Directive on organizing the implementation of anti-rodent works to protect agricultural production in Vietnam

Directive on organizing the implementation of anti-rodent works to protect agricultural production in Vietnam (Internet image)

On March 15, 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Directive 1900/CT-BNN-BVTV on organizing the implementation of anti-rodent works to protect agricultural production.

Directive on organizing the implementation of anti-rodent works to protect agricultural production in Vietnam

In order to improve the effectiveness of anti-rodent work, contribute to the protection of safe agricultural production, and reduce production costs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development proposes the following:

(1) People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities:

- Direct the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to lead the construction of annual rat eradication plans for production protection, with specific measures appropriate to the local cropping conditions, geographical characteristics, and socio-economic situation. This includes coordinating with local agencies and organizations to organize and launch rat control movements; organizing community-based anti-rodent teams and groups during the period when rodents are not reproducing, before and after production cycles; or during flood periods when rodents are still clustering.

Depending on the specific situation, carry out 3–5 anti-rodent campaigns per year, implementing synchronized rat control measures with an emphasis on using crop traps, luring rodents into living spaces for capture, manual trapping, and using rat poison. Organize anti-rodent work in fields, residential areas, canal banks, and abandoned land. Limit the use of nylon to protect small fields to preserve the environment. Absolutely do not use electricity or prohibited drugs, or use drugs not listed in the permitted plant protection drugs in Vietnam for rat control.

- Direct the People's Committees of districts to organize rat control teams and groups, especially at the commune, cooperative, and village levels. Coordinate with specialized agencies to provide training and guidance on rat control measures for community-based rat control teams and groups; direct and support communes, cooperatives, and community-based anti-rodent teams in their implementation.

- Direct the relevant units to strengthen inspection and supervision of business activities and the use of plant protection drugs in general, and anti-rodent drugs in particular, in the locality; detect and strictly handle cases of trading prohibited drugs or using plant protection drugs not listed in the permitted list in Vietnam.

- Direct local information and communication agencies to regularly coordinate with specialized agencies to disseminate information about anti-rodent campaigns; provide guidance on safe and effective rat control measures and warn against dangerous anti-rodent methods for humans and animals.

- Allocate funds for specialized agencies and People's Committees of districts to organize and implement effective anti-rodent work; commend organizations and individuals with good achievements.

(2) Units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

* Plant Protection Department

- Direct and guide the Plant Protection and Plant Cultivation Offices, agencies responsible for plant protection in provinces and centrally run cities, to regularly investigate, monitor the development, distribution, and forecast the potential harm caused by rodents. Provide recommendations to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for proposing effective community-based rat control plans to the People's Committees of provinces.

- Regularly inspect and urge localities to organize and implement synchronized and concentrated anti-rodent campaigns.

- Coordinate with research units to propose and provide guidance on safe and effective anti-rodent measures for implementation in localities.

- Encourage organizations and individuals to register and use biological anti-rodent agents that are safe and effective for anti-rodent work.

* Crop Cultivation Department

Direct localities to effectively carry out crop production and care in conjunction with anti-rodent works (organize large-scale production to facilitate the application of plant protection measures, provide guidance on concentrated and synchronized sowing, and arrange crop traps, etc.).

* National Agricultural Promotion Center

Disseminate information on rat control measures to protect agricultural production; direct provincial Agricultural Promotion Centers to develop and replicate effective anti-rodent models.

More details can be found in Directive 1900/CT-BNN-BVTV, issued on March 15, 2024.

Ho Quoc Tuan

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