Hanoi's farmers are not only producing for the capital's 10 million residents but also targeting the global market, said Tran Sy Thanh, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, at the 2024 Dialogue with Farmers conference on November 29.
"The country is entering a new era - a time of growth. Farmers must adapt and align themselves with this trend. They need to think big and act decisively," he said, addressing the conference titled "Leveraging the Capital's Potential and Supporting Farmers in Sustainable Agricultural Development".
| City leaders at the conference. Photos: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times |
Thanh presented a plan for the city's agricultural sector, aiming for clean farming methods by 2030 to ensure clean air, water and soil. He emphasized the importance of branding Hanoi's crafts and agricultural products, advising farmers to create a "Made in Hanoi" certification and add distinctive narratives to their products.
He called for environmentally friendly production methods to minimize emissions, declaring, "Hanoi farmers can do it."
The Chairman assured that the city will implement specific plans and strategies to support agriculture and rural development, emphasizing the need for balanced supply and demand planning. He encouraged local farmers' associations to work with government authorities to support farmers in designated areas.
Thanh expressed the wish that by 2030, all farmer members would have health insurance, and that they would have retirement and pension benefits similar to those of workers, instead of having to work even in old age.
Acknowledging the significant contributions of Hanoi’s farmers to the capital’s agricultural success, he emphasized that both farmers and traditional crafts must evolve to meet modern demands.
| Tran Sy Thanh, Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, speaks at the event. |
Held both in-person and online, the event attracted more than 2,000 attendees, including prominent farmers, farm owners and cooperative leaders.
During the conference, delegates presented 12 recommendations from farmers' associations, focusing on three policy areas to support agricultural and rural economic development, digital transformation in agriculture, and environmental protection in rural areas. The recommendations were addressed by representatives from various city departments.
Nguyen Xuan Dai, Director of Hanoi's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, responded to questions about promoting product sales by reporting that the city reached its first billion-dollar agricultural export milestone in 2023. In the first half of 2024, agricultural exports reached over US$800 million, and it is expected to surpass the 2023 results by the end of the year.
He also said that handicrafts from local villages are doing well in export. The city has tasked the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development with working with international organizations to integrate Van Phuc Silk Village and Bat Trang Pottery Village into the global network of handicraft villages to create new export opportunities.
Regarding mechanisms and policies to support agricultural development and recovery from natural disasters and diseases, some farmers expressed that current levels of assistance are inadequate and called for increases. The director of the department acknowledged that many support policies still fall short due to central regulatory constraints. As a result, he said, the revised Capital Law has introduced specific policies to provide more support for agricultural development.
| An overview of the conference |
Hanoi registered more than 526,000 households as qualified production and business members in the agricultural sector in 2023-2024. Of these, more than 326,000 households met the required standards, accounting for 62% of registered members, according to Pham Hai Hoa, Chairwoman of the city's Farmers' Association.
She added that the city currently has 206 clubs for skilled farmers, which serve as forums for members to share experiences and support each other in production and business development. In addition, the Farmers Association has established and launched "Skilled Farmers Clubs" at both the city and district levels in Quoc Oai, Ba Vi, Ung Hoa, and Thach That districts.
In addition, the association has established 27 production and consumption linkages for agricultural products. It has also provided training to over 12,200 members in areas such as crop production, animal husbandry, food processing and the development of cottage industries.
