In response to the need to concretize the High-Tech Law, which will take effect on July 1, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is urgently developing a Decree regulating high-tech agricultural zones. This is considered an important step to complete the legal framework, resolve long-standing obstacles, and create a foundation for the development of modern agriculture based on science, technology, and innovation.
Developing agriculture based on high technology is an inevitable trend.
On the afternoon of February 25, 2026, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung chaired a meeting of the Drafting Committee and Editorial Team for the draft Decree regulating high-tech agricultural zones. The meeting was attended by representatives from various ministries, sectors, and localities. The discussions focused on the organizational and management model, decentralization mechanisms, preferential policies, and conditions for establishing high-tech agricultural zones.
COMPLETING A UNIFIED LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Representing the drafting agency, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Cuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology, stated that the Decree was developed to concretize the provisions of the High-Tech Law, perfecting the legal framework for the development of high-tech zones in the agricultural sector towards a modern and sustainable direction.
To date, the drafting agency has completed the first draft, organized consultations at the local level, and gathered opinions from ministries and agencies. Based on this, the dossier will continue to be finalized in accordance with regulations on the promulgation of legal normative documents.
Deputy Minister Hoang Trung: "It is necessary to clarify the organizational and management model and the decentralization mechanism between the central and local governments."
The draft regulations comprehensively address issues related to the establishment, organization, management, and operation of high-tech agricultural zones.
Regarding investment project selection, the draft prioritizes projects with high technological content, environmental friendliness, and the potential for technology dissemination. Notably, a controlled testing mechanism for new technologies and policies is proposed to create a flexible space for innovation while still ensuring effective state management.
The conditions for establishing the zones are strictly defined, including requirements for planning, location, technical and digital infrastructure, human resources, and capital mobilization. A comprehensive system of preferential policies is designed, encompassing land, taxes, credit, infrastructure support, and administrative procedure reform through a one-stop mechanism to attract businesses and science and technology organizations to participate.
At the meeting, ministries, sectors, and localities generally agreed on the necessity of issuing the Decree to complete the legal framework for high-tech agricultural zones.
In reality, many zones established by the Prime Minister in 2014-2015 are facing operational difficulties due to a lack of unified regulations and synchronized support mechanisms. Some localities have reported that the delay in issuing guiding documents has caused confusion in infrastructure investment, resource attraction, and management organization.
Representatives from the Ministry of Interior emphasized the need to adhere to the policy of streamlining the organizational structure and limiting the establishment of new administrative organizations. Regarding the model of the High-Tech Agricultural Zone Management Board, it is necessary to clarify the legal basis, functions, tasks, authority, and relationship with local authorities. In cases where a new organization is established, its effectiveness and feasibility must be clearly demonstrated.
EXPECTATIONS TO CREATE NEW MOMENTUM FOR MODERN AGRICULTURE
Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung instructed that the drafting of the Decree must ensure quality, feasibility, and alignment with the development orientation of science, technology, and innovation.
The drafting committee was requested to continue reviewing and supplementing sufficiently strong policy mechanisms, especially regarding land, capital, investment incentives, and promoting linkages between businesses, research institutes, and universities. At the same time, a comprehensive review of the activities of existing zones is needed to assess needs, effectiveness, and practical obstacles as a basis for proposing appropriate policies.
The issue of organizing the Zone Management Board needs to be carefully studied and closely coordinated with the Ministry of Interior to ensure it aligns with the policy of streamlining the administrative apparatus while still meeting the requirements of specialized management.
The completion of the Decree on high-tech agricultural zones is expected to create new momentum for the restructuring of the agricultural sector towards modernization, efficiency, and sustainability. In the context of increasing competition and the demand for improved agricultural product quality, developing agriculture based on high technology is an inevitable trend.
"Once the legal framework is perfected, high-tech agricultural zones can become centers for resource convergence, technology dissemination, and the formation of highly competitive agricultural value chains. This also serves as a foundation for promoting the application of biotechnology, digital technology, and smart agricultural solutions in production," Deputy Minister Hoang Trung emphasized.
Currently, the drafting agency is urgently finalizing the dossier, continuing to gather opinions from ministries, sectors, and localities before submitting it for appraisal and presentation to the Government for consideration, striving to promulgate it as soon as possible, in order to promptly implement the High-Tech Law when it comes into effect.
Chu Khoi,
According to VnEconomy