2 practical policies to support the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen.

(GLO) - At its 5th session, held from December 8th to 9th, the Gia Lai Provincial People's Council, 12th term (2021-2026), approved 65 important resolutions, creating a legal framework for development in many areas.

Among them, two resolutions related to policies supporting the restoration of agricultural production damaged by natural disasters and supporting vocational retraining and decommissioning of fishing vessels no longer in operation are considered decisions that directly impact people's livelihoods.

Gia Lai Newspaper and Radio & Television respectfully present these two resolutions to our readers.

Supporting the restoration of agricultural production after natural disasters.

The resolution stipulating the level of support for agricultural production aimed at restoring production in areas damaged by natural disasters and plant pests in the province is an important step in protecting agricultural production capacity, stabilizing raw material areas, and creating a social security buffer for the people.

Shrimp farmers in De Gi commune are restoring embankments and cleaning their ponds after the storms and floods in preparation for reinvestment. Photo: H. Thuong

The resolution stipulates that the scope of beneficiaries has been expanded to include individuals, households, farm owners, cooperatives, and small and medium-sized enterprises (excluding enterprises belonging to the armed forces) engaged in crop cultivation, livestock farming, forestry, fisheries, and salt production. These are precisely the groups directly affected when natural disasters occur or pest outbreaks occur.

This expansion not only provides support but also reflects the province's governance philosophy: Support must reach the right forces maintaining the agricultural production and supply chain, contributing to food security and raw material sources for the processing industry.

In addition, the resolution specifies detailed support levels depending on the extent of damage and type of production. Specifically, for rice fields with over 70% damage, support is 6-10 million VND/ha; for fields with 30-70% damage, support is 3-5 million VND/ha; for rice seedlings with over 70% damage, support is 30 million VND/ha; for fields with 30-70% damage, support is 15 million VND/ha; for other annual crops with over 70% damage, support is 6-15 million VND/ha; for fields with 30-70% damage, support is 3-7.5 million VND/ha; for perennial crops with over 70% damage, support is 12-60 million VND/ha; for fields with 30-70% damage, support is 6-30 million VND/ha.

For forest areas with over 70% damage, support ranges from 8 to 60 million VND/ha; for areas with 30-70% damage, support ranges from 4 to 30 million VND/ha.

For aquaculture damaged by natural disasters (including aquaculture, production, and breeding), the support for semi-intensive and intensive aquaculture in ponds (lakes/tanks) is 60 million VND/ha; aquaculture in tanks, cages, and rafts is 30 million VND/100 ^m³ ; and aquaculture in other forms is 15 million VND/ha.

For salt production damaged by natural disasters (including areas currently in production or areas where salt has already been stockpiled in the fields), support will range from 3 to 4 million VND per hectare.

At the same time, the resolution also clearly specifies the level of support for livestock.

Regarding funding for support programs for eligible entities (excluding small and medium-sized enterprises), 80% comes from the central government budget; the remaining 20% ​​is fully covered by the communes and wards in Zone III; for communes and wards in Zone IV, the provincial budget provides 50% of the funding, and the commune/ward budget covers the remaining 50%.

Regarding funding for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, provincial budgets and other legitimate financial sources will be used.

Helping fishermen stabilize their lives after dismantling their fishing vessels.

The resolution stipulating policies to support vocational retraining and decommissioning for fishing vessels that are no longer in operation or do not meet the requirements for fishing in the province is not simply a financial support package.

This provides a lifeline, enabling ship owners and related families to seek new livelihoods and stabilize their lives when they are forced to take their vessels out of operation.

Fishing boats anchored at De Gi Fishing Port. Photo: Nguyen Han

The policy aims to remove substandard fishing vessels from the management system, thereby completely eliminating vessels with a high potential for engaging in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, contributing to meeting the urgent need to lift the European Commission's "yellow card" on fisheries.

At the same time, the policy lays the groundwork for restructuring the fishing fleet towards reducing fishing intensity, protecting aquatic resources, and improving the effectiveness of state management.

Providing financial mechanisms (support for dismantling ship hulls and engines) and policies to support livelihood transition for affected ship owners and crew members aims to help fishermen switch professions, ensure social security, create consensus in law enforcement, and restructure the fisheries sector.

The resolution stipulates that the support for dismantling fishing vessels will be calculated as a percentage of the value of the newly built hull, depending on the vessel's operational lifespan.

Specifically, fishing vessels operating for less than 5 years receive an 80% subsidy on the cost of new hull construction, at a rate of VND 21.795 million per registered ton; fishing vessels operating for 5 to less than 10 years receive a 70% subsidy on the cost of new hull construction, at a rate of VND 19.075 million per registered ton; fishing vessels operating for 10 to less than 20 years receive a 60% subsidy on the cost of new hull construction, at a rate of VND 16.35 million per registered ton; fishing vessels operating for 20 years or more receive a 50% subsidy on the cost of new hull construction, at a rate of VND 13.625 million per registered ton; and a 70% subsidy on the cost of the main engine for used fishing vessels, at a rate of VND 591,500 per horsepower.

This support is a one-time payment and does not include the actual costs of dismantling and disposing of the vessel. The above policies will be in effect until December 31, 2026.

Regarding vocational training support, boat owners and members of the same household who are actually residing in the area and whose fishing vessels are being decommissioned will receive a one-time financial support payment if they participate in vocational training.

The policy includes support for training costs up to a maximum of 3 million VND/person/month/course; support for meals of 900,000 VND/person/month/course; and support for transportation of 200,000 VND/person/course. The maximum duration of vocational training support is no more than 3 months.

Within the employment support group, fishermen are given priority access to free job counseling and placement programs at the Provincial Employment Service Center; support for preferential loans to create, maintain, and expand jobs or to work abroad under contract, from the National Employment Fund and other preferential credit sources as prescribed by law; and priority participation in programs and projects supporting livelihood transformation and entrepreneurship in agriculture, fisheries, and coastal services implemented by the province.

The total estimated budget for this policy is nearly 138 billion VND. This is a significant investment aimed at ensuring sustainable livelihoods for the people, while also contributing to the province's strategic goals in combating IUU violations and promoting sustainable development of the fisheries sector.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/2-chinh-sach-thiet-thuc-ho-tro-sinh-ke-cho-nong-dan-ngu-dan-post574750.html