Decision 801/QD-TTg 2022 approve Program on conservation, development of craft villages in 2021-2030

DECISION

Approving the Program on conservation and development of Vietnam’s craft villages in the 2021-2030 period^[1]

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the June 19, 2015 Law on Organization of the Government; and the November 22, 2019 Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Law on Organization of the Government and Law on Organization of Local Administration;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 52/2018/ND-CP of April 12, 2018, on development of rural trades;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP of January 10, 2022, detailing a number of articles of the Law on Environmental Protection;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 150/QD-TTg of January 28, 2022, approving the Strategy for sustainable agricultural and rural development in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 263/QD-TTg of February 22, 2022, approving the national target program on the building of a new countryside in the 2021-2025 period;

Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 255/QD-TTg of February 25, 2021, approving the Plan on restructuring the agriculture sector in the 2021-2025 period;

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

DECIDES:

Article 1. To approve “the Program on conservation and development of Vietnam’s craft villages in the 2021-2030 period” (below referred to as the Program) with the following contents:

I. VIEWPOINTS

1. The conservation and development of craft villages play an important role in the accelerated economic and rural labor restructuring, creation of jobs and improvement of the people’s livelihood; help protect and preserve landscapes and space of craft villages, and speed up the national industrialization and modernization and building of a new countryside.

2. To conserve cultural values of craft villages in association with tourism-linked economic development so as to conserve and bring into play national, regional, local traditional cultural identities; to bring into full play potential, advantages and traditional values bearing local and national imprints and brands through developing products of craft villages, particularly products of traditional craft villages and intricate crafts associated with the conferment, honoring and development of the pool of artisans, skilled workers and laborers in localities, craft villages and traditional craft villages nationwide.

3. To develop craft villages associated with the market and the process of international economic integration, thereby boosting exports in conformity with strategies and orientations for sustainable socio-economic development, green growth, development of energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly and climate change-resilient closed circular production models; to apply digital technologies in the management, advertising and trade promotion of craft villages’ products.

4. To mobilize all social resources and the State’s support to conserve and develop craft villages; to harmoniously develop small- and medium-sized trade establishments, diversify forms of production and business organization in craft villages, and combine modern technologies and traditional technologies in order to improve production and business efficiency.

II. OBJECTIVES

1. General objectives

To conserve and develop crafts and craft villages in order to preserve and bring into full play traditional cultural values and identities of Vietnam’s craft villages, promote production development, increase competitiveness and added value of craft villages’ products, create jobs for locals and raise their income; to protect landscapes, space and the environment, establish residential areas and cultural villages, thus contributing to promoting the sustainable rural socio-economic development.

2. Specific objectives

a/ By 2025

- To restore and conserve at least 56 traditional crafts and 85 traditional craft villages in danger of fading away or being lost;

- To recognize other 116 crafts and 40 traditional craft villages; to develop 181 tourism-linked craft villages;

- Over 70% of craft villages and traditional craft villages will efficiently operate;

- Eighty percent of workers in craft villages will be provided with training, re-training or further training in craft skills, occupational health and safety skills and basic information technology knowledge;

- Products of at least half of traditional craft villages will be classified under the One Commune-One Product (OCOP) Program;

- Products of at least 30% of craft villages will have their brands protected;

- Craft villages’ production value will grow at an annual rate of around 10% on average;

- Workers’ average income will increase by at least 1.5 times compared to 2020’s figures;

- Export revenues from craft villages’ handicrafts will reach around USD 4 billion;

- All production establishments and households in craft villages will comply with regulations on environmental protection.

b/ By 2030

- To restore and conserve at least 129 traditional crafts and 208 traditional craft villages in danger of fading away or being lost;

- To recognize other 213 crafts and 96 traditional craft villages; to develop 301 tourism-linked craft villages;

- Over 80% of craft villages and traditional craft villages will efficiently operate;

- All workers in craft villages will be provided with training, re-training or further training in craft skills, occupational health and safety skills and basic information technology knowledge;

- Products of at least half of craft villages will have their brands protected;

- Craft villages’ production value will grow at an annual rate of around 10% on average;

- Export revenues from craft villages’ handicrafts will reach around USD 6 billion;

- All production establishments and households in craft villages will comply with regulations on environmental protection.

