Viet Nam is working to expand low-emission rice production models to increase value and farmers’ incomes, while gradually creating conditions for the development of markets for low-emission rice and carbon credits.
At a meeting with Shaun Seow, CEO of the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA), on August 3, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Hoang Hiep called for stronger international cooperation in sharing experience, market communications and resource mobilization to expand such models.
One-million-hectare program advances low-emission rice production
Speaking with the PAA CEO, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep said the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment was directing the implementation of key projects to develop the rice sector, with responsible agricultural production and farmers’ central role in the transition as key priorities.
The transition is being pursued through the use of higher-quality rice varieties, improved seeding techniques, land leveling, modernization of irrigation systems, alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation, water conservation, emissions reduction and greater mechanization. Alongside changes in farming practices, the rice variety structure is also being adjusted to increase the share of high-quality, aromatic and specialty rice, while strengthening processing and post-harvest storage capacity to better meet market requirements.
According to the Deputy Minister, one of the current challenges is mobilizing sufficient resources to implement these measures in a coordinated manner and expand them at scale. International funds and development organizations could help support the transition by strengthening cooperation and facilitating the exchange of experience, he said.
After three years of implementing the one-million-hectare project for high-quality, low-emission rice production in the Mekong Delta, Viet Nam has gradually established a measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) system to monitor emissions reductions in rice production. This provides an important basis for further refining methods to measure emissions reductions and exploring ways to generate additional value for producers.
International cooperation targets markets and carbon credits
For low-emission rice, Viet Nam is pursuing two avenues to increase value: developing markets for responsibly produced rice and promoting carbon credit trading.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep asked PAA and its network partners to support communications efforts and raise international consumers’ awareness of the value of low-emission rice from Viet Nam. Such efforts are important for enabling markets to recognize and properly assess the added value associated with low-emission production practices, he said.
Shaun Seow said PAA was interested in Viet Nam’s practical experience in transitioning rice production toward lower emissions and expressed a desire to work with agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on research, experience sharing, resource mobilization and the expansion of sustainable rice production models in the region.
PAA is working with the World Economic Forum’s First Movers Coalition for Food, which brings together businesses, financial institutions, governments, farmer organizations and technical experts. According to PAA, the organization serves as a regional coordinator for rice in Southeast Asia, connecting scientific initiatives, catalytic capital and market demand to promote improved management practices across 5 million hectares of rice cultivation in the region by 2030.
Rather than operating as a traditional funding organization, PAA focuses on connecting stakeholders and facilitating collective action, helping sustainable rice initiatives access relevant resources and partners.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Hoang Hiep affirmed that Viet Nam welcomes opportunities to exchange experience with international partners, considering such cooperation a basis for strengthening collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and PAA in the future.
On April 5th, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Le Cong Thanh hosted a meeting with Ms. Aler Grubbs, Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Vietnam, to discuss the expansion of cooperation in environmental protection
On March 29th, the Medal "For the cause of natural resources and environment" was presented by Minister Dang Quoc Khanh to Country Director for Vietnam at the World Bank (WB) Carolyn Turk, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Vietnam's environmental and natural resource sector.
On March 29th, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dang Quoc Khanh, member of the 13th Party Central Committee, received Azerbaijani Ambassador to Vietnam Shovgi Kamal Oglu Mehdizade. During the meeting, they shared experiences and discussed upcoming cooperation programs in natural resources and environmental sectors between Vietnam and Azerbaijan.
During the meeting with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), international environmental experts believed that there is a need to enhance education coupled with scientific research to provide suitable solutions tailored to the specific conditions in Vietnam.
Minister Dang Quoc Khanh and Minister Mark Harbers expressed optimism about the potential for Vietnam and the Netherlands to collaborate "wholeheartedly" to find nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and environmental issues.
