The Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy until 2030 requires: the development of a green, environmentally friendly agriculture system, adaptation to climate change, reduction of rural environmental pollution, and striving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10% compared to 2020.
In recent years, thanks to the implementation of many green and clean agricultural production models, the proportion of agricultural and aquatic products that are clean and traceable has been increasing. The green agriculture model is receiving growing attention from farmers, and more are participating in this new system.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam cited examples, stating that in recent years, the Ministry, localities, enterprises, and farmers have been promoting the application of scientific and technological achievements, building many models in the direction of green, clean, and sustainable development. For instance, for rice cultivation, models such as “flower-bordered rice fields,” “1 must, 5 reductions,” and “large-scale fields applying VietGAP” have been implemented. For fruit trees, the GAP farming process and the use of biogas in livestock farming have been applied. In aquaculture, quality control from farm to table is ensured.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan assessed that despite the complex development of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agriculture sector in Vietnam still plays a key role in supporting the economy, ensuring food security, and social welfare. However, the sector is also facing significant challenges, both internal and external, such as climate change, market fluctuations, and changing global consumption trends.
In the future, Vietnam’s agriculture will develop towards green agriculture and ecological agriculture by systematically applying processes and technologies; using inputs efficiently, saving agricultural materials, making effective use of natural resources, and ensuring no harm to the environment or human health.
Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat also affirmed that the agricultural strategy needs a new and completely different mindset. Agricultural products must not only meet food safety requirements for consumers but also satisfy many new demands, including the requirement for low-carbon emission products.
It can be seen that green agriculture in Vietnam has made remarkable progress. However, in reality, there are still some "bottlenecks" that need to be addressed, such as: the lack of organic production planning or specific policies to support organic production; the limited number of organizations certifying "Made in Vietnam" organic products, with most certification being outsourced to foreign organizations at high costs; agriculture still operates on a small scale, making it difficult to apply large-scale, closed-loop green agricultural production methods; consumers are not yet fully trusting and lack experience in distinguishing between organic and conventional products; there is a shortage of skilled labor in organic agriculture compared to demand; and there are no key programs or sufficient investment in resources to create breakthroughs in green agriculture.
One of the methods of green agriculture is organic farming. According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the area of organic farming in Vietnam increased from 53,350 hectares in 2016 to approximately 237,693 hectares in 2019; 46 out of 63 provinces and cities are implementing and promoting the organic farming movement; the number of farmers participating in organic farming is 17,168; the number of organic farming enterprises is 97; and 60 enterprises are involved in exports, with an annual turnover of around 335 million USD.
A 2020 survey by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) found that Vietnamese organic agricultural products are consumed domestically and exported to 180 countries worldwide, including the US, European Union (EU), China, Japan, Germany, UK, South Korea, Russia, Singapore, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, etc. Notably, many advanced farming models applying modern techniques and environmentally friendly standards have appeared across the country. For instance, the organic vegetable model in Quang Nam, particularly the “Kapi Tropical Garden” project by Bui Thi Thanh Suong in Dien Ngoc, Dien Ban, with an area of over 1,000m² using hydroponic methods, has gained customers' trust for its safe products. Suong is also studying a model combining clean farming with eco-tourism. Some southern provinces have actively developed organic farming models to supply organic products for European, North American, and Japanese markets. For example, Ca Mau province has launched an organic aquaculture project combined with mangrove forest preservation; An Giang province has developed an organic tra fish farming plan that helps farmers increase profits by 15% compared to traditional farming methods.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), green agriculture is a model that maximizes clean agricultural resources, creating a sustainable farming model linked with environmental protection. This model provides farmers with superior productivity and efficiency while also helping to better protect the environment and public health.
Author: ISATS Institute