III. TASKS OF THE PROGRAM

1. Promoting the role of artisans and skilled workers

a/ To maintain and develop a pool of artisans and skilled workers in order to create a core force to promote training and handing down of craft skills and practice of traditional crafts and spread values ​​of traditional cultural heritages in the community, particularly younger generations; to conserve and develop traditional craft skills and create more new valuable products and works.

b/ To collect, preserve and display typical and unique works of artisans, skilled workers and outstanding artisans at all levels.

c/ To organize the conferment and honoring of titles of Skilled Worker, Artisan, Emeritus Artisan, People’s Artisan, Honor Roll of Vietnam’s traditional craftsmen’s families and craft villages’ typical products.

2. Conserving and developing traditional crafts and traditional craft villages

a/ To survey, review, make statistics, evaluate and classify into lists of traditional crafts and traditional craft villages and speed up the compilation of dossiers and consideration and recognition of such traditional crafts and traditional craft villages;

b/ To formulate plans on restoration and conservation of traditional crafts and traditional craft villages in danger of fading away or being lost;

c/ To support the development and expansion of crafts and traditional craft villages that have been recognized and operating efficiently.

3. Developing tourism-linked craft villages and building a new countryside

a/ To restore and embellish relics related to cultural values of crafts ​​and traditional craft villages (craft founders’ worshipping houses, workshop spaces, landscapes of craft villages, etc.); to restore and organize festivals and folk cultural activities, bring into play cultural values ​​of crafts and craft villages in the building of a cultural tourism environment.

b/ To link value chains and develop tourism-linked craft villages, thus contributing to the rural economic development and building of a new countryside.

4. Developing new craft villages in association with assurance of traditional cultural values, environmental protection and sustainable development

a/ For villages where traditional crafts exist: To restore and conserve traditional cultural characteristics of products and craft know-how together with designing new products to meet the market demand, improve the production and product consumption capacity, and protect landscapes and the environment in craft villages.

b/ For villages where no traditional crafts exist: To boost the development of production and business of products to meet the market demand and suitable to local practical conditions through the introduction, study, dissemination and multiplication of models, craft villages and traditional craft villages that have been efficiently operating.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION SOLUTIONS

1. Planning solutions: To review and rearrange craft villages and traditional craft villages under master plans at all levels in accordance with the laws on planning, land, construction and other relevant regulations, thus ensuring sufficient ground areas for production, protecting landscapes, space and the environment in craft villages in association with the building of a new countryside.

2. Developing criteria and organizing the evaluation and classification of craft village activities associated with sustainable development objectives; building and digitalizing a database system to serve the management, conservation and development of Vietnamese crafts and craft villages.

3. Restoring and conserving traditional crafts and traditional craft villages in danger of fading away or being lost

a/ To collect, document and preserve know-how, delicate and unique traditional technologies, handed down products, traditional decoration patterns, and traditional festivals of craft villages.

b/ For crafts and craft villages in danger of fading away and likely to be lost: To consider conservation as the prime task; to conduct surveys, and formulate projects to maintain craft-practicing households or groups of craft-practicing households or “performance” artisans in order to preserve, hand down crafts and meet tourism and cultural enjoyment needs.

c/ For crafts and craft villages hit by difficulties: To support and create favorable conditions for artisans, skilled workers and establishments in craft villages to maintain the stable production of unique products for the community’s activities and festivals, step by step develop products of high economic value to meet the needs and tastes of domestic consumers and for export.

4. Supporting the development of craft villages and traditional craft villages that have been operating efficiently and new craft villages

a/ To focus on developing craft villages making products of high economic value and cultural content and great exportability (processed agro-forestry-fishery products, bamboo and rattan, porcelain and ceramic, embroidery and weaving, mosaic, lacquer and jewelry products, ornamental creatures, etc.).

b/ To support and promote the introduction, construction and development of new craft villages; to disseminate and multiply traditional crafts in new craft villages; to support creativeness and help develop products, and found new production establishments in localities.

c/ To build infrastructural facilities, improve production conditions and protect the environment in craft villages

- To renovate, upgrade and complete infrastructural facilities, embellish landscapes and spaces of craft villages in order to serve production activities associated with tourism development.

- To formulate, and organize the implementation of, environmental protection plans, have self-governing organizations in charge of environmental protection and production establishments and households in craft villages that meet the law-provided requirements on environmental protection; to intensify the formulation of village conventions and regulations on environmental protection in craft villages.

- To research and transfer technological processes for circular production, support production establishments in craft villages in the reuse of agricultural and forest by-products as raw materials for production, reuse and disposal of wastes suitable to craft villages’ conditions, thereby mitigating pollution and making environmentally friendly products.

