New rural development and agricultural restructuring Agriculture restructuring and new rural development are the two keys to Vietnam’s industrialization and modernization. In the next five years, agricultural restructuring will be the key elements of Vietnam’s new rural development program. The national target program of new rural development is a long-term, comprehensive rural socio-economic development program that was begun in 2011.  Based on its achievements over the past years, Vietnam aims to continue the program for another five years.  In 2003, the Prime Minister approved a program of agricultural restructuring toward increasing added values and sustainable growth.  The program focuses on the economic, social, and environmental aspects of restructuring agriculture. Improving rural Vietnam In five years of implementing new rural development program, drastic changes have been made. More than 47,000 km of roads have been built and more than 80% of communes have fulfilled the criteria of the program. Living conditions in rural Vietnam have improved. More attention has been paid to commodity agricultural production.  Many locales have enlarged their fields, re-designed their irrigation systems and prepared for field mechanization.  Dang Hoang Tuan, NA deputy for Long An province, said, “This is one of the Party and State’s inclusive programs and an important solution to realizing the Party resolution on agriculture, farmers and rural areas. It plays an important role in improving people’s material and spiritual lives.” Since it debuted in 2013, agricultural restructuring has accelerated the national target program of new rural development, increased incomes, reduced poverty, restructured farm labor, and generated jobs for people in rural areas.  However, there remains a big gap in program outcomes between localities and between regions. Links between new rural development and agricultural restructuring In the next five years, Vietnam intends to have 50% of all communes achieved the criteria of the new rural development program; complete the infrastructure necessary for production - transportation, electricity, water, schools, and clinics; create production models to help stabilize people’s lives; and increase 2015 incomes 80%.  To achieve these goals, new rural development needs to combine with agricultural production, applying scientific and technological advances to improve productivity and competitiveness.  Doan Van Viet, deputy for Lam Dong province, said “We need to apply science and technology, especially bio-technology, to the agricultural growth model and increase revenues per ha. In Lam Dong province, just 16% of the agricultural production area uses high technology but its revenue accounts for 30% of the total." "Farmers in Lam Dong earn an average of VND150 million per ha compared to VND78 million per ha nationwide. By applying high-technology, vegetable production can generate VND400 to 500 million per ha per year and flower production from VND800 million to 1 billion,” he added. Getting enterprises of all economic sectors, particularly the private sector to invest in agriculture and rural areas is a key to the new rural development program, said Nguyen Tuan Anh, NA deputy of Binh Phuoc province. He said, “We need to improve the agricultural sector and rural areas by attracting investment from enterprises. Enterprises will help them find new outlets, improve product quality and quantity, and tap the advantages of each region. To do so, the new rural development program needs to focus on resolving land problems.” VOV5