The 9th National Congress of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VNFU) for the 2026–2031 tenure officially opened in Hanoi on June 8, with the participation of nearly 600 delegates representing more than 10 million farmers and union members nationwide.
Attending the event were Politburo members: National Assembly (NA) Chairman Tran Thanh Man, Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu, and Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Bui Thi Minh Hoai.
Also present were former Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh; former NA Chairpersons Nguyen Van An, Nguyen Sinh Hung and Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan; and former Politburo member and former Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong.
Reporting on the first working day of the congress, Vice President of the eighth-term VNFU Central Committee Bui Thi Thom said delegates elected a 14-member Presidium, a three-member Secretariat and a nine-member delegate eligibility verification board. They also adopted the congress agenda and working regulations, and discussed draft congress documents and amendments to the VNFU Charter.
In his opening remarks, VNFU President Luong Quoc Doan highlighted the proud tradition of Vietnam’s farmers and the union. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, farmers have remained steadfast in following the Party, demonstrating patriotism, self-reliance and a strong aspiration for development while making significant contributions to national liberation, construction and defence.
He noted that during the past tenure, with the Party’s leadership, effective State management and support from ministries, sectors and businesses, farmers nationwide overcame numerous challenges and achieved important accomplishments.
Efforts to strengthen the union system were implemented comprehensively, while organisational restructuring and personnel arrangements were carried out effectively in line with the new organisational model. Most key targets were fulfilled or surpassed, and advisory work on mechanisms and policies yielded notable results, including the Prime Minister’s approval of four major projects aimed at promoting innovation in union activities and farmers’ movements.
The union’s activities continued to be renewed in a practical and effective direction. Patriotic emulation movements were widely promoted, helping improve farmers’ political awareness, professional capacity and production skills. Farmers’ potential and internal resources were further unleashed, while their material and spiritual lives gradually improved. The role of farmers as the central force in rural development has been increasingly affirmed.
The congress is reviewing achievements and shortcomings of the past tenure, drawing lessons, and setting directions, objectives, tasks and solutions for 2026–2031. Delegates will also consider amendments to the VNFU Charter, discuss the performance review report of the eighth-term VNFU Central Committee, and elect an Executive Board of the ninth VNFU Central Committee.
Presenting a report on the implementation of the eighth congress resolution, Standing Vice President Phan Nhu Nguyen said 16 of the 18 targets set for the tenure had been met or exceeded, including six that surpassed planned goals.
Over the past five years, the union established 2,419 new chapters, 11,708 professional farmers’ groups and 3,230 farmers’ clubs, attracting nearly 475,000 new members. It provided training for almost 204,000 outstanding farmers and exemplary agricultural producers.
In support of new-style rural area development, farmers donated more than 530ha of land, contributed over 4.6 million work days, and helped build or repair more than 3,500km of rural roads and irrigation canals. The union also established 11,725 environmental protection models and expanded financial support programmes, with the Farmers Support Fund’s outstanding loans exceeding 5.8 trillion VND (220.1 million USD) and entrusted credit reaching 200 trillion VND.
Under the motto “Solidarity – Democracy – Breakthrough – Cooperation – Development”, the congress aims to build a strong VNFU, promote farmers’ role as the main actors and the centre of agricultural development, the rural economy, and new-style rural area development, and inspire aspirations for a prosperous, strong, civilised, and happy country in the new era.
The congress is expected to adopt 11 principal targets for 2026–2031 term, including ensuring that 100% of officials and members are educated about the Party’s guidelines and policies, the State’s laws and policies, and the union’s resolutions and directives; recruiting at least 500,000 new members; establishing 25,000 new farmers’ groups and 2,500 professional farmers’ branches; and providing consultation and support to at least 18,000 farmers’ groups and 3,000 professional farmers’ branches engaged in the production, processing and trading of safe agricultural products and food./.