- To relocate production establishments and households from craft villages and shift crafts that are not encouraged for development in craft villages under regulations; to treat pollution in polluted areas after such production establishments and households are relocated or terminate their operation.

d/ Craft villages and traditional craft villages are eligible for support and development promotion policies provided in the Government’s Decree No. 52/2018/ND-CP of April 12, 2018, on development of rural trades, and other support policies provided by current laws.

5. Developing material zones for craft villages

a/ To develop concentrated and stable material zones, with priority given to key products (rattan and bamboo, porcelain and ceramics, embroidery and weaving, etc.) in localities with suitable conditions.

b/ To encourage and support enterprises, cooperatives and individuals in investing in material zones that have been granted sustainability certificates and meet international standards and regulations.

c/ To develop raw material and auxiliary material wholesale markets and centers for timely supply of such materials to production establishments in craft villages.

6. Building centers for conservation and development of crafts’ and craft villages’ values

a/ To encourage and support the restoration and embellishment of relics, building of museums of craft villages, areas for performance and spaces for display, introduction and advertising of handicrafts and craft villages associated with pattern designs, labor training and trading of craft villages’ products.

b/ To prioritize the construction of centers for conservation and development of crafts’ and craft villages’ values by applying various forms of mobilization of social resources in conformity with master plans approved by competent authorities and relevant regulations: centers for conservation and development of porcelain and ceramics and lacquer crafts; centers for conservation and development of needlework and cultural exchanges of Vietnam’s craft villages; centers for conservation and development of traditional craft villages of Vietnamese ethnic minority groups; centers for conservation and development of mulberry silk crafts; spaces for display, introduction and performance of traditional crafts of Hue city and Vietnam; and zones for display and conservation of tourism-linked craft villages.

7. Training to improve capacity of artisans, skilled workers and human resources for craft villages’ development

a/ To support artisans and workers in craft villages in training and capacity improvement under current regulations.

b/ To focus on supporting and creating favorable conditions for artisans and skilled workers to participate in training courses on craft-teaching skills, handicraft pattern designing and market trends; to encourage and support artisans and skilled workers in providing training and handing down their occupations to workers.

c/ To provide training support to workers in craft villages to improve their craft skills, occupational health and safety skills, and basic information technology knowledge; to support and provide training to employers in craft villages on digital transformation and business knowledge to help the latter improve their management skills.

d/ To develop models of linkage among trade associations, enterprises and vocational training establishments in human resources training.

8. Transferring science and technology, applying digital technologies to production in conformity with international standards

a/ To intensify research, transfer and application of technologies and new materials in production, prioritize environmentally friendly technologies and use renewable energies; to combine new techniques and traditional techniques and technologies in order to improve production efficiency without affecting artistic, aesthetic and traditional values of products.

b/ To encourage scientific research institutions and units, and individuals to participate in scientific programs and themes and projects to restore traditional craft technologies, transfer scientific and technological advances in association with using traditional techniques and technologies, study and test new handicrafts of craft villages.

c/ To promote the linkage among universities, design colleges, experts specialized in creativeness and craft villages and production establishments in designing and renovating product designs and developing new products to meet market demands.

d/ To apply digital technologies and carry out digital transformation to improve production and business capacity, promote trade and develop craft village-based tourism.

dd/ To support production establishments and enterprises in improving production conditions and applying the advanced quality management system in conformity with international standards and regulations for key export items.

9. Intensifying trade promotion, building brands

a/ To intensify trade promotion at home and abroad, build and develop brands of craft villages’ products under trade promotion programs and plans, and the OCOP Program; to support production establishments and enterprises in craft villages in building websites for introduction, advertising and sale of handicrafts online.

b/ To build venues of display and introduction of products at markets, shops, trade centers, national highway rest stops and tourist attractions for advertising, introduction and sale of products.

c/ To support production establishments, cooperatives and enterprises in building their brands, traceability systems, geographical indications, corporate identity program for  their products; to guide and support craft villages’ production entities in compiling dossiers for participating in the evaluation and ranking of OCOP products.

d/ To help Vietnamese ethnic groups build brands of craft villages’ products for export and on-spot export, especially for high-end market segments.

