Performing the functions of research, counseling and working as an independent consulting agency for ministries and industries in agriculture and rural development; following analytical publications and forecasts about agriculture, agricultural market and commodity sectors, for the first time, in 2009, the Information Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (AGROINFO) under the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD) has published the report "Rural development in Vietnam in 2008 and outlook for 2009" – the first annual publication about rural development ever announced. Its birth is intended to provide policy makers, donors and researchers and whoever with interest with more multidimensional angles of view of socio-economic development in general and rural development in particular in Vietnam.
Rural development can be perceived as the use of rural resources (land, labor, capital, infrastructure, science and technology, etc.) in an effective and sustainable manner in order to achieve a high economic growth rate, increase income and improve the lives of rural people. Rural development is a process and it contains wide connotations covering a lot of activities of the social life in rural areas related to many management domains of the government.
The objective of this publication is trying to analyze, clearly clarify the context and prominent issues of rural development in Vietnam in 2008, and simultaneously analyze to clarify the situation and noteworthy issues of driving forces for the development of Vietnam’s rural areas in the long term. Therefore, the structure of the report includes the following main parts: (i) Overview of rural Vietnam (ii) Background to the development of rural Vietnam in 2008 (iii) Main features and prominent issues of rural development in Vietnam in 2008 (iv)The status of the driving forces for the development of rural Vietnam (v) Rural development directions in the coming period.

The report “Rural development in Vietnam in 2008 and outlook for 2009" does not provide a detailed analysis of the contents with basic features such as the subjects participating in the process of rural development, methods and solutions to rural development, etc. It just describes and analyzes general and prominent issues of the achievements of and the resources for rural development in Vietnam. Nonetheless, we hope the publication will be a useful reference in providing additional materials (ideas and data) for those interested in the development of rural Vietnam.

The report “Rural development in Vietnam in 2008 and outlook for 2009" is the first product made by AGROINFO in an effort to expand its information-providing fields not only on agriculture but also on issues related to rural development.

We would like to extend a sincere thank to the specialists, colleagues inside and outside IPSARD who created the conditions, cooperated and helped us with the completion of this report. We would also like to express our gratitude to the leaders of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development, the donors for their support, encouragement and assistance. Particularly, we sincerely thank Dr. Dang Kim Son, Director of IPSARD, for guiding and always supporting us in our work.

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