To feed the growing demand for industrial land, Ha Noi plans to gradually take over more land used for agricultural production.

Under a five-year land-use plan approved recently by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, agricultural land will be reduced by more than 3,300ha from 44,168ha in 2008 to 40,805ha by 2010. Meanwhile, the non-agricultural land area of the capital will increase by nearly 3,600ha to 49,000ha in the same period.

Of this area, land for industrial areas will increase to more than 1,900ha; for business to nearly 2,780ha; and for public services, such as traffic, healthcare, education and training, to 1,561ha.

Vice chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Vu Hong Khanh said that Ha Noi’s reducing farm land was necessary to meet the development trend.

Khanh said priority for allocating the reclaimed land would be given to key industries, including hi-tech and high-value industrial production sectors. During the period, more than 5,800ha of agricultural land would be reclaimed.

Of this, more than 900ha was transferred in 2006-07.

About 798ha of land presently used for rice cultivation will be re-allocated for growing long-term crops, such as tea – and aquaculture.

To carry out the plan, local authorities would speed up the process of calling for industrial investment and selecting appropriate investors, Khanh said.

He said the expanded Ha Noi would also invest in developing the traffic network and other infrastructure.

Khanh added that the municipal farmers’ association would work with universities, research institutes and scientific and technological centres to train and transfer technology to farmers, giving them a competitive edge and economic efficiency.

According to the municipal People’s Committee, income from fees from reclaimed land is expected to reach nearly VND7.4 trillion (US$435 million) in 2009.

Reduction essential

Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Ngo Dai Ngoc said reducing agricultural land was essential, but it was important to use it effectively.

He said the State should have long-term policies to ensure the living conditions of those farmers who would lose their land – and incomes.

Top priority should be given to defining special areas for sustainable agricultural production and investing in building irrigation networks and infrastructure.

And vocational training should be provided to farmers whose land would be taken.

Deputy director of the municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Do Xuan Phuong said the State had built policies relating to compensation, assistance, training and job creation for farmers whose land was taken.

“Ha Noi has also adopted policies, including providing vocational training and generating jobs for young labourers in regions where agricultural land has been transferred,” she said.

She also said that Ha Noi would provide each farmer with VND3.8 million ($223) in aid and urged businesses who received farm land to create jobs for 10 workers per hectare.

However, Phuong said, these policies had some shortcomings. Providing young workers with vocation training assistance in cash had proven ineffective as they often spent the money on shopping and entertainment.

The opening of vocational training schools without creating jobs for unemployed workers was also a waste, she said.

Tran Thi Luong from Hoang Van Thu Commune in Chuong My District said: “Nearly 2ha of my land for tea cultivation was revoked for the construction of the Van Son golf course, forcing me out of work at the age of 41.

“I received compensation money and land to build a new house for resettlement. The whole family now depends on what compensation money is left, but we do not know what to do to earn a living now.”

Similar situation

Hundreds of other farmers in the same commune were placed in a similar situation by the construction of the 197ha golf course.

The municipal Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs has organised job fairs to help farmers. However, as Luong says: “It is not easy for low qualified workers to find jobs.” (VNS)