Sustainable farming development: From awareness to green action

Vietnam's crop industry is transforming strongly from awareness to green action, towards sustainable, low-emission and environmentally friendly agriculture.

In the context of increasingly severe climate change and declining natural resources, the need to develop the agricultural sector in a green, clean and sustainable direction is no longer an option but the only way to ensure ecological security, public health and the future of Vietnam's agriculture .

Turn “green thinking” into “green action”

From a food-starved agricultural country, Vietnam has become the world's leading agricultural exporter. In 2024 alone, the export value of agricultural products reached 32.8 billion USD, accounting for more than half of the total export turnover of the agricultural sector. Many products such as vegetables, rice, coffee, cashews, and rubber have risen to the billion-dollar export group, affirming the position of Vietnamese agricultural products on the world map.

High-quality rice growing model, reducing emissions. Photo: Le Hoang Vu.

However, behind these impressive figures are a series of challenges that are silently eroding the production foundation: degraded soil, polluted water, affected air, and declining biodiversity. The abuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, along with monoculture and excessive intensive farming, has seriously damaged the agricultural ecosystem. Many key growing areas, especially the Mekong Delta, Central Highlands, and Northwest, are paying the price with environmental degradation, rising costs, and declining productivity.

More worryingly, agricultural production, especially rice cultivation, is becoming a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the global climate change spiral - something that the agricultural sector itself is the first to suffer the consequences of.

According to the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, the main viewpoint in the coming period is that environmental protection is a prerequisite for the development of the crop production industry. This is not just a slogan but a guideline for all policies, actions and production models of the industry.

Therefore, the development of cultivation must be based on three pillars: Restoring and conserving land, water and ecological resources, focusing on nature; minimizing chemical materials, increasing the use of organic fertilizers and biological products, moving towards zero-emission agriculture. Finally, balancing economic , social and environmental benefits, aiming for green, sustainable and humane values ​​in each agricultural product.

The Department also emphasized promoting international cooperation and learning from experiences from developed countries in the field of ecological cultivation such as Japan, Korea, EU, etc. to shorten the gap in technology and global green standards.

The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection has set a target that by 2030, the Vietnamese crop industry will strongly shift to sustainable production methods. In which, the rate of using biological pesticides and organic fertilizers will reach 30%; from 10 - 15% of the cultivated area will follow VietGAP standards or equivalent, of which 1% will be organic production. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in crop production by at least 20%, keeping methane emissions below 42.2 million tons of CO₂ equivalent. Restore soil fertility, prevent erosion and degradation, protect surface and groundwater resources in large production areas.

In addition, the industry will focus on raising awareness and capacity for officials, businesses, cooperatives and farmers on green, low-emission agricultural production models, which is a decisive factor in turning "green thinking" into "green action".

Four breakthroughs to promote sustainable farming

Aiming towards a green and sustainable agriculture, the Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection identified four breakthroughs to promote sustainable cultivation, including:

Institutional and policy breakthroughs, perfecting the legal framework, prioritizing policies to encourage organic production, circular agriculture and the application of environmentally friendly technology. At the same time, strictly control the use of chemicals and strictly handle acts of pollution in agricultural production.

The crop production sector will promote research on drought-, salt-, and pest-resistant crop varieties. Photo: Huynh Xay.

Regarding breakthroughs in science and technology, we will promote research on drought-resistant, salt-resistant, and pest-resistant crop varieties; expand the models of "3 reductions, 3 increases", "1 must, 5 reductions", IPM (integrated pest management), INM (integrated nutrient management); increase the use of organic fertilizers and biological products, and develop combined agricultural and forestry production forms to conserve soil and retain water.

Regarding resource breakthroughs and cooperation, we will focus on mobilizing international capital, participating in the carbon credit market, attracting businesses to invest in green agriculture, and building a network of modern agricultural technology innovation centers.

Finally, there is a breakthrough in awareness and community connection. Including bringing green knowledge to villages, hamlets, and fields. Training technical staff, agricultural extension workers, and farmers; encouraging businesses and cooperatives to cooperate in building a green - clean - traceable agricultural value chain.

Developing sustainable agriculture is not only the story of farmers or the agricultural sector, but also the responsibility of the whole society. It is the only way for Vietnam to maintain food security, protect the living environment, increase the value of agricultural products and move towards modern, low-carbon agriculture, for people and for the future.

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Agriculture and Environment Sector and the 1st Patriotic Emulation Congress, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment organizes a series of events lasting from July to December 2025. The focus is on the 80th anniversary of the Agriculture and Environment Sector and the 1st Patriotic Emulation Congress (scheduled to be held on the morning of November 12, 2025) at the National Convention Center (Hanoi) with more than 1,200 delegates attending, including leaders of the Party, State, National Assembly, Government; former leaders of the Ministry, representatives of international organizations and advanced models in the whole sector.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/phat-trien-trong-trot-ben-vung-tu-nhan-thuc-den-hanh-dong-xanh-d783016.html