FAO: Viet Nam pioneers green, low-emission agriculture

In its eight decades of building and development, Vietnamese agriculture has transitioned from poverty and aid dependency to become a key pillar ensuring global food security. From rice paddies feeding millions to commitments on emission reduction and green development, Viet Nam has not only affirmed its resilience as an agricultural nation standing firm against crises but has also risen to contribute knowledge and technology to the world.

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Viet Nam Agriculture and Nature Newspaper spoke with Mr. Vinod Ahuja, FAO Representative in Viet Nam, about Viet Nam's role in ensuring global food security and its steps toward sustainable, low-emission agriculture for people and the planet.

Throughout successive global food crises, from the COVID-19 pandemic to ongoing geopolitical conflicts and the escalating impacts of climate change, Viet Nam has remained a reliable supplier of millions of tons of rice each year. From FAO’s perspective, how do you assess Viet Nam’s role as a stabilizing force in global food supply chains, particularly in ensuring that vulnerable populations in Asia and Africa have continued access to essential staples?

Viet Nam today stands as one of the most reliable contributors to global food security. In a world where supply disruptions, from pandemics to geopolitical tensions and climate-driven shocks, have strained access to staple foods, Viet Nam has continued to export millions of tons of rice, helping stabilize markets and protect vulnerable populations across Asia, Africa, and beyond.

This is not just a commercial achievement; it is a contribution to global stability and peace. Food security is not only about feeding nations, it is about reducing social vulnerability, preventing conflict, and supporting global development.

Viet Nam’s consistent supply of high-quality rice has been particularly critical for low-income food-deficit countries. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent volatility in commodity markets, Viet Nam maintained exports while safeguarding domestic food availability. That combination of pragmatism and responsibility is commendable and reflects the country’s evolving role as a provider of global public goods.

At the same time, Viet Nam has aligned export policy with domestic interests and environmental goals. The country’s flagship One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Carbon Rice initiative and its commitment to reducing agricultural methane by 30 percent by 2030 illustrate how Viet Nam is transforming its rice sector into a model of climate-responsive growth. This is particularly significant because agriculture worldwide faces rising pressure to produce more with fewer resources, and Viet Nam is demonstrating that food security and climate responsibility can advance together.

The lesson from Viet Nam’s approach is clear: resilience, foresight, and solidarity matter. As the world looks to strengthen food systems in an era of uncertainty, Viet Nam’s leadership offers confidence and direction.

Viet Nam has gone beyond being a major rice exporter to become a provider of agricultural knowledge and technical expertise to other developing nations such as Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Cuba, Laos, and Cambodia. How does FAO interpret the strategic significance of these South-South cooperation initiatives, and in what ways have they contributed to advancing the global agenda on food security and rural resilience?

Viet Nam’s evolution - from a nation once dependent on food aid to a country that now shares agricultural knowledge globally, is one of the most inspiring development stories of our time. Its South - South partnerships with countries like Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Cuba, Laos, and Cambodia are not symbolic; they are rooted in technical expertise and a genuine commitment to shared progress.

These cooperation initiatives are powerful for three reasons: They are grounded in practical, farmer-centric approaches; They reflect lived experience - Viet Nam shares what it has itself mastered; They promote dignity, self-reliance, and national ownership of development solutions.

Viet Nam’s support ranges from rice intensification and aquaculture development to plant protection, veterinary services, and agricultural digitalization. This expands not only agricultural capacity but also resilience and rural livelihoods in partner countries.

At FAO, we see Viet Nam’s South - South contributions as a natural extension of its development achievements. Viet Nam is transitioning from beneficiary to contributor, from learner to knowledge exporter, demonstrating that development leadership can emerge from any part of the world, not only from traditionally advanced economies.

Going forward, Viet Nam’s agricultural universities, research institutes, and private sector agritech firms can play an even greater role in shaping global agricultural innovation and training future leaders across the Global South. This is not just cooperation, it is global solidarity in action.

Looking back from FAO’s vantage point, what do you consider the most valuable lesson from Viet Nam’s transformation, from a food-deficit country to one of the world’s top three rice exporters, while simultaneously ensuring food security at home? What aspects of policy, innovation, or governance could serve as reference points for other developing countries pursuing similar goals?

