Elevating the brand of "Green, Low-Emission Vietnamese Rice"

With the deployment of the ViRiCert digital tool within the framework of the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project in the Mekong Delta, cooperatives are supported in monitoring, evaluating, and certifying compliance with farming processes in real time, creating a foundation for building a system to identify low-emission rice, promoting green growth and increasing export value.

The "Green Vietnamese Rice with Low Emissions" trademark is a commitment to quality, transparency, and environmental responsibility from the Vietnamese rice industry.

With the deployment of the ViRiCert digital tool within the framework of the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project in the Mekong Delta, cooperatives are supported in monitoring, evaluating, and certifying compliance with farming processes in real time, creating a foundation for building a system to identify low-emission rice, promoting green growth and increasing export value.

Developing tools to assess compliance with farming practices is considered a crucial foundation for increasing the value of rice and enhancing transparency.

ViRiCert - A transparent assessment tool

The project to cultivate 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta aims for sustainable agriculture , climate change adaptation, and attracting green investment.

Given the challenges and risks such as saltwater intrusion, natural disasters, and increasing pressure to reduce emissions, the need for transparent assessment and monitoring tools for farming processes is crucial. The launch of ViRiCert is expected to serve as a digital tool to guide farmers, cooperatives, and businesses participating in the project.

The ViRiCert tool was developed by VIETRISA with the support of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). After installation, cooperatives will update information on rice cultivation in real time, accompanied by supporting images. The tool will collect, manage data, and score the results.

If the cooperative follows the cultivation process of the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project correctly and completely, it will be assessed as meeting the standards. If it does not meet the standards, the tool will recommend that the cooperative rectify and improve its practices to achieve the desired results. Based on this, VIETRISA will assess whether it meets the standards for low-emission green Vietnamese rice certification, thereby facilitating export activities.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Hung, an IRRI expert, stated: The ViRiCert assessment method designs a scoring system based on 10 key practices in the high-quality, low-emission rice production process, from pre-season water management, land preparation, sowing, fertilization, pest management to harvesting and straw disposal…

Each stage is scored specifically from 0-3 points according to the level of compliance with best practices; in which, the two mandatory conditions to achieve compliance with high-quality, low-emission rice production processes are: draining the water at least 1-2 times during the growing season and not burning rice straw in the field. These are the most effective measures in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the environment.

According to experts, in response to the need to accelerate the green transformation of the rice industry, developing tools to assess compliance with farming practices is considered a crucial foundation for enhancing the value of rice grains and increasing transparency.

The ViRiCert tool allows for the recording, monitoring, and comparison of compliance with technical requirements throughout the production process. All farming data from households and cooperatives is updated, managed, and verified according to the strict criteria of the 1 million hectare rice project. This digitization supports monitoring, provides a foundation for traceability, assigns planting area codes, and facilitates the development of product label certification mechanisms in the future.

Former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment , Tran Thanh Nam, believes that the ViRiCert tool is very useful because when used, cooperatives receive training on the cultivation process of the 1 million hectare high-quality rice project. The ViRiCert tool needs to be legally standardized and widely publicized both domestically and internationally. At the same time, there should be a training program for cooperatives to use it.

Standardizing processes and building a brand for low-emission rice.

According to the agricultural sector, in response to the increasingly stringent quality and emission standards imposed by international markets, the application of digital tools in monitoring and evaluating production processes is becoming a crucial solution to enhance the brand image of Vietnamese rice.

Rice production at Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Giang, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, said: The locality is implementing the Project on 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in 64 communes and wards, with a total area of ​​over 170,800 hectares and the participation of 171 cooperatives and cooperative groups. The initial implementation process has recorded many positive results, confirming that the direction of developing high-quality, low-emission rice is practical and feasible.

According to Ms. Giang, for low-emission rice to access high-end market segments, increase its value, and enhance international competitiveness, along with green production methods, clear evidence of the production process is needed. Therefore, checking the level of compliance with farming techniques, applying digitalization in data management, and building a brand identity system for "Green, Low-Emission Vietnamese Rice" currently plays a crucial role.

Mr. Pham Thai Binh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company (Can Tho City), said: After the Japanese market, the company has exported an additional 1,000 tons of "low-emission green Vietnamese rice" to Europe and Australia, 500 tons to each market.

The most important criterion required by the importing market is that the rice must be of high quality, meaning it must be produced safely. Low emissions are an additional criterion, accepted by the importing market and shared with producers to protect the environment. In the future, businesses hope that localities, ministries, and sectors will urgently expand the Project to cultivate 1 million hectares of high-quality rice, as its effectiveness has been proven, but the area implemented so far remains modest.

Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Vice President and General Secretary of VIETRISA, affirmed: “Green Vietnamese rice with low emissions” is a commitment to quality, transparency, and environmental responsibility of the Vietnamese rice industry in response to the increasingly high demands of the global market for sustainable development.

In the coming period, VIETRISA will continue to cooperate with IRRI and partners under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to finalize the basic standards and criteria for granting certification logos. The expansion of the application of digital tools such as ViRiCert is expected to create a new step forward in production management, helping the Vietnamese rice industry develop transparently, sustainably, and achieve high added value.

Text and photos: TRÀ MY

Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/kinh-te/nong-nghiep/202605/nang-tam-thuong-hieu-gao-viet-xanh-phat-thai-thap-00409fd/