80 years of agriculture and environment: 'Green foundation for a strong and prosperous country'

PLVN - Entering a new era of development, the agricultural and environmental sectors will continue to make new achievements, making important contributions to the cause of building a strong and prosperous country. Those were the affirmations of Minister Tran Duc Thang at the 80th Anniversary of the Agricultural and Environmental Sector and the 1st Patriotic Emulation Congress on November 12, 2025.

80 years of proud development journey

According to Minister Tran Duc Thang, the past 80 years have been a difficult but extremely glorious historical journey for the agricultural and environmental sectors; an epic of the willpower, intelligence and creative working spirit of generations, contributing to the creation of a green, strong and developed Vietnam.

Celebrating 80 years of Agriculture and Environment sector reaching the green era.

Right from the early days of the founding of the country, beloved President Ho Chi Minh advised: "If our farmers are rich, our country will be rich, if our agriculture is prosperous, our country will be prosperous." He also emphasized: "Nature has given us land, water, forests, seas, and climate to live. We must know how to preserve, respect, and develop..."

"Those sacred teachings have become the guiding principle for all policies of the Party and State over the past 80 years to build prosperous agriculture, wealthy farmers, civilized countryside, and a sustainable environment," Mr. Thang emphasized.

Recalling the history of 80 years ago, during the two resistance wars (1945-1975), Mr. Thang said that despite the fierce "rain of bombs and bullets" and harsh natural disasters, agriculture still maintained both production and fighting, excellently completing the task of "one hand plowing, one hand shooting," supporting human and material resources to the front line. Millions of hectares of land were reclaimed, tens of thousands of irrigation works were built, creating the miracle of "not a pound of rice missing, not a soldier missing."

After the reunification (1975), the Party and the State identified agricultural development as the central task, stabilizing people's lives as the top priority. The sector quickly restored production, consolidated technical infrastructure, developed cooperatives, state-owned agricultural and forestry farms, and implemented land reclamation, irrigation, field improvement, and afforestation programs.

Entering the renovation process in 1986, agriculture has made great strides in development. Breakthrough policies, such as the Land Law (1993), along with programs to transform the structure of crops and livestock, apply science and technology , build new rural areas, etc. have opened a period of comprehensive development. From a country with food shortages and having to import food in the 1980s, Vietnam has ensured food security and become one of the world's leading agricultural exporters. Items such as rice, coffee, cashew nuts, pepper, seafood, vegetables, etc. are constantly among the top 5 largest exporters globally, bringing in tens of billions of USD each year, Mr. Thang shared.

In the past three decades alone, Mr. Thang said the export value of agricultural, forestry and fishery products has increased nearly 50 times, putting Vietnam in the top 15 largest agricultural exporting countries in the world; more than 78% of communes have met standards, infrastructure has been improved; the multidimensional poverty rate has decreased from 58% (in 1993) to 4.06% (in 2024).

National strategies on green growth, environmental protection and climate change response have also been vigorously implemented. Environmental protection has become a pillar of sustainable development, not trading the environment for economic growth. Thanks to this, forest coverage has been maintained at over 42%, many ecosystems have been restored, and environmental quality has been improved.

By 2024, Vietnam will be ranked 54th out of 166 countries in sustainable development (up 34 places compared to 2016), 2nd in ASEAN; the rate of collection and treatment of household waste will reach 97.28% in urban areas and 83.1% in rural areas, thereby contributing to ensuring ecological balance and national resource security.

5 groups of tasks and solutions in the coming time

Entering a new stage of development - the era of national development, our country is facing profound changes of the times. In the coming time, Minister Tran Duc Thang said that the Agriculture and Environment sector will focus on implementing 5 groups of key tasks and solutions.

Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Duc Thang spoke at the ceremony.

Firstly, perfecting the modern, unified governance model and institutions. Comprehensively reviewing and amending laws on land, water, forests, environment, climate and agriculture to ensure consistency and transparency. Perfecting the model of a streamlined, multi-sectoral ministry capable of strategic planning and comprehensive management by region, basin and ecosystem.

Second , develop ecological agriculture, green and circular economy. Shift strongly from extensive growth to sustainable values ​​based on science, technology and innovation. Replicating low-emission models, biodiversity conservation, sustainable forest management. Establishing green standards, enhancing the brand of Vietnamese agricultural products associated with traceability, geographical indications and carbon credits.

Third , manage and use national resources effectively and sustainably. Economically exploit land, water, forests, minerals, and seas for long-term development. Ensure water security, especially in transboundary basins such as the Mekong. Digitize and publicize natural resource and environmental data, and improve governance based on results and evidence.

Fourth , promote science and technology and digital transformation as a driving force for breakthroughs. Apply artificial intelligence (AI), big data, sensors, and blockchain in resource monitoring and smart agriculture. Promote research on climate-adaptive plant and animal varieties; support start-ups and innovation ecosystems in rural areas.

Fifth, improve governance effectiveness and mobilize resources for green transformation. The apparatus must be streamlined, and staff must have solid expertise and strong character, meeting the requirements of multi-sectoral management. Unlock domestic and international resources, especially climate finance, new-generation ODA, and private capital for green investment...

Minister Tran Duc Thang requested all cadres, civil servants, public employees and workers in the industry to continue promoting the glorious 80-year tradition. Each individual in the industry needs to uphold the spirit of responsibility, solidarity, creativity, and emulation to excellently complete assigned tasks; contributing to realizing the goal of building ecological agriculture, modern countryside, civilized farmers, sustainable environment, making our country develop rapidly, sustainably and powerfully, Mr. Thang hoped.

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary, the agriculture and environment sector was honored to receive the First Class Labor Medal. The sector also commended 30 cooperatives, 24 typical farmers and farm owners; 57 collectives and 151 typical advanced individuals in the patriotic emulation movement for the period 2020 - 2025; launched the emulation movement for the period 2025 - 2030 with the motto "Tradition - Innovation - Development - Sustainability", thereby calling on all cadres, civil servants, public employees, workers, businesses and farmers nationwide to turn pride into concrete actions, turn aspirations into strength to contribute.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/80-nam-nganh-nong-nghiep-va-moi-truong-nen-tang-xanh-cho-dat-nuoc-hung-cuong-thinh-vuong.html