts of Hanoi's Soc Son District, which is one of 15 rural districts in the city that have been recognized as new-style rural areas. Photo: Tuyet Nhi/The Hanoi Times

"For more than ten years of new-style rural construction, rural areas in Hanoi have received a facelift. Between 2010 and 2020, Hanoi has recognized six districts and 355 communes (92.9% of the total communes) as new-style rural areas, which is a prerequisite for continuing the national target program on new-style rural construction in 2021-2025," Dai added.

He reported that in 2022, the city recognized an additional 63 communes as meeting the criteria for advanced new-style rural areas, exceeding the set target of 38 communes in 2022.

In 2023, about 61 communes have been nominated to be recognized as meeting the criteria for advanced new-style rural areas. It is expected that by the end of 2023, a total of 172 communes will meet the criteria for advanced new-style rural areas, an increase of 16 communes compared with the target for the whole period to 2025.

To date, 23 of the 33 targets under the city's target program for building new-style rural areas have been exceeded, completed or are on track to fulfill the plan, the director said, stressing that the program is of great significance to the development of agriculture, farmers and rural areas of the capital.

"The city has nominated Ung Hoa, Ba Vi and My Duc to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Central Council for verification and recognition as new-style rural areas," Dai said.

Meanwhile, Dan Phuong, Gia Lam, Dong Anh and Thanh Tri districts are now eligible for advanced new-style rural status and are awaiting recognition from the Vietnamese government. Hoai Duc and Thanh Oai are aiming to achieve this status in 2024. Hanoi hopes to surpass the target of five advanced new-style rural areas by the end of 2025.

Modern transport infrastructure system in Hanoi's suburban district of Gia Lam. Photo: Phong Anh

Nguyen Thi Tuyen, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, said the city has been committed to boosting the modernization of rural areas to narrow the development gap with urban areas. It has also gained much experience in implementing the national target program.

"Among the 14 major tasks and measures set by the municipal Party Committee for 2025, Hanoi will prioritize resources for the construction of new-style rural or advanced rural districts, as well as advanced and model new-style communes," Tuyen said.

She stressed that the Party Committee would improve the effectiveness of communication to strengthen public solidarity, sense of responsibility, and consensus, thereby supporting the construction of new-style rural areas.

"In the 2023-2025 period, Hanoi will also focus on accelerating the restructuring of the agricultural sector and renewing the growth model in conjunction with the development of clean, organic, and ecological agriculture. The city will attract and create favorable conditions for enterprises to invest in agriculture and rural areas, to create more jobs and increase people's incomes to achieve the goal of prosperous agricultural development and rich farmers," Tuyen added.

The National Target Program on Building New Style Rural Areas was launched by the Vietnamese Government in 2010 to promote rural development nationwide. On March 8, 2022, a new set of criteria for new-style rural communes and another for advanced rural communes were issued for 2021-2025.

A new-style rural community must meet 19 criteria, including planning, socio-economic infrastructure, economy and production, society, culture, and environment.

According to MARD, Vietnam now has more than 6,000 communes out of nearly 8,200 that meet the standards of new-style rural areas, reaching 73%, while more than 1,300 communes have been recognized as advanced new-style rural communes and 176 others have met the standards of model new-style rural areas.

More than 260 communes in 58 subnational provinces and cities and five provinces have completed building new-style rural areas.