Green transformation is inevitable
The agricultural sector is facing many challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, supply chain disruption and increased protectionism. The most vulnerable groups are poor farmers and low-income consumers.
In this reality, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has promoted agricultural transformation towards green, smart and sustainable, focusing on innovation, application of technology and digital transformation.
The Government has issued many long-term strategies such as: Sustainable agricultural development strategy to 2030, Food system conversion plan to 2030, and Circular economy in agriculture project.
In particular, the Project to develop 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta by 2030 is a model for green transformation. The pilot model in 5 provinces shows clear effectiveness, helping to reduce costs by 8.2-24.2% thanks to saving seeds, fertilizers, irrigation water and reducing the amount of pesticides.
The increase in productivity of 2.4-7% helps farmers' income increase by 12-50%, equivalent to a profit of 4-7.6 million VND/ha higher than traditional agriculture. The enterprise is committed to covering the entire output at a price 200-300 VND/kg higher, creating great motivation for farmers to participate. In particular, the model also helps reduce 2-12 tons of CO2 equivalent/ha, bringing double economic and environmental benefits.
According to Minister of Agriculture and Environment Do Duc Duy, "Green Revolution 4.0" is no longer an option, but an inevitable requirement. Speaking at the ministerial-level discussion session within the framework of the P4G Conference, he emphasized: The Green Revolution 4.0 helps increase productivity, product quality, reduce resource consumption, cut emissions, improve resilience to climate change and improve farmers' livelihoods and consumer welfare.
There are still challenges to face
Converting the food system towards transparency, responsibility and sustainability is a key task to ensure national food security and affirm Vietnam's role in the region and the world. This process needs to be associated with the development of ecological agriculture, improving competitiveness and resilience, contributing to building the reputation and brand of Vietnamese agricultural products.
Despite remarkable progress, there are still many challenges ahead to overcome. Talking to Lao Dong, agricultural expert Hoang Trong Thuy said that the big bottleneck in transforming the food system is that production is still small and fragile, while investment is not commensurate with market potential.
He said that low investment limits the application of science and technology in sustainable production, thereby affecting the environment. Most farmers have not yet accessed new technology, lack brand building skills and do not have an effective distribution system.
According to Dr. Tran Cong Thang - Director of the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Agriculture and Environment (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), we are currently implementing balanced growth between the economy and the environment, using resources effectively and sustainably.
Dr. Tran Cong Thang said that previously farmers prioritized economic factors, but now they are more concerned about the environment, especially when the market requires green standards. However, to achieve organic certification, they must follow strict procedures, which take a lot of time and money, so the first challenge is still economic efficiency. Farmers have difficulty accessing market information because the agricultural chain still has many intermediaries.
An urgent issue is raising awareness and changing consumer behavior. A green and sustainable food system not only starts from production, but also requires responsible consumers who are willing to support environmentally friendly products of transparent origin. Sustainable consumer education and building trust in domestic agricultural products are important steps to promote domestic consumption and export.
The consensus at the 4th P4G Conference, especially on food system transformation, demonstrates Vietnam's commitment to global initiatives on green development. This is an opportunity to increase international cooperation, access green finance and clean technology, creating a strategic boost to elevate Vietnamese agriculture in the global value chain.
