SIGNS OF INNOVATION IN NGHE TINH AGRICULTURE DURING THE PERIOD 1976-1986

Between 1976 and 1980, Nghe Tinh's economy faced numerous difficulties and challenges, especially in agriculture, which remained stagnant and in crisis. Farmland was left uncultivated, and farmers frequently suffered from hunger and rice shortages. In response, the Provincial Party Committee and the People's Committee of Nghe Tinh implemented breakthrough solutions to clear bottlenecks and pave the way for agricultural development. These early signs of innovation emerged in 1978 and evolved from 1979 to 1986. They influenced provincial policy-making and contributed to a “positive effect” on the renewal orientations adopted at the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (December 1986). This article focuses on reconstructing the “fence-breaking” phenomena that gave rise to these new signals in Nghe Tinh's agriculture from 1976 to 1986. It highlights the proactive role of the Provincial Party Committee, the People's Committee, and the people's solidarity in lifting the province's agriculture out of crisis. The research results provide valuable local historical documents and bold observations to offer readers a more comprehensive and objective view of the signs of innovation in Nghe Tinh's agriculture during the ten years following the provincial merger (1976-1986). It also explains why Nghe Tinh quickly aligned with the Party's national reform policies, which started in 1986. Keywords: Economic reform; signs of innovation; agriculture; Nghe Tinh