Removing bottlenecks opens up development opportunities for Dien Bien.

Minister Tran Duc Thang removed obstacles and opened up avenues for the development of green and smart agriculture, and effectively utilized national target programs for Dien Bien province.

On the afternoon of December 5th, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang chaired a working session with the Standing Committee of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee to address difficulties in state management of agriculture, environment, and minerals. Also in attendance were the Secretary of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee Tran Tien Dung, and leaders from various units of the Ministry and the province.

According to the report, Dien Bien currently belongs to the group of provinces with low development levels. Its GRDP in 2024 (at current prices) is projected at VND 31,663.39 billion, accounting for only 0.27% of the national GDP. The agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector is projected at VND 4,829.39 billion, equivalent to 0.35% of the national GDP for this sector. If compared at constant prices, Dien Bien's GRDP in 2024 is only 1/1.77 of Son La province's (VND 8,459 billion).

Given this situation, the locality hopes that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will provide stronger support to exploit potential, overcome existing shortcomings, and thereby promote agricultural development in a green, smart, and sustainable direction.

Minister Tran Duc Thang removes obstacles and opens up avenues for the development of green and smart agriculture, and effectively utilizes national target programs for Dien Bien. Photo: Quang Huy.

Remove obstacles, connect businesses, and unleash resources.

During the meeting, the province requested the Ministry's support in several key areas, including removing bottlenecks in mechanisms and policies: agricultural insurance; policies linking production and consumption; conversion of forest land use and conversion of rice-specialized land; receiving funds for reforestation; adjusting the unit price for forest environmental service payments; the level of support for forest regeneration; exemption and reduction of land use fees and land lease fees; and providing guidance on the development orientation of the sector for the period 2026-2030 and beyond.

In addition, the plan includes connecting businesses to invest in the deep processing of key products such as macadamia nuts, coffee, and fruits; businesses to develop concentrated cultivation and livestock farming areas; and coordinating the organization of an investment promotion conference in agriculture in January 2026.

Simultaneously, the plan includes building a foundation for green and smart agriculture, accessing the carbon credit market; adjusting land use targets for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, to suit the reality; leveraging mineral potential, and coordinating with the Ministry of Finance to provide funding for completing cadastral mapping and building a land database.

In addition, priority should be given to investing in irrigation infrastructure, agricultural infrastructure, and disaster relief; and continuing to implement the groundwater resource survey project for high-altitude, water-scarce regions.

Proposal to issue a separate decree for border regions and disadvantaged areas.

Speaking at the meeting, Dien Bien Provincial Party Secretary Tran Tien Dung emphasized that this was a rare opportunity for the province to work directly and comprehensively with all units of the Ministry.

Tran Tien Dung, Secretary of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee, speaks at the working session. Photo: Quang Huy.

He stated that Dien Bien is orienting its development towards a green and smart direction, but still faces many difficulties in restructuring agriculture.

"Dien Bien is an agricultural province, but many products are not yet self-sufficient; some stages still depend on seeds and techniques from other places," he said.

According to the Party Secretary, in order to effectively restructure, the province aims for close linkages between businesses, cooperatives, and farmers, thereby forming a sustainable production-processing-consumption chain.

In addition, the province is developing plans for planting areas, livestock farming areas, urban areas, and perennial crops, and is requesting the Ministry's support in reviewing and ensuring consistency. Provincial leaders also hope the Ministry will support the organization of a large-scale conference on livestock farming and agriculture/forestry, tailored to the specific conditions of Dien Bien province.

One of the province's key proposals is to develop a separate decree to encourage businesses to invest in agriculture and rural areas in border regions, disadvantaged areas, and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities.

Mr. Tran Tien Dung stated that the current decree is problematic because it depends on the medium-term public investment plan; businesses cannot always submit proposals in a timely manner. Mr. Dung cited the example of China, which has a policy of regulating businesses to relocate to border and mountainous areas for on-site production, thereby retaining residents and reducing migration. This is a valuable experience to consider.

Regarding people's lives, many localities in the province are facing shortages of water for domestic use and production. The province hopes the Ministry will continue to support programs related to clean water and water for production.

Regarding land, compared to Lai Chau (affected by approximately 72,000 hectares), Dien Bien only has about 900 hectares left that can be converted, and the province wants to make the most of this land, especially in areas with reservoirs, which are suitable for farming, livestock breeding, and aquaculture.

The Secretary of the Dien Bien Provincial Party Committee stated that the locality has identified two key development directions: developing historical tourism and community-based tourism linked to ethnic identity and agriculture.

Furthermore, the province hopes the Ministry will prioritize allocating funds to urgent projects, so that they can be implemented soon this year and next year, in order to create livelihoods for people in border areas.

Anything within the Ministry's authority will be handled decisively.

In his concluding remarks, Minister Tran Duc Thang highly appreciated Dien Bien's proactive spirit, fully acknowledged the recommendations, and stated that matters within the Ministry's authority would be implemented decisively.

Minister Tran Duc Thang speaks at the meeting. Photo: Quang Huy.

He requested that units under the Ministry urgently coordinate with the province to address the issues that have already been submitted in writing; for issues requiring submission to the Government, the Prime Minister, or awaiting legal documents, they should follow the established procedures.

The Minister instructed the Market Development Department and related units to step up investment promotion: "To develop, we need businesses. Businesses bring in seeds, technology, and guarantee product purchase; only then will the value chain be formed."

Regarding mineral exploitation, the Minister requested that the Ministry's units provide complete documentation so that the province can carry out its assigned tasks; and at the same time, expedite the process of bringing mines under the Ministry's jurisdiction into operation, moving towards deep processing.

Regarding the six reservoirs proposed by the province, four are currently eligible for investment, and the Minister suggested allocating funds for the 2026-2030 period. The remaining two reservoirs will be assigned to relevant departments for further study on their urgency and effectiveness.

Great opportunities from the national target program.

The Minister stated that the National Assembly has unanimously approved the National Target Program on New Rural Development, Poverty Reduction, and Development of Ethnic Minority Areas, which is particularly important for Dien Bien. From April 1, 2026, the program will implement groups of issues such as addressing clean water needs; investing in infrastructure; and developing culture and living standards. This will create favorable conditions for the locality, and Dien Bien will almost not need to allocate any matching funds, or will only need to allocate a very small amount.

In addition, there are at least three other targeted programs in health, education, and culture, with a total capital of 340,000 billion VND, and Dien Bien will benefit from these programs.

Regarding the development of the forest economy, with its large forest area, Minister Tran Duc Thang emphasized that Dien Bien needs to develop its forest economy in conjunction with forest protection. However, income from forests is currently only 17 million VND/hectare/year, lower than the national average. The Ministry is currently developing specific policies for areas with large forest areas, aiming to create a stable source of income instead of simply assigning the task of "preserving the forest".

The Minister affirmed: "Matters within the Ministry's jurisdiction will be implemented decisively. We request that the province proactively coordinate and report any difficulties promptly so that they can be addressed in a timely manner."

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/go-diem-nghen-mo-huong-phat-trien-cho-dien-bien-d787995.html