Flash floods in Vietnam’s northern mountains are not only tallied in annual disaster statistics, they shape the land, livelihoods, and planning decisions across entire districts. As climate change intensifies extreme rainfall, the demand for reliable and accessible hazard maps becomes urgent. A research team from the Institute of Mechanics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) has demonstrated that Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) can meet this demand, producing high-precision, data-driven maps of flash flood risk for the northern communes of Tuyen Quang province, an area once part of Ha Giang’s rugged highlands.

From familiar plants such as okra, jute, Malabar spinach, and aloe vera, a research team from Kien Giang University has explored a new pathway to improve the treatment of domestic wastewater—one of the major pollution sources, accounting for more than 30% of all wastewater generated today. The study found that okra extract, a natural and readily available plant-based coagulant substance, achieved a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency of 64.18%, reduced turbidity by more than 89%, and significantly enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal when combined with PAC. These findings suggest strong potential for using plant-derived coagulant substances in small-scale household and community wastewater treatment models.

As Vietnam advances toward digital government and modern natural resource management, the land sector has emerged as a pioneering field requiring institutional, technological, and data governance reforms. A research group from the Department of Land Management under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, including experts Nguyen Khac The, Dinh Hong Phong, and Tran Van Tien, has conducted the study “Legal basis and requirements for institutional improvement in the implementation of electronic certificates of land use rights and ownership of assets attached to land.”

Traditional flooded rice cultivation in Vietnam ensures stable yields but consumes tens of billions of cubic meters of water and emits tens of millions of tons of methane (CH₄) annually. As Vietnam commits to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, the research and application of the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation technique have opened a new pathway, reducing irrigation water use by 20-50% and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by nearly half.

In the context of climate change, increasing water scarcity, and the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improving water use efficiency in rice cultivation has become both a scientific priority and a central policy task. From field-level irrigation studies to standardized scientific water management procedures, Vietnam is gradually shaping a resource-efficient, low-emission agriculture, laying the groundwork for green transformation and sustainable development.

Leveraging the cool microclimate of Van Son, an upland commune, a research team from the Vietnam National University of Agriculture—Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dinh, Nguyen Trong Tuynh, Nguyen Hong Hanh, and Ly Van Duong—successfully piloted an off-season organic production model for tomatoes and radishes based on a value chain approach, both certified under the Vietnamese organic standards. The results show productivity and economic returns exceeding expectations, opening opportunities for more stable incomes for farmers. At the same time, the model helps lay the foundation for a sustainable production–consumption chain, strengthening local capacity to adapt to climate change and evolving market demands.

Amid increasing climate change impacts and rapid urbanization, the study “Assessing the variations of surface water resources in Da Lat under climate change context”, conducted by Pham The Anh, Truong Thanh Canh, Bui Xuan An, and Le Thi Thanh Quynh, analyzes long-term meteorological and hydrological data (1993-2024) to clarify the trends in streamflow, rainfall, and temperature across four main river basins of Da Lat. The findings provide scientific evidence to support the management and planning of surface water resources toward adaptation and sustainable development.

Amid increasingly complex riverbank, canal, and stream erosion in An Giang province, a research team led by Nguyen Thi Ly and Doan Thi Lien from the Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment conducted an assessment of riparian vegetation in acid sulfate soil areas to identify plant species capable of stabilizing riverbanks and adapting to local hydrological conditions. Through field surveys, community structure analysis, and species-selection criteria using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), the study proposes four promising groups of plant species for integration into ecological erosion-control models.

In Hanoi’s development context, agriculture remains a foundational sector, ensuring food security and providing livelihoods for millions of suburban workers. However, alongside rapid urbanization, agricultural production has created many challenges in environmental protection in rural areas of Hanoi. Researchers Dinh Thi Hai Van and Nguyen Thanh Lam (Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam Academy of Agriculture) conducted a study to analyze the current situation of environmental pollution caused by agricultural production and propose solutions to reduce it.

From what is often considered a valueless by-product, sludge generated from seafood processing plants and shrimp ponds, a research team comprising Nguyen Thi Bach Kim, Le Hoang Viet, and Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan (Can Tho University) has demonstrated its potential as a feedstock for organic fertilizer production. Analytical results indicate that seafood processing sludge (SPS) possesses more favorable characteristics for composting compared to shrimp pond sludge (ShPS), thereby opening new opportunities for circular agriculture.

The research team from the Plant Resources Center (National Plant Gene Bank), comprising Le Thi Loan, Pham Hung Cuong, Doi Hong Hanh, Duong Thi Hanh, Nguyen Thi Hoa, Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang, and Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, has recently reported a five-year (2020-2024) overview of ex-situ conservation of plant genetic resources in Vietnam. By the end of 2024, the system held 28,790 seed samples representing 125 species across five major crop groups, 3,041 vegetatively propagated samples, and 659 in-vitro conserved samples.

Amid the global challenges of forest degradation and climate change, the application of digital technology in forest resource management is increasingly recognized as an inevitable trend. The research by Do Cong Ba (Tan Trao University, Tuyen Quang province), published in the Proceedings of the 2nd National Scientific Conference on “Agricultural and Rural Environment and Sustainable Development,” focuses on analyzing the potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and remote sensing in forest monitoring. Agriculture & Environment Magazine is pleased to present this study to readers, providing an objective perspective on emerging approaches, from deforestation detection and wildfire prediction to supply chain transparency via blockchain, and exploring practical implementation prospects in Vietnam.

A research team at Nguyen Tat Thanh University has developed a method to convert water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic species, into activated carbon with the capacity to adsorb Tetracycline (TC)—a contaminant of emerging concern in aquatic environments. Experimental results showed that the activated carbon derived from water hyacinth exhibited a specific surface area of 630.46 m²·g⁻¹ and an adsorption capacity of 108.2 mg·g⁻¹, suggesting its applicability in wastewater treatment processes.

In the context of antibiotic residues in aquatic environments becoming a global concern, the search for effective, low-cost, and environmentally friendly treatment solutions is increasingly urgent. A Vietnamese research team from Nguyen Tat Thanh University, Ho Chi Minh City University of Natural Resources and Environment, the Institute of New Technology, and the Institute of Applied Research and Green Technology Transfer has introduced a novel approach: transforming spent coffee grounds into activated carbon with a high surface area, capable of removing up to 92% of tetracycline from water. The study not only addresses the challenge of antibiotic contamination but also illustrates the potential of circular economy practices in agricultural waste management.

Animal cloning is the process of producing genetically identical individuals without undergoing conventional fertilization. The successful creation of cloned animals has opened up numerous potential applications in basic research, medicine, and agriculture.

The Cai hoa vang glutinous rice variety is a well-known specialty of Thanh Hoa province, appreciated for its opaque white grains, characteristic aroma, and sticky texture when cooked—qualities that give it high economic value. However, after many years of traditional cultivation and informal seed exchange, the variety has shown signs of segregation and genetic degradation, resulting in unstable yields and inconsistent grain quality. This trend threatens not only production efficiency but also the preservation of an important local germplasm resource.

At the launch of the Research to Policy (R2P) Technical Working Group on July 28 in Ha Noi, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, together with international partners, delivered a clear message: Viet Nam is advancing the institutionalization of the One Health approach, grounded in scientific evidence and multisectoral dialogue. R2P is more than just a technical mechanism—it represents a new interface where science informs policy, and where research-based evidence serves as the foundation for systemic solutions linking human, animal, and environmental health.