A series of activities at Viet Nam International Rice Festival - Can Tho 2026

Following the merger and building on the success of the 1^st Viet Nam International Rice Festival - Hau Giang 2023, the Can Tho City People's Committee continued to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to organize the 2^nd Viet Nam International Rice Festival - Can Tho 2026.

According to the Can Tho City People's Committee, the event holds important political, economic, cultural, and social significance for the city, the Mekong Delta region, and the development of Viet Nam's rice industry in the period of renovation and international integration.

The Festival will be held on an international scale and is expected to bring together more than 500 participating units and exhibitors. The event will feature a wide range of activities, including festivals, tourism tours, competitions, displays and exhibitions, community cultural experiences, machinery demonstrations, seminars, and bilateral meetings.

The opening ceremony of the 2^nd Viet Nam International Rice Festival - Can Tho 2026 is scheduled to take place on the evening of November 23 at Song Hau Park (Cai Khe Ward, Can Tho City), with approximately 1,000 delegates expected to attend.

The Festival will organize three major competitions aimed at unlocking the diverse values of rice plants and rice grains. The "Art from Rice" competition will encourage the creation of models, artworks, handicrafts, and souvenirs made from rice grains, rice plants, straw, and other rice by-products.

The "Flavors of Vietnamese Pearly Grains" competition is open to domestic organizations, chefs, culinary artisans, businesses, cooperatives, and processing establishments. Contestants will prepare, demonstrate, and create dishes made from rice, glutinous rice, and rice-based products.

The "Innovation in the Rice Industry" competition is dedicated to experts, businesses, scientists, students, startups, and others with innovative ideas in this field. The competition seeks new ideas, solutions, and models; promotes the application of science and technology, digital transformation, and sustainable development; and thereby increases the value of Viet Nam's rice industry during international integration. Ideas will be selected, evaluated, and presented before a judging panel.

Notably, the 2^nd Viet Nam International Rice Festival will feature two important seminars. On November 24, the seminar titled "Viet Green Rice - Creating Value, Reaching the Global Market" is expected to attract around 300 delegates.

The seminar will focus on building the Vietnamese rice brand in association with food safety standards, diversifying export markets, and updating regulations on food safety and plant quarantine in key markets importing Vietnamese rice and rice-based products. The event will also provide an opportunity to strengthen the supply-demand connection between Vietnamese businesses and international rice importers.

On November 25, the seminar "Future of Green Rice - Solutions in Science, Technology, Digitalization, and Low-Emission Production" will focus on discussing scientific, technological, and digital transformation solutions for the high-quality, low-emission rice value chains tailored to each production region.

The seminar will also serve as a forum connecting businesses, scientists, investors, and management agencies, to promote technology application, improve production efficiency, and advance the sustainable development of the rice industry.

In addition, from November 22 to 26, the Festival will feature a visual showcase and an exhibition of agricultural achievements, combining physical models with 3D mapping technology along the roads in front of Song Hau Park (Cai Khe Ward).

The 2^nd Viet Nam International Rice Festival will also feature exhibition areas showcasing achievements of central ministries and agencies, localities, research institutes, and universities; an area introducing Vietnamese rice businesses; modern agricultural technologies, machinery, and materials; digital transformation; specialty rice, OCOP products, organic rice, high-quality rice, and processed rice products.

The Can Tho City People's Committee estimates the Festival will cost about VND 34 billion, funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the city budget, and contributions mobilized from organizations and individuals inside and outside the city.

To ensure that the Festival is held successfully and meets its requirements and objectives, the Can Tho City People's Committee will coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to establish a Steering Committee, an Organizing Committee, and specialized subcommittees.

Within the framework of the 2^nd Viet Nam International Rice Festival - Can Tho 2026, Viet Nam Agriculture and Nature Newspaper will advise on and coordinate with units under the Ministry, as well as agencies and departments of Can Tho City, to produce videos and publish a book titled "Viet Nam’s Rice Plant - Formation and Development."

The publication will outline the history, origins, and development journey of Viet Nams rice industry; introduce scientists, businesses, and managers who have contributed to the development of rice plants; and highlight the achievements of the Viet Nam International Rice Festival - Hau Giang 2023.

The content will also focus on documenting the implementation journey of the 1 Million Hectares for High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice project; honoring organizations and individuals with outstanding contributions to the Project; and promoting the "Viet Green, Low-Emission Rice" brand.

$1 = VND 26,370 - Source: Vietcombank