Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Hoang Trung on January 15 met with a delegation from CropLife Viet Nam to discuss cooperation on pesticide management and the application of science and technology to support sustainable agriculture.
CropLife Viet Nam reaffirmed its commitment to bringing scientific and technological advances closer to farmers and to working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to promote innovation in plant science in support of sustainable agricultural development.
Cooperation focuses on sustainable pesticide management
At the meeting, Chairman of CropLife Viet Nam Dang Van Bao said 2025 marked the second year of cooperation with the Plant Production and Protection Department under the “Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework.” He said the program had delivered tangible results, including specialized training courses on risk assessment for central and local officials and the completion of technical guidance manuals to support long-term implementation.
In farmer training, CropLife Viet Nam has promoted digital transformation through the development of an e-learning platform on the safe and effective use of plant protection products (pesticides). The association has also continued a public–private partnership (PPP) model in Dong Thap province involving about 1,000 farmers and more than 100 agricultural input dealers. The initiative has contributed to improved awareness and practices in pesticide use, helping reduce emissions associated with agricultural inputs.
Beyond pesticide management, CropLife Viet Nam said it has worked with international organizations and regional partners in 2025 to exchange experience in regulating next-generation plant varieties, particularly genetically modified and gene-edited crops. Vietnamese regulators and experts have been supported to attend technical workshops and policy dialogues in the United States and several ASEAN countries.
Based on the results achieved, Co-chair of CropLife Viet Nam Tran Thanh Vu suggested that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment consider revising and supplementing regulations on pesticide management and registration for the 2026–2030 period. These include the Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine, Circular 21 and related implementing documents. He also called for continued coordination in policy review and consultation, technical capacity building and the sharing of international regulatory experience to help establish a coherent, transparent and internationally aligned legal framework.
On plant varieties and biotechnology, Mr. Tran Thanh Vu proposed the development of a long-term cooperation framework to promote the application of advanced breeding technologies, particularly new biotechnology tools. He suggested signing a new memorandum of understanding with the Plant Production and Protection Department for 2026–2030 to support technical cooperation, regulatory exchange and access to scientific advances in plant breeding for sustainable agricultural development.
Innovation in crop varieties and production highlighted
Director of the Plant Production and Protection Department Huynh Tan Dat said cooperation on pesticide management should be strengthened under new approaches, with a focus on expanding international cooperation, learning from advanced regulatory practices and gradually improving the institutional framework. He said this would also enable CropLife Vietnam to continue supporting the department in data collection and policy input for state management.
Director Huynh Tan Dat said innovation in plant varieties was another key area of cooperation. On communications, he said efforts should shift from short-term, phase-based activities to more in-depth thematic cooperation to more effectively disseminate good practices in agricultural production management.
In his concluding remarks, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung called for more substantive and focused cooperation between the ministry and CropLife Viet Nam to support the implementation of key crop production priorities in the coming period, particularly sustainable production, emissions reduction and the application of science and technology.
He urged CropLife Viet Nam and its member companies to actively participate in implementing the action plan under the approved project on “Low-emission production in crop cultivation for 2025–2035, with a vision to 2050.” Priorities include developing, refining and scaling up safe, sustainable and low-emission farming models linked to innovation, the circular economy and efficient use of resources and agricultural by-products.
On pesticide management, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung said both sides should strengthen coordination in reviewing and improving the legal framework, including provisions of the Law on Cultivation, the Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine and related implementing regulations, to ensure they are aligned with Viet Nam’s practical conditions and international practices. He said regulatory reform should go hand in hand with communication efforts, awareness raising and compliance capacity building for both regulators and producers.
The Deputy Minister also emphasized the need for concrete and feasible action plans with clear objectives and measurable indicators, focusing on sustainable, low-emission cultivation models tailored to specific commodities. Training, hands-on instruction and technology transfer should be strengthened to help farmers, cooperatives and businesses adapt to new production models and improve competitiveness and participation in value chains.
The ministry, he said, encourages greater application of low-emission and green technologies, artificial intelligence and digital transformation across agricultural production, processing and marketing, while supporting small and medium-sized enterprises and cooperatives in improving governance, branding and sustainable market development.
At the end of the meeting, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung asked CropLife Viet Nam to focus on implementing approved short- and medium-term activities under the FIHV implementation plan, prioritizing initiatives related to green and low-emission technologies, artificial intelligence and digitalization in the production, processing and distribution of agricultural and food products.
On October 11, 2024, at the Huynh Thuc Khang Press School in Tan Thai commune, Dai Tu district, Thai Nguyen province, Natural Resource and Environment Magazine celebrated its 21st anniversary (October 13, 2003 - October 13, 2024) and held a symposium on the theme: "Enhancing the role of members of the Journalists’ Association in developing the content of the Natural Resource and Environment Magazine."
On October 14, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh had a meeting with Mr. Prasanna De Silva, CEO of the International Office of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). This meeting not only reaffirmed the strong and enduring partnership between Vietnam and WWF, which has lasted for more than 30 years, but also opened up new opportunities for expanded cooperation in areas such as nature conservation, climate change response, and tackling plastic pollution.
On October 10, 2024, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Deputy Minister Le Cong Thanh held a meeting with Ms. Pippa Hackett, Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity at Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine. Also in attendance were the Irish Ambassador to Vietnam, officials from Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, and representatives from relevant units under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
On October 10, Member of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Do Duc Duy held a working session with the leadership of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat in Vientiane, Laos. Both sides agreed to strengthen close cooperation to contribute to the sustainable development of the countries in the Mekong River Basin.
On October 4, 2024, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Do Duc Duy held a meeting with Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Andrew Goledzinowski, at the Ministry's headquarters. The meeting marked a significant milestone in enhancing cooperation between the two nations in the fields of natural resources and environment, with a focus on climate change response, resource management, and sustainable development.
