Ca Mau to implement 5,000 ha of high-quality, low-emission rice

On March 29, 2026, the Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee approved a plan to implement the project "Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice Associated with Green Growth in the Mekong Delta Region through 2030" in the province.

Under the plan, Ca Mau will implement the project across 5,000 ha in 20 communes and wards during the 2026 summer-autumn crop. This is considered a concrete step toward shifting rice production practices to reduce input costs, save water, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and increase product value.

Reducing costs, improving efficiency

In recent years, specialized agencies under the Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Environment have coordinated with local authorities to implement several pilot models, gradually helping farmers adopt high-quality, low-emission rice production practices. Farmers have been guided to apply technical solutions in a coordinated manner, including the use of certified seeds, reduced seeding rates, balanced fertilizer application, pest management with reduced chemical pesticide use, alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation, and post-harvest rice straw treatment.

Alongside the transfer of science and technology, the agricultural sector has encouraged farmers to join cooperatives and cooperative groups. This provides an important foundation for reorganizing production, establishing raw material areas, and facilitating linkages with businesses.

In Vinh My commune, Mr. Tran Van Ngo, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of Thanh Son Agricultural Services Cooperative, said the most noticeable benefit of this production process is lower input costs while maintaining yields. "Less seed means less fertilizer and fewer pesticides. Applying AWD irrigation reduces the number of times we need to pump water. Everything is reduced, so production costs are lower, while yields are no lower than those achieved by farmers using traditional rice production methods. The rice also meets quality requirements and contains no pesticide residues, making it easier to build a brand and connect with the market," he said.

According to the functional sector, to participate effectively in the project, farmers need to make thorough preparations from the beginning of the crop, secure a reliable water supply, select suitable varieties, and use certified seeds.

Soil improvement and land leveling are also important steps. Level fields facilitate water management, help reduce seeding rates, and better control nutrients and pests during cultivation. Regarding fertilizer use, the specialized sector recommends that farmers apply nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in balanced proportions, with a focus on reducing nitrogen fertilizer and increasing the use of organic fertilizers to improve soil health.

For pest management, farmers should strengthen integrated pest management measures, prioritize biological pesticides, reduce chemical pesticide use, and follow the “four rights” principle, while observing the required pre-harvest intervals to ensure safe products.

One of the key solutions under the project is AWD irrigation. This method not only saves water and reduces the number of pumping cycles but also helps curb greenhouse gas emissions from rice production. In addition, farmers are advised not to burn rice straw. Where conditions permit, rice straw can be incorporated into the soil and treated with microbial preparations to accelerate decomposition. In areas where feasible, it can also be collected, reused, or sold.

These solutions not only help reduce production costs but also gradually establish farming practices aligned with the requirements of green, circular, and climate-resilient agriculture.

Transparency to increase value

An increasingly important requirement in commercial rice production is keeping production records and ensuring traceability. According to the specialized sector, farmers need to develop the habit of fully recording their production activities. For trained farmers with the necessary conditions, records can be maintained through mobile applications, gradually establishing electronic production logs.

Keeping production records helps ensure transparency throughout the production process, supports traceability, and meets increasingly stringent market requirements. It also provides a basis for the agricultural sector to gradually enable farmers to participate in the carbon credit market.

Keeping production records not only supports traceability but also provides a basis for managing raw material storage areas, monitoring production processes, and assessing the efficiency of emission reductions. As production data is standardized, farmers will have a stronger foundation to gradually meet market requirements for high-quality, low-emission rice products.

From reducing the use of seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to saving water, avoiding rice straw burning, and ensuring transparent traceability, each step in the production process is contributing to a transformation in rice farming practices. This provides a foundation for Ca Mau rice to enhance competitiveness and for the rice sector to move toward green, sustainable, and climate-resilient development.

With 5,000 ha to be implemented in 2026, Ca Mau is making the transition from pilot models to expanding high-quality, low-emission rice production areas. However, the success of the one-million-hectare rice project will not be measured solely by the area covered but also by its ability to reduce costs, improve quality, and generate added value for rice.

To achieve this goal, cooperatives, cooperative groups, and businesses need to continue playing a connecting role, helping farmers organize production in a synchronous manner, establish raw material areas, and meet increasingly stringent market requirements.