Training human resources for agricultural extension is a breakthrough for modern agriculture.

Speaking at the discussion session on the socio-economic situation, National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan (Hanoi) assessed that training and standardizing the agricultural extension team is the strategic breakthrough for Vietnam's agriculture to transform towards green, ecological, and high-tech. In particular, agricultural extension is also an "extended arm" in sustainable rural development and the key to opening the door to smart agriculture.

The “key” to open the door to smart agriculture

Speaking at the discussion session on the socio -economic situation this afternoon, October 29, National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan (Hanoi) highly appreciated the Government's report on the results of implementing the socio-economic development plan for 2025 and the 2021-2025 period. According to the delegate, the report vividly reflected the country's positive development picture in the context of countless difficulties and challenges such as natural disasters, storms and floods, trade wars and the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.

"These results are a testament to the wise leadership of the Party and the National Assembly, the drastic, flexible and creative management of the Government, and the tireless efforts of the entire political system and the people," National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan emphasized.

National Assembly Delegate Nguyen Thi Lan speaks at the discussion session on the socio-economic situation on October 29.

According to National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan, by 2026, taking science and technology, innovation, digital transformation and green development as pillars of development is the right policy, demonstrating the strategic vision and sustainable development thinking of the Government.

From the perspective of a leader of a training institution in the field of agriculture and environment, National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan emphasized that developing human resources for agricultural extension is an important breakthrough for the development of modern agriculture.

According to the analysis of the delegates, if the economy is like a house, then agriculture is the solid foundation, ensuring social stability and national food security. In the process of building green, ecological and high-tech agriculture, the agricultural extension team plays a key role, being the force that directly brings policies, science and technology to farmers, helping to turn knowledge into productivity and practical value. At the same time, agricultural extension is also a bridge between the State, scientists, businesses and farmers; is the "extended arm" in sustainable rural development and is the "key" to open the door to smart agriculture.

"General Secretary To Lam emphasized that agricultural extension is an important task of the commune-level government; it is necessary to strengthen the team of agricultural extension officers at the grassroots level, ensuring close contact with the people and the fields, and not to interrupt agricultural extension activities. This direction demonstrates a strategic vision in developing modern agricultural human resources," National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan cited.

In fact, localities have officers in charge of agriculture, but the specialized agricultural extension team is still small and uneven in qualifications, especially in remote areas. According to the assessment of the national agricultural extension system and some surveys, about 60-70% of commune-level agricultural extension officers have not received specialized training, and over 80% have not been trained proficiently in digital technology and smart agriculture.

"The issuance of Circular 60/2025 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has created a clear legal corridor, helping to perfect the two-level agricultural extension system to be streamlined and effective. However, the core is to focus on training and standardizing the agricultural extension team, considering this a strategic link in sustainable agricultural development," National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan stated.

Appropriate investment in training and development of agricultural extension human resources

National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan also said that, citing international experience, countries that attach importance to agricultural extension training have sustainable agriculture. The United States has a cooperative extension system, which is a link between the Government, state governments and agricultural universities to periodically train agricultural extension officers. In Israel, officers are regularly trained in irrigation technology, sensors and agricultural data; the Netherlands is a typical model when it comes to agricultural extension training according to the agricultural value chain, helping officers understand techniques, markets and green standards...

"Therefore, the lesson for Vietnam is that agricultural extension should not only "transfer technology" but also become a consultant, a person connecting production with the market," National Assembly delegate Nguyen Thi Lan emphasized.

To develop agricultural extension work to meet new requirements, in addition to the orientations in Circular No. 60/2025/TT-BNNMT (dated October 14, 2025) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment guiding the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of public service units performing agricultural extension work at the provincial and commune levels, National Assembly Delegate Nguyen Thi Lan recommended: it is necessary to build a national agricultural extension professional capacity framework and a standardized training program in the direction of digitalization, suitable for the development strategy of each locality, because currently there is no unified standard, lack of inter-connected certificates, leading to uneven quality.

In addition, delegates assessed the need to issue policies to attract and reward young engineers and intellectuals to work in rural areas to promote agriculture, especially in remote areas; build a shared agricultural extension database, connecting from the province to the commune to support farmers more quickly and effectively; establish a transparent and specific monitoring and evaluation mechanism to measure the effectiveness of agricultural extension activities to help farmers improve their capacity and income.

"If agriculture is considered the foundation of the economy, then the agricultural extension team is the root that nourishes that foundation. Investing in training and developing agricultural extension human resources is investing in the knowledge, productivity and future of Vietnamese farmers. In the long term, I recommend including agricultural extension human resource development in the National Strategy on Agricultural Human Resources to 2035, considering this a strategic criterion in the program of building a new model rural area and developing sustainable agriculture," National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan proposed.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/dao-tao-nguon-nhan-luc-khuyen-nong-la-khau-dot-pha-cho-nong-nghiep-hien-dai-10393519.html