Viet Nam’s journey from food deficit to one of the world’s top rice exporters is a story rooted in vision and hard work. The Doi Moi reforms, secure land use rights, investment in irrigation and research, and openness to global markets unlocked the enterprise of millions of farming households.

The most significant lesson from Viet Nam’s transformation is that empowering farmers, giving them security, incentives, and knowledge, unleashes extraordinary capacity for productivity, innovation, and resilience.

Several aspects of this transformation stand out:

- Visionary policy reforms grounded in long-term national interest

- Farmer-centered growth supported by extension services, cooperatives, and institutions

- Strategic diversification beyond rice into coffee, cashew, seafood, fruits, and vegetables

- Integration with global markets paired with domestic food security priorities

- Strong public investment in infrastructure and research

- Continuous learning and adaptation, including advances in digital agriculture and green production

The results speak for themselves: millions lifted out of poverty, rural incomes rising, and Viet Nam emerging as a trusted food supplier to the world. For other developing nations, Viet Nam demonstrates that agricultural transformation is not a dream, it is attainable with the right policies, strong leadership, and trust in farmers’ capacity to innovate.

As the global community pivots toward sustainable and low-emission agrifood systems, how does FAO evaluate Vietnam’s progress in aligning agricultural growth with environmental stewardship? In particular, what opportunities do you see for Vietnam to expand its climate-smart agriculture (CSA) models and green production practices that balance productivity, livelihoods, and ecological resilience?

Viet Nam’s next chapter, one already well under way, is to lead the transition towards low-emission, climate-resilient agrifood systems. The country has declared ambitious goals: net-zero emissions by 2050, significant methane reductions by 2030, and large-scale adoption of climate-smart practices.

FAO sees Viet Nam as a frontrunner in the region in aligning food production with environmental sustainability. Whether it is low-carbon rice, integrated rice-shrimp systems in the Mekong Delta, sustainable aquaculture, digital traceability tools, or circular economy models, Viet Nam is demonstrating what climate-smart agriculture looks like in practice.

The opportunities ahead are significant: Scaling low-carbon rice across more provinces; Expanding farmer access to green finance and carbon markets; Accelerating adoption of precision agriculture and agroecology; Investing in water-smart and salinity-tolerant technologies; Developing climate-resilient seed and feed systems; Strengthening data platforms and early-warning systems

I would also add that Greening Viet Nam’s agriculture is not a cost, it is an opportunity. Sustainable agriculture will unlock new markets, attract responsible investment, and secure the livelihoods of farmers in an era of climate uncertainty.

Viet Nam is showing that environmental responsibility is not a burden, it is a pathway to long-term prosperity, competitiveness, and pride.

With its solid foundation in food security and well-recognized technical capacity, how might Vietnam leverage its experience to take on a leadership role in regional agricultural cooperation, especially within the Mekong subregion and the wider Asia–Pacific region?

Viet Nam already plays a leadership role in the Mekong subregion and is increasingly shaping agricultural cooperation across Asia and the Pacific. Looking ahead, Viet Nam’s influence can expand in three powerful ways:

• Regional cooperation and knowledge exchange: Viet Nam is well-placed to lead Mekong cooperation on climate-smart rice, water governance, and transboundary animal disease management. These are regional public goods, and Viet Nam’s experience can guide joint approaches.
• Innovation and digital agriculture: Viet Nam’s progress in AI-enabled farm solutions, e-commerce platforms, and digital traceability can support regional agricultural modernization and strengthen supply chain transparency.
• Education, research, and South - South partnerships: With world-class agricultural universities and research institutes, Viet Nam can become a training and innovation hub for developing countries - a role already emerging through university networks and technical cooperation.

In this 80th anniversary year of the Traditional Day of Agriculture and Environment, we celebrate Viet Nam not only for what it has achieved, but for what it is poised to contribute: leadership in sustainable agriculture, global food security, and climate resilience. And we also honor Viet Nam’s farmers, scientists, policymakers, and youth who continue to shape a brighter, greener, and more prosperous future. FAO looks forward to walking together, hand in hand, to build food systems that nourish people, protect the planet, and leave no one behind.