Over the recent years, thanks to the agricultural and rural industrialization and modernization in our country, the agricultural production has witnessed great achievements, thus contributing to the increase of gross domestic product, the assurance of food security and the development of industry and export, and importantly contributing to the improvement of people's life.

Together with the people's efforts, the State has earmarked sizable investment capital for construction of infrastructure, renewal of production modes, application of new technologies, investment in equipment, machinery, electricity, plant protection drugs, etc., thus further improving working conditions in agricultural production. However, labor accidents and occupational diseases have still happened to agricultural laborers, causing serious consequences. This is attributed to the fact that agricultural laborers have not yet been carefully propagated, guided and trained in technical standards, processes and rules as well as preventive measures; and the ministries, branches, administrations of all levels and business organizations have failed to fulfill their law-prescribed responsibilities.

In order to prevent and remedy labor accidents and occupational diseases, and make the agricultural production environment better and better, the Prime Minister hereby requests the ministers, the heads of the ministerial-level agencies, the heads of the Government-attached agencies, branches as well as mass organizations and the presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities to promptly carry out the following tasks:

1. To continue perfecting legal documents related to labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production:

a/ From now till the end of 2005, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall review, supplement, finalize and promulgate according to their respective competence or submit to the Government and the Prime Minister for examination and promulgation legal documents on labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production; the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the relevant ministries and branches and Vietnam Confederation of Labor, Vietnam Peasants' Association, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vietnam Union of Cooperatives in, studying and submitting to the competent authorities for ratification Convention No. 184 of the International Labor Organization (ILO) on labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production.

b/ The Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Fisheries shall review, supplement and amend the standards, processes and rules on the use of equipment, machinery and chemicals to make them suitable to the agricultural development; formulate the Vietnamese standards on labor protection outfits to ensure labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production.

c/ The People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall direct the local agencies, departments and branches in taking specific measures to encourage production and business individuals and establishments to well observe law provisions on labor safety and sanitation, particularly in agriculture.

2. To enhance the prevention of labor accidents and occupational diseases in agricultural production

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the relevant ministries and branches in, elaborating documents guiding measures to ensure safety in production, trading in and use of plant protection drugs, veterinary drugs, fertilizers, livestock feeds, termiticide, insecticide and biological products in service of cultivation and husbandry; coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, Vietnam Confederation of Labor, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vietnam Union of Cooperatives, Vietnam Peasants' Association in working out the program of action on labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production and incorporate this program in the national program of action on labor safety and sanitation, fire and explosion prevention and fight.

- The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the relevant ministries and branches in, enhancing the State management and the management over labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production.

3. To step up the work of information, propagation and dissemination in order to raise the awareness of employers and laborers in agricultural production about the law provisions, technical standards, processes and rules and measures to prevent labor accidents in the use of machinery, equipment, plant protection drugs in agricultural production:

a/ The Ministry of Culture and Information shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Television Station of Vietnam, the Radio Voice of Vietnam and the relevant ministries and branches in, directing the media agencies to organize the regular information and propagation activities, laud good models, criticize establishments and individuals that fail to well ensure labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production.

b/ The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall coordinate with the ministries, branches and Vietnam Peasants' Association in combining activities of propagating and raising the sense of protecting natural resources and environment with activities of labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production.

c/ The Ministry of Education and Training shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and the relevant ministries and branches in, formulating programs and compiling scientific documents on labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production in the educational and training system.

d/ The Ministry of Finance shall allocate funds for activities of labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production to the ministries, branches and localities according to the provisions of the State Budget Law.

e/ The People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall direct the local departments and branches to coordinate with socio-political organizations and social organizations, especially Vietnam Peasants' Association, in launching the movement for peasants' observance of labor safety and sanitation in production and the protection of environment and community's health in districts and communes; organizing training courses on labor safety and sanitation for peasants, first of all those in craft villages, farms, small- and medium-sized enterprises which employ large number of laborers.

4. To intensify international cooperation in the domain of labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production:

The ministries, branches and the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities should make full use of aids of foreign governments and non-governmental organizations for the training, experiment exchange, technical assistance and propagation to raise awareness about labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production, thus contributing to the materialization of the strategy on sustainable development in our country.

5. To intensify the inspection and examination of the observance of regulations on labor safety and sanitation in agricultural production

The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Industry in directing specialized inspectorates to coordinate with the People's Committees of all levels in intensifying the inspection and examination of the use of equipment, machinery, electricity and electric appliances, plant protection drugs, etc., resolutely handling or requesting penal liability examination of serious violation acts.

6. Organization of implementation

a/ The People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall report biannually and annually on the results of implementation of this Directive to the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs.

b/ The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall have to guide, monitor, urge, inspect and report to the Prime Minister on the implementation of this Directive.

The ministers, the heads of the Government-attached agencies, the presidents of the People's Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities shall closely coordinate with Vietnam Fatherland Front, Vietnam Confederation of Labor, Vietnam Peasants' Association, Vietnam Red-Cross Society, Vietnam Society for Labor Safety and Sanitation Sciences and Techniques and the relevant professional associations in organizing the implementation of this Directive.

For the Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
PHAM GIA KHIEM