Hanoi to lose additional 42,000 hectares of farmland

Nearly 42,000 hectares of agricultural land in Hanoi have been slated for use for other purposes by 2020.

Nearly 42,000 hectares of agricultural land in Hanoi have been slated for use for other purposes by 2020, according to the land use plan by 2020 announced at recent meeting of the municipal People’s Council.

Hanoi to lose additional 42,000 hectares of farmland

At the meeting, many delegates argued that the proposed change would affect the city's food security. Delegate Nguyen Thi Tuyen, from Chuong My District said, the city needs to work out a plan for the use of agricultural land to create feasible industrial parks, trade centres and housing projects in order to receive support from the population.

Deputy Nguyen Dinh Duong said that after the change a number of districts, such as Tu Liem, Cau Giay and Thanh Xuan will only have 0.3ha of agricultural land remaining. “An irrigation system is needed for agricultural development, but for such a small area I wonder if the system will be feasible," he said.

Nguyen Hoai Nam, Head of the Legal Department under the city People’s Committee, suggested that only semi-mountainous and impoverished land should be slated for use for other purposes because once the land is claimed for other uses it will be difficult to return it to

Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee, Vu Hong Khanh, said that the city is following the instruction of the Government and the National Assembly on agricultural land use, adding that, under the Hanoi Master Plan, most farm land will be located in districts where irrigation can be ensured, such as Ung Hoa, Phu Xuyen and My Duc.

Under the plan, by 2020 the city will use 179,000 ha of non-agricultural land, up 44,000 ha compared to the figure of 2010, including over 3,000 ha for offices and headquarters; 7,600 ha for industrial parks and complexes; 40,000 ha for transport works.