National Assembly deputies on June 13 continued discussing the implementation of land use plans under the 2003 Land Law.

Deputy Nguyen Lan Dzung from the Central Highlands province of Dac Nong province gave opinions on agricultural land use after Vietnam joins the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He stressed the need to shift from the current ineffective cultivation to building farms meeting the target of industrialising and modernising agriculture and rural development. The biggest challenge for Vietnam after it accedes to the world’s largest trade body will be tough competition between domestic and imported farm products.

Mr Dzung said it is essential to shift 70 million small rice fields into large farms with intensive technological investment and farmers should learn how to achieve high outputs from their own rice fields.

Deputy Hluoc Ntor from the Central Hghlands province of Dac Lak and deputy Nguyen Huu Dong from northern Nam Dinh province said the Government should clearly map areas particularly areas for wet rice cultivation and take protective measures to ensure national food security.

Industry and services in the Central Highlands have not developed yet and indigenous ethnic minorities mostly earn a living by using their own land. Therefore, land zoning must be conducted rationally and synchronously for each household in localities.

In order to implement land use plans properly, deputy Nguyen Thi Thuy My from central Quang Tri province said the Government should devise effective solutions to combat land corruption and appropriation.