Lien Ha commune is one of the first five communes in Hanoi to complete construction of a model new-style rural village. (Photo: Lam Nguyen)

After more than 10 years of building new rural areas, Hanoi has upgraded essential infrastructure and improved people's lives.

Hanoi has had 12 of its 18 districts and all of its communes recognized as ‘new-style rural areas’. 47 communes have been granted the title ‘advanced new-style rural village’ and 5 communes have been granted the title ‘model new-style rural village’.

Tran Van Son, a resident of Lien Ha commune in Dan Phuong district, said that last year Lien Ha was one of the first five communes in Hanoi to complete construction of a model new-style rural village with per capita income reaching 3,300 USD a year.

“The new-style rural building program has made our village more beautiful. The village roads are more beautiful, too. And villagers have become more civilized with better daily habits. With improved living conditions, the children's studies have been progressing,” said Son.

The emulation movement called “All people join hands in building new-style rural areas and civilized urban areas” has been responded to by a large number of agencies and people in Hanoi.

Hanoi has stepped up the creation of large-scale rice fields and specialized farming areas that produce high-yield, high-quality, and more profitable agricultural commodities, and has expanded mechanization, high-tech production, production chains, and more efficient distribution to domestic and export markets.

Pham Thi Hai Hoa, Chairwoman of the Hanoi Farmers' Association, said, “Hanoi has been creative in realizing the efficiencies of the new-style rural building movement. Most notable have been the movements to persuade farmers to donate their land and labor to building rural infrastructure. Economic models that earn 13,000 to almost 44,000 USD per year have taken shape under the city’s guidance.”

A high-tech mushroom production line at Thanh Cao Kinoko Export-Import Company in My Duc district, Hanoi (Photo: Do Tam)

Hanoi now has 164 hi-tech agricultural production models. Hi-tech agricultural products account for 35% of the city’s total agricultural production.

Last year more than 192,000 Hanoi farm households earned the title ‘good producers and businesspeople’.

This year the city’s Farmers' Association plans to promote programs on agricultural development, new-style rural building, and improving farmers' lives.

Speeding up the National Target Program on Building New-style Rural Areas has helped Hanoi raise the annual per capita income in rural areas from 350 USD in 2008 to 2,400 USD in 2021.

Nguyen Thi Tuyen, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, says Hanoi has spent 43 million USD on the national rural building program.

“Now that every commune in Hanoi has met the criteria for new-style rural areas, we are focusing on advanced new-style rural villages and model new-style rural villages,” said Tuyen, adding, “We’ll continue to focus on restructuring the agricultural economy, improving farmers’ lives, and developing new models in order to maintain agricultural sector growth of 2.5% to 3% in line with the resolution of the Hanoi People's Council.”

Hanoi’s goal this year is to have 25 more communes meet the enhanced criteria for advanced new-style rural villages, 15 communes recognized as model new-style rural villages, and 2 districts meet the new-style rural standard.