Speaking at the discussion session on socio-economic issues, National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan (Hanoi) emphasized that training and standardizing the agricultural extension workforce was a strategic breakthrough for Vietnam’s agriculture to transform toward a green, ecological, and high-tech direction. In particular, agricultural extension served as the “extended arm” of sustainable rural development and the key to unlocking the door to smart agriculture.
The “key” to unlocking smart agriculture
At the discussion session on socio-economic development held on the afternoon of October 29, 2025, Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan, Hanoi National Assembly Delegation, praised the Government’s report on the implementation of the socio-economic development plan for 2025 and the 2021-2025 period. She stated that the report vividly reflected the country’s positive development picture despite numerous challenges such as natural disasters, floods, trade wars, and the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.
“These achievements are the evidence of the wise leadership of the Party and the National Assembly, the decisive, flexible, and creative governance of the Government, and the tireless efforts of the entire political system and the people,” emphasized Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan.
National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan delivers a speech at the discussion session on the socio-economic situation on October 29, 2025.
According to National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan, as Vietnam entered 2026, adopting science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and green growth as the pillars of development was a sound policy that demonstrated the Government’s strategic vision and commitment to sustainable development.
From the perspective of a leader of an educational institution in the fields of agriculture and environment, Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan emphasized that developing human resources for agricultural extension was a critical breakthrough for advancing modern agriculture.
According to Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan’s analysis, if the economy was likened to a house, agriculture served as its solid foundation, ensuring social stability and national food security. In the process of building a green, ecological, and high-tech agriculture, the agricultural extension workforce played a pivotal role as the direct link that brought policies, science, and technology to farmers, transforming knowledge into productivity and practical value. At the same time, agricultural extension acted as a vital bridge connecting the State, scientists, businesses, and farmers; and served as the “extended arm” for sustainable rural development and as the “key” to unlocking smart agriculture.
“General Secretary To Lam emphasized that agricultural extension is an important responsibility of commune-level authorities; it is essential to strengthen the local agricultural extension workforce to stay close to the people and the fields, ensuring that extension activities are not disrupted. This directive reflects a strategic vision for the development of modern agricultural human resources,” cited Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan.
“In reality, although most localities already have officials in charge of agriculture, the number of full-time agricultural extension officers remains limited and uneven in terms of qualifications, especially in remote and mountainous areas. According to the assessments from the national agricultural extension system and some surveys, about 60–70% of commune-level extension officers have not received specialized training, and over 80% have not yet been proficiently trained in digital technologies and smart agriculture”.
“The issuance of Circular No. 60/2025 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has established a clear legal framework, helping to streamline and strengthen the two-tier agricultural extension system to operate more efficiently. However, the fundamental issue lies in focusing on the training and standardization of the agricultural extension workforce, viewing this as a strategic link in the development of sustainable agriculture”, emphasized Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan.
Proportional investment in the training and development of agricultural extension human resources
National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan also noted that international experience shows that nations which prioritize agricultural extension training tended to have more sustainable agricultural systems. In the United States, for instance, the Cooperative Extension System represented a partnership between the federal government, state authorities, and agricultural universities, offering regular training for extension officers. In Israel, extension officers received continuous training in irrigation technology, sensors, and agricultural data management. Meanwhile, the Netherlands stood out as a model example, where extension training was designed along the agricultural value chain, helping officers gain expertise not only in technical aspects but also in market dynamics and green standards, etc.
“Therefore, the lesson for Vietnam is that agricultural extension should not merely be about transferring techniques, extension officers must also act as consultants and connectors who link production with the market,” emphasized National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan.
To enhance the effectiveness of agricultural extension work in meeting new development demands, in addition to the directions outlined in Circular No. 60/2025/TT-BNNMT (dated October 14, 2025) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, which provided guidance on the functions, tasks, authority, and organizational structure of public units implementing agricultural extension at the provincial and commune levels, Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan proposed that Vietnam should develop a national competency framework for agricultural extension officers and a standardized, digitalized training program aligned with the development strategies of each locality because Vietnam currently lacked a unified standard and transferable certification system, leading to inconsistencies in the quality of agricultural extension personnel nationwide.
In addition, Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan emphasized the need to introduce policies that would attract and provide incentives for young engineers and intellectuals to work in rural areas as agricultural extension officers, especially in remote and disadvantaged regions; to develop a unified agricultural extension database, connecting data from the provincial to the commune level to support farmers more quickly and effectively; and to establish a transparent, specific monitoring and evaluation mechanism to measure whether agricultural extension activities genuinely helped farmers improve their capacity and increase their income.
“If agriculture is considered the backbone of the economy, then the agricultural extension workforce is the root system that nourishes that backbone. Investing in the training and development of agricultural extension personnel is an investment in knowledge, productivity, and the future of Vietnamese farmers. In the long term, I propose incorporating the development of agricultural extension human resources into the National Strategy on Agricultural Human Resources until 2035, recognizing it as a strategic criterion in building model new rural areas and promoting sustainable agricultural development,” proposed National Assembly Deputy Nguyen Thi Lan.