Dong Thap leads low-carbon rice model

On December 23, in Dong Thap province, the Management Board of the "Transforming the Rice Value Chain for Climate Resilient and Sustainable Development in the Mekong Delta" (TRVC) Project, in coordination with the Departments of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap and An Giang provinces, held a conference to summarize and award for the second low-emission rice production crop. 

The conference highlighted significant environmental and economic outcomes from the 2024–2025 winter–spring rice crop (the project's second crop), underscoring the effectiveness of sustainable farming practices.

A pioneering model for low-carbon rice

Thanks to the TRVC project, farmers' profits have increased by an average of 57–61%. Farmers also receive performance-based bonuses linked to emission reductions, ranging from VND 20 to VND 2,900/kg depending on location and quality.

TRVC is also a pioneering model, marking the first time Vietnamese rice has been granted the "Viet Nam Green and Low-Emission Rice" certification. The project has helped farmers reduce CO₂e emissions by more than 156,400 tons, making practical contributions to the goal of net-zero emissions.

In Dong Thap alone, six enterprises participated in the project's second crop, with a total area of nearly 14,700 hectares. Average profits of farmer households reached 60.1%, while total emission reductions exceeded 57,300 tons of CO₂e.

Based on the results of the second crop, the Viet Nam Rice Industry Association (VIETRISA) granted certification for the use of the "Viet Nam Green and Low-Emission Rice" trademark to more than 52,200 tons of rice produced by six enterprises.

Lessons learned and strategic orientation

Drawing on practical implementation, localities identified three core lessons: standardizing production processes, strengthening chain linkages, and enhancing monitoring. The use of coded data and remote sensing technologies has improved transparency in emission-reduction results, laying a solid foundation for sustainable development.

From a business perspective, a representative of Vietnam Rice Co., Ltd. (VinaRice) noted that the greatest challenge in participating in the TRVC project was standardizing the entire production process. However, the application of digital technologies has enabled the company to enhance management capacity and improve control across the production chain.

From the cooperative side, a representative of Thang Loi Cooperative noted that irrigation infrastructure and mechanization equipment are still not synchronized, reducing the model's effectiveness. Thus, it is essential to continue to address these constraints in the coming period.

Ms. Tran Thu Ha, Director of the TRVC Project, said that the implemented models have established a solid foundation for enterprises to participate in the carbon credit trading market in line with the Government's roadmap toward 2027.

The achieved results make an important contribution to the objectives of the "One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice" project. Furthermore, the model will directly contribute to a 30% reduction in methane emissions by 2030, in line with Viet Nam's commitment at COP26 to limit the global temperature increase to no more than 1.5°C.