Rural economy:

The rural economy encompasses many different economic sectors, with agriculture and traditional crafts considered the core. In recent years, Hanoi has paid special attention to developing the rural economy through various models and diverse economic activities with promising results... However, in reality, this resource in localities is still not fully exploited, and much potential remains untapped.

Introducing ceramic products to tourists at Bat Trang pottery village (Gia Lam district).

A good starting point

One of the driving forces behind the positive transformation of the rural economy is the implementation of Program No. 04-CTr/TU dated March 17, 2021, of the Hanoi City Party Committee on "Promoting the effective implementation of the National Target Program for building new rural areas associated with restructuring the agricultural sector and developing the rural economy, improving the material and spiritual lives of farmers in the period 2021-2025". (Director of the Department of Agriculture and...)

Hanoi's Environment Minister Nguyen Xuan Dai affirmed that Program No. 04-CTr/TU has created momentum for all rural sectors of the city. Specifically, the total production value of the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sector in Hanoi in 2024 reached VND 42,721 billion, an increase of 2.51% compared to 2023. It is projected that in the first six months of 2025, Hanoi's agriculture and environment sector will grow by 1.98% or more.

Regarding this issue, Chairman of the Thanh Oai District People's Committee Bui Van Sang stated that the biggest shift in the rural economy in recent years has been the development of new-style cooperatives and high-tech agricultural models. For example, Thanh Oai currently has 13 high-tech agricultural models, 3 closed-loop production chain models, and nearly 20 new-style agricultural cooperatives. These forces have significantly transformed the district's rural economy, meeting the demands of Hanoi's current economic development.

In reality, the rural economy encompasses many fields, but the focus remains on cooperatives and traditional craft villages. Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, Nguyen Manh Quyen, once emphasized: These are the two main resources for rural economic innovation, meeting development trends. By the end of 2024, all 382 communes in Hanoi had cooperatives operating in accordance with the 2012 Law on Cooperatives. These cooperatives basically meet the production needs of their member households. Many cooperatives have created competitiveness with other economic sectors, focusing on providing services to member households and the people, effectively directing agricultural production, and ensuring timely planting. In particular, cooperatives prioritize improving and upgrading infrastructure serving production, investing in equipment and machinery for production services, and building advanced livestock facilities to improve productivity and quality.

Regarding craft villages, the city has 1,350 craft villages, traditional crafts, and villages with crafts, of which 337 are recognized as craft villages and traditional craft villages located in 25 districts and towns. Currently, 100% of the craft villages and traditional craft villages in the city have had their conservation and development plans developed and approved by the People's Committees of the districts; and awareness campaigns have been conducted to improve understanding of the importance of craft villages to local economic development.

Focus on key areas

To boost the rural economy, experts suggest that Hanoi should focus on transforming the agricultural structure, with a focus on traditional craft villages and agricultural cooperatives. The city should continue to promote the application of science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation in agriculture and rural areas; improve the quality of vocational training for farmers, and provide training tailored to the needs of businesses and the market, linked to local economic models.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien, Hanoi has many advantages for development; however, rural economies need specific policies, especially in agriculture. Accordingly, the city needs to attract investment to modernize agricultural infrastructure; and at the same time, innovate methods and content, and improve the effectiveness of communicating policies on agricultural and rural development. With resources from traditional craft villages, Hanoi needs to link them with the One Commune One Product (OCOP) program, thereby promoting stronger development of craft villages; and simultaneously develop craft village industrial clusters and build a green craft village economy...

On the Hanoi side, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen shared that, with the orientation of a green city, rural areas and rural economy must also develop in a green and clean manner. Therefore, in the coming time, Hanoi's rural economy will further develop agricultural and rural tourism, thereby increasing community connectivity, jointly building green, clean, and beautiful rural areas, and preserving the "soul" of the countryside in the trend of integration.

On the other hand, Hanoi needs to develop an integrated, multi-value mindset within its rural economic space. Hanoi's rural areas possess diverse, unique resources that differ from many countries around the world, and there is ample room for developing agricultural and rural tourism. To exploit this, the city is orienting its rural tourism development towards integration and supplementation into socio-economic development planning and rural planning; building and perfecting a system of standards, criteria, and technical norms for rural tourism linked to state management activities in tourism; and reviewing and supplementing policies to encourage and attract investment in the development of rural tourism and the rural economy.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/kinh-te-nong-thon-nguon-luc-con-bo-ngo-704239.html