10. Forming value-linking chains of craft villages

a/ To reorganize the production of craft villages toward forming value-linking chains formed from material zones, production and product consumption; to develop collective economy, attract enterprises, cooperatives and cooperative groups to participate in value chains to provide services to production establishments, meet traceability requirements, efficiently manage quality and raise product value.

b/ To design and build tourist routes and attractions and organize tourist activities, tours, education and experience visits to crafts and traditional craft villages, closely associate with agricultural tourism and rural programs, promote the consumption of craft villages’ handicrafts and local products.

c/ To support the building and multiplication of experimental models linked with value chains: models of conservation and development of typical craft villages linked with material zones that have been granted certificates; models of conservation and development of tourism-linked craft villages; models of conservation and development of brand building-linked traditional crafts; and to apply advanced scientific and technological achievements in production and treatment of environmental pollution in craft villages.

11. Improving quality of trade associations

a/ To support the establishment of associations specialized in groups of rural trades in accordance with law; to support trade associations in forming material zones, providing employee training, researching and transferring production technologies, developing products, and promoting trade at home and abroad.

b/ Trade associations shall intensify the study and dissemination of information on international economic integration, free trade agreements to which Vietnam has acceded, market information, technical standards and regulations, food hygiene and safety, product designs, tastes of domestic and foreign consumers so that production establishments and enterprises can grasp opportunities, work out appropriate orientations for production, improve product quality and boost domestic consumption and exports.

c/ To take the initiative in measuring demands, provide craft training, and develop human resources for craft villages.

12. Intensifying dissemination work

a/ To intensify dissemination to improve the awareness of Party Committees and authorities at all levels, organizations, individuals and the society about the role and significance of the conservation and development of crafts and craft villages in the socio-economic development and conservation of national cultural identities.

b/ To step up public communication, promote association and attract domestic and foreign organizations, units and enterprises to invest in the conservation and development of craft villages; to encourage people to use and display products of Vietnam’s craft villages.

c/ To formulate plans and organize activities to honor craft villages’ artisans and skilled workers; to organize craft villages’ festivals, and contests for handicrafts and craft villages’ products.

13. Reviewing and improving policies on conservation and development of craft villages

a/ To review mechanisms and policies on land and investment attraction, support the treatment of environmental pollution, agricultural extension, vocational training for rural laborers and related policies to modify, supplement and improve policies in support of the conservation and development of crafts and craft villages.

b/ To study and improve regulations on conferment and honoring of titles of artisan and skilled worker; policies to support artisans and skilled workers to develop their occupations and participate in occupational training and handing down.

14. Projects prioritized for implementation of the Program are specified in the Appendix to this Decision.

V. FUNDS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM

1. Funds from the state budget (central and local budgets) in accordance with the Law on the State Budget, Law on Public Investment and other relevant laws; funds from national target programs or incorporated in relevant programs, schemes, plans and projects; funding and aid sources and lawful capital sources from domestic and foreign enterprises, organizations and individuals as specified by law.

2. The management and use of funds for implementation of the Program must comply with law.

VI. ORGANIZATION OF IMPLEMENTATION

Ministries, sectors and related central and local agencies shall, based on the contents of the Program, their assigned functions and tasks and the Government’s Decree No. 52/2018/ND-CP of April 12, 2018, on development of rural trades and Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP of January 10, 2022, detailing a number of articles of the Law on Environmental Protection and relevant laws, formulate specific plans to comprehensively implement the Program’s tasks and solutions. A number of specific requirements are as follows:

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall act as an in-charge agency and:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors and provincial-level People’s Committees in, formulating plans and organizing the implementation of the Program; organizing dissemination and training activities and guiding the implementation of the Program’s contents.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for setting out criteria for evaluation and classification of craft villages’ activities associated with sustainable development goals; build and digitize a database system for managing the conservation and development of Vietnamese crafts and craft villages.

c/ Coordinate with localities in reviewing and building concentrated and stable raw material zones to serve the development of craft villages and rural trades.

d/ Cooperate with the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in formulating vocational training contents, programs and plans for rural workers in association with the development of craft villages.

dd/ Coordinate with other ministries in supporting the establishment and improving the quality of activities of rural trade associations; support associations and enterprises in coordinating with localities in building centers for conservation and development of values of crafts and craft villages.

e/ Organize annual trade village fairs and handicraft contests in order to promote trade and honor artisans and skilled workers.

g/ Review contents and policies to support the conservation and development of crafts and craft villages; study and propose amendments and supplements to improve mechanisms and policies and promptly propose solutions to remove difficulties and obstacles for localities in order to efficiently manage and implement the Program.

h/ Inspect and supervise, regularly organize preliminary review, final review and evaluation of the Program implementation results, and report thereon to the Prime Minister.

2. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in, reviewing and improving policies, regulations and guidelines on conferment of Artisan and Skilled Worker titles in the handicraft sector.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in, evaluating consumers’ demands and tastes and work out orientations for exporting handicrafts to potential markets.

c/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related agencies, units and enterprises in, studying and implementing trade promotion activities, building and developing brands for key handicrafts, craft villages’ exportable products, and guiding enterprises in producing products up to international standards and regulations.

d/ Direct the intensification of investment in industrial clusters to relocate production establishments causing environmental pollution from residential areas and craft villages under regulations; perform industrial extension tasks to promote the development of rural trades and craft villages.

3. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with relevant agencies in, studying, disseminating, guiding and managing production technologies to meet the requirements of sustainable development of craft villages.

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Ministry of Industry and Trade in, guiding and supporting enterprises and production establishments in applying advanced quality management systems in production, traceability system and system of codes and barcodes and geographical indications for domestically produced products and goods.

4. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors in, reviewing, studying, supplementing and improving preferential mechanisms and policies for artisans and people making contributions to the conservation, preservation and promotion of traditional crafts’ cultural heritage values.

b/ Direct the implementation of tasks and solutions to cooperate with travel and tourist service providers in building routes and tourist attractions, developing tourism products, and promoting tourism in association with craft villages.

5. The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with related ministries and sectors in reviewing and improving mechanisms, policies and guiding vocational training for rural workers, supporting artisans and skilled workers in participating in occupational training and handing down.

b/ Consider the provision of support to Vietnamese craftsmen to participate in regional and global handicraft skill contests.

6. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall:

a/ Review, study and propose revision, supplementation and improvement of land and environmental treatment policies; research, apply and popularize appropriate environmental treatment technologies to support the sustainable development of craft villages.

b/ Review, evaluate and update the list of seriously polluting craft villages that need to be definitely dealt with; provide guidance on implementation of waste and wastewater disposal and environmental protection measures in craft villages that need to be conserved for on-spot development and treatment of polluted areas after craft villages are relocated or terminate operation.

c/ Intensify inspection, supervision and guidance on compliance with the law on environmental protection in craft villages.

7. The Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Planning and Investment shall propose competent authorities to allocate state budget funds for the implementation of the Program in accordance with the Law on the State Budget, the Law on Public Investment and other relevant laws.

8. Provincial-level People’s Committees shall:

a/ Direct the organization of implementation of the Program in localities; direct the review of master plans, coordinate with trade associations, enterprises and related agencies in formulating schemes, projects, models and plans to implement the Program under regulations and suitable to practical local conditions.

b/ Formulate and promulgate according to their competence mechanisms and policies to support the implementation of the Program’s tasks and solutions in localities; and take the initiative in allocating local budget funds, incorporate funding sources of programs and projects and other lawful capital sources in localities to implement the Program.

c/ Direct local departments, divisions, sectors and administrations in coordinating with related agencies and units in reviewing, making statistics on, evaluating and classifying crafts and craft villages; organize activities to honor typical products and outstanding artisans and skilled workers; restore and conserve traditional crafts and craft villages in danger of fading away or being lost; restore and embellish relics, build a cultural tourism environment in craft villages; and support infrastructure construction, development of craft villages and strict compliance with the law on environmental protection in craft villages.

d/ Direct the reorganization of production, form concentrated raw material zones, build trade villages’ value-linking chains, develop human resources, apply scientific and technological advances, intensify trade promotion activities, build and develop local craft villages’ product brands; provide support for craft villages’ typical OCOP products in participating in domestic and international events, advertising and trade promotion activities.

dd/ Inspect and supervise the implementation of the Program in the localities, make annual reports on the Program implementation results and send them to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for summarization.

9. Socio-political organizations, socio-professional organizations shall, within their functions and tasks and based on their charters, take the initiative in proactively coordinating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, local administrations and related agencies in disseminating and mobilizing local people, enterprises and their own members to participate in the conservation and development of craft villages; organize the implementation of specific activities in accordance with the Program’s contents and tasks; and participate in supervising the implementation of the Program in accordance with law.

Article 2. This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 3. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies, chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees, heads of related agencies and units shall implement this Decision.-

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
LE VAN THANH

* The Appendix to this Decision is not translated.