The “key” to low-emission agriculture

In the context of climate change being the biggest challenge of the 21st century, reducing greenhouse gas emissions is no longer an option, but the responsibility of each country.

In Vietnam, crop production accounts for about 80% of total emissions from the agricultural sector. Therefore, the project “Crop production to reduce emissions in the period 2025-2035”, recently approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment , is not only a technical plan, but also a strategic shift in the “Net Zero 2050” roadmap.

Emission-reducing agriculture is an inevitable direction for Vietnam. (Illustration photo)

According to statistics, the agricultural sector emits more than 116 million tons of CO₂ equivalent each year. Of which, crop cultivation alone accounts for the majority, mainly methane in rice production, the use of chemical fertilizers and burning straw after harvest. If these habits do not change, Vietnam's agriculture will be "labeled" as a high-emissions emitter, putting many agricultural products at risk of losing their competitive advantage in the international market.

However, in the midst of difficulties, there are opportunities, because if we shift towards reducing emissions, Vietnamese agriculture can not only “clean up” itself but also move towards creating “carbon credits” - a new economic value. Each hectare of agricultural land not only produces rice, cassava, bananas, etc., but also generates profits from the amount of emissions that are reduced.

The key highlight of the project is the formation and development of raw material areas for emission-reducing crops. This is a development mindset according to the value chain, considering farmers, businesses and the State as three links in a companion system. Only when there is a concentrated raw material area, synchronously applying sustainable farming processes and digital management, will the control and certification of emission reduction have a scientific and transparent basis.

The project proposes to form production and consumption chains linking low-emission agricultural products, linking raw material areas with purchasing and exporting enterprises. That also means that enterprises will no longer stand outside the "green agriculture game" but become companions, sharing benefits and responsibilities with farmers.

Applying digital technology in emission monitoring, traceability and statistics of emission reduction output will be a new management tool, demonstrating a change in thinking: from “farming based on experience” to “farming based on data”. When each hectare of cultivated land is assigned a code, each product has an emission log, Vietnamese agriculture will enter a stage of transparency and deep integration with international standards.

However, to realize the project's objectives, it is impossible to stop at slogans. The biggest problem at present is the lack of incentive mechanisms for investment in raw material areas, especially for small and medium enterprises, while farmers are still reluctant to change their farming practices. Therefore, the State needs to have preferential credit policies, technical support, and risk insurance for low-emission farming models. Along with that, communication, training, and coaching of farmers on water-saving farming techniques, reducing chemical fertilizers, and handling by-products in an environmentally friendly way need to be widely implemented. Local authorities need to become the "core of action", promoting cooperatives and businesses to form model raw material areas.

By 2035, Vietnam aims to develop a “Low Emissions” label for key agricultural products such as rice, cassava, sugarcane, coffee, bananas, etc. and pilot at least 15 farming models that are eligible to participate in the international carbon credit market. This is a big goal, but it is completely feasible if implemented properly because when “green products” have commercial value, businesses and farmers will voluntarily move towards it.

By 2050, when 100% of the main crop area applies sustainable farming processes, Vietnam's agriculture will not only reduce emissions but can become a carbon sequestration industry - a true "green economy", contributing to national green growth. Reducing emissions in crop cultivation cannot be just the responsibility of the agricultural sector but is a shared responsibility of the whole society, an opportunity to move towards the goal of "green growth - sustainable development".

According to Hanoi Moi

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