Seminar discusses RoK’s new rural development model hinh anh 1Illustrative image (Source: VNA)
 
Thai Nguyen (VNA) – An international seminar discussing the spread of the “Saemaul Undong” (new village) model in modern rural development took place in the northern province of Thai Nguyen on August 31.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam hoped that the event would help share relevant experience and propose practical solutions.

In Vietnam, the Saemaul Undong movement was first piloted in Rung Van village, of La Bang commune in Thai Nguyen’s Dai Tu district, by the Republic of Korea’s Gyeongsangbuk-do province in 2007. Since 2008, the Vietnamese Party and Government have revised their strategy on the development of agriculture, farmers, and rural areas.

The Saemaul Global Foundation (SGF) also later piloted the model in To village, Phuong Tien commune, Dinh Hoa district in 2014, and in Phu Nam 1 village, Phu Do commune, Phu Luong district in 2017.

The model was also piloted in villages across Bac Ninh, Ninh Thuan, Thua Thien-Hue, and Hau Giang provinces.

After seven years of launching the new rural development campaign, the country recorded 3,478 communes, or 38.98 percent of the total, meeting criteria on new-style rural areas as of July 2018. As many as 55 district-level units from 28 cities and provinces were credited by the PM for fulfilling their missions.

From 2010-2017, more than 1.67 quadrillion VND (72.6 billion USD) was mobilised for the effort – 28.6 percent of which was funded by the State budget, 56.7 percent from credit organisations, 4.9 percent from businesses, and 15.82 percent from the public.

Doan Van Tuan, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, said the new village model aims to improve the living environment and local income via infrastructure building, supporting goat and rabbit farming, fruit growing, and personnel training.

SGF President Lee Ji-ha said Vietnam is one of the key partners of the project on the globalisation of new rural areas, adding that the SGF will offer assistance to Vietnam in management, training, and commercialisation in villages. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will establish pilot villages for the effort.  

At the event, participants discussed launching pilot projects to build new rural areas in developing countries as well as effective models in Vietnamese cities and provinces. –VNA 
VNA