On December 18, the Steering Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on summarizing Resolution No. 18 announced the Conclusion of the Steering Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on implementing Resolution No. 18 of the 6th Central Conference, Session XII on "Some issues of continuing to innovate and reorganize the apparatus of the political system to be streamlined and operate effectively and efficiently".

Previously, on December 15, the Steering Committee for the Project to merge the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development agreed and completed the Draft "Project to merge the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development", along with the draft Decree stipulating the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the new Ministry after the merger.

Regarding administrative organizations, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development continues to maintain 3 Departments: Cooperative Economy and Rural Development; Dyke Management and Disaster Prevention and Control; Quality, Processing and Market Development.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will also continue to maintain 6 general staff units, which will be merged with corresponding units of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, including: Department of International Cooperation; Department of Legal Affairs; Department of Organization and Personnel; Department of Science, Technology and Environment; Ministry Office; Ministry Inspectorate.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development merged the Department of Planning and the Department of Finance with the Department of Planning and Finance (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment); merged the Department of Irrigation and the Department of Construction Management into the Department of Irrigation Management and Construction, transferred some functions of the Department of Construction Management and Construction to specialized Departments; merged the Department of Crop Production and the Department of Plant Protection into the Department of Crop Production - Plant Protection; merged the Department of Livestock Production and the Department of Veterinary Medicine into the Department of Livestock Production - Veterinary Medicine; merged the Department of Forestry and the Department of Forestry Protection into the Department of Forestry - Forestry Protection; merged the Department of Fisheries and the Department of Fisheries Control into the Department of Fisheries - Fisheries Control.

For public service units under the organizational structure of the Ministry, the Ministry continues to maintain 5 units, which will be merged with units with corresponding functions of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Including: Institute of Strategy and Policy on Agriculture and Rural Development; School of Agricultural and Rural Development Management; Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper; Agriculture and Rural Development Magazine; Center for Digital Transformation and Agricultural Statistics; continue to maintain the National Agricultural Extension Center as a public service unit under the organizational structure of the Ministry; continue to maintain the School of Public Policy and Rural Development in the direction of not being under the organizational structure of the Ministry in the Decree and implement a roadmap for arrangement in accordance with the planning of the network of higher education institutions according to the decision of the competent authority.

To unify the merger of the two Ministries, the Deputy Ministers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment closely coordinated to perform tasks within the scope of functions, duties and powers of the Steering Committee, synthesized and received comments from ministries, branches and localities to continue to perfect the Project to merge the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

At the same time, complete the Draft Decree stipulating the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the new Ministry, ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Central Steering Committee and the Government Steering Committee.