Decision No. 162/2008/QD-TTg dated December 04, 2008 of the Prime Minister on policies on agricultural and fishery extension in difficulty-hit areas

ON POLICIES ON AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERY EXTENSION IN DIFFICULTY-HIT AREAS

THE PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 56/2005/ND-CP of April 26, 2005, on agricultural and fishery extension;

At the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development,

DECIDES:

Article 1.- Scope and subjects of application

1. This Decision is applied to agricultural and fishery extension (below referred to as agricultural extension) activities specified in the Government's Decree No. 56/2005/ND-CP of April 26, 2005. on agricultural and fishery extension.

2. Difficulty-hit areas include:

a/ Difficulty-hit communes under the Prime Minister's Decision No. 30/2007/QD-TTg of March 5, 2007, promulgating the list of administrative units in difficulty-hit areas;

b/ Special difficulty-hit communes on coastal banks and islands under the Prime Minister's Decision No. l06/2004/QD-TTg of June 11, 2004, approving the list of special difficulty-hit communes on coastal banks and islands.

Article 2.- Objectives

1. Contributing to alleviating hunger, reducing poverty, raising income and improving living conditions for producers in difficulty-hit areas through agricultural extension activities

2. Contributing to developing economy and maintaining socio-political stability and security and defense in difficulty-hit areas.

3. Contributing to building grassroots agricultural extension systems in difficulty-hit areas.

Article 3.- Policies on agricultural extension in difficulty-hit areas

1. To support the building of demonstration models

To support 100% of the costs for seeds and other essential supplies for demonstration models under central and local agricultural extension programs and projects to be implemented in difficulty-hit areas.

2. To support training

To support 100% of expenses for training materials, travel, food and accommodation for producers and agricultural extension workers in difficulty-hit areas who attend training courses organized by central and local agricultural extension organizations.

The expenses shall be covered by central agricultural extension funds for training courses under central agricultural extension programs and projects and local agricultural extension funds for training courses under local agricultural extension programs and projects.

3. To support information and communication activities

To supplement Article 2 of the Prime Minister's Decision No. 975/QD-TTg of July 20, 2006, on the provision of some newspapers and magazines for ethnic minority, mountainous and special difficulty-hit areas as follows: To provide one copy of the Vietnam Agriculture newspaper of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for each commune agricultural extension unit in difficulty-hit areas.

4. To assist service providers in difficulty-hit areas

Local administrations shall prioritize agricultural service providers in difficulty-hit areas in leasing land for production and business and receiving other supports.

Article 4.- Implementation responsibilities

1. The Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development; Home Affairs; and Finance shall implement, and guide localities in implementing, this Decision.

2. People's Committees of provinces and centrally ran cities shall implement this Decision in their localities.

Article 5.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its publication in CONG BAO.

Article 6.- Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, presidents of People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities, and heads of concerned agencies shall implement this Decision.

DECISION