MAE targets five innovation hubs

The MAE recently issued Decision 2570/QD-BNNMT, approving the 5-year Science, Technology, and Innovation Plan for the 2026-2030 period. The plan establishes science and technology as the primary drivers to accelerate the sector's structural pivot toward green, ecological, low-emission, circular, and digital-driven growth.

TFP to contribute over 55% of sector growth by 2030

According to the MAE, the 2026–2030 period will bring new demands for food, water and environmental security, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, and carbon market development. Meeting these challenges will require the sector to modernize its governance through data, digital technologies, and other strategic technologies.

The plan positions science, technology and innovation as key drivers of higher productivity, quality, value addition and competitiveness, while accelerating the transition to modern resource management, environmental protection, ecological agriculture and a green economy.

A key target is to raise the contribution of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) to more than 55% of the sector's growth by 2030. The plan also aims for non-state funding to account for 30–35% of total investment in science, technology and innovation projects with strong application and commercialization potential.

To strengthen human capital, the Ministry plans to train around 150 leading experts and scientists and 1,300 professionals in priority areas, including innovation, digital transformation, intellectual property management, and the commercialization of research outcomes.

The plan also sets ambitious targets for scientific and technological outputs. International scientific publications are expected to grow by an average of 10% annually, while applications for and grants of intellectual property rights are projected to increase by 16–18% each year. At least 30% of research outcomes are expected to be applied in practice, transferred to end users, or utilized to support government policymaking and public administration.

In developing the innovation ecosystem, the Ministry aims to establish at least 5 innovation hubs during the 2026-2030 period. Simultaneously, at least 50 businesses will receive support in accessing technology, standards, intellectual property, and related policies. This forms the foundation for promoting linkages between the State, scientists, and businesses, thereby accelerating the commercialization of research results.

To ensure resources for these goals, the plan clearly stipulates prioritizing the allocation of at least 15% of the total state budget for scientific research to strategic technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, cloud computing, and remote sensing. These are foundational technologies with the potential to create breakthroughs in industry management and production.

Prioritizing high-impact cross-sector and cross-regional programs

The plan calls for a more strategic science and technology portfolio by concentrating resources on high-impact priorities and avoiding fragmented investments. It gives precedence to interdisciplinary and cross-regional programs with strong spillover potential. Most flagship programs will be implemented during 2026–2030, with many requiring approval by 30 August 2026.

In agriculture, priority will be given to technologies that advance green, climate-smart, and low-emission production. Key areas include breeding, mechanization, automation, traceability, post-harvest preservation, and value-added processing. Emerging technologies such as biotechnology, gene editing, artificial intelligence (AI), and big data will be leveraged to develop high-yield crop, livestock, and aquaculture varieties that are climate-resilient and market-oriented.

In livestock and aquaculture, efforts will focus on mastering advanced breeding technologies, developing next-generation vaccines and biological products, and scaling up circular production systems to reduce emissions. These innovations are expected to strengthen the sustainability and competitiveness of the sector.

The forestry sector will accelerate the adoption of AI, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and the Internet of Things (IoT) for forest management, biodiversity conservation, and wildfire prevention. It will also promote multi-value forest economies, enhance carbon sequestration, and support the development of Viet Nam's domestic carbon market.

For irrigation and disaster risk management, the priority is to harness advanced technologies to improve forecasting, early warning, and emergency response. Digital platforms and next-generation forecasting models will strengthen resilience to extreme weather events and reduce disaster-related losses.

In land, water, and mineral resource management, the plan emphasizes building integrated digital databases and applying AI, GIS, and remote sensing to strengthen resource monitoring and governance. These measures will improve management efficiency while supporting water security and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Environmental priorities include advanced waste treatment technologies, circular economy solutions, smart environmental monitoring systems, and greenhouse gas inventories. Together, these measures will help deliver Viet Nam's emissions reduction commitments and accelerate the transition to a green economy.

The plan also aims to modernize the meteorological and hydrological sector by applying AI, radar, satellites, and IoT to improve the quality of forecasts and warnings for multiple natural disasters. Simultaneously, in the marine and island sector, it will develop technologies to support integrated marine resource management and promote offshore renewable energy.

A key highlight of the plan is the promotion of comprehensive digital transformation in the sector. The Ministry will focus on building digital infrastructure, data ecosystems, and shared platforms, including databases, digital maps, and digital mirrors. Technologies such as AI, Big Data, blockchain, and cloud computing will be widely applied in state management and public service delivery.

In addition, the implementation mechanism will be reformed to prioritize tasks based on major sectoral problems, linked to specific products and clear application areas. Researching controlled testing mechanisms (sandboxes) will facilitate the testing and refinement of new technologies before widespread deployment.

Notably, a "state-led budget - social co-investment" model will be piloted, in which the State focuses on investing in digital infrastructure and core databases, while businesses invest in equipment, technology, and application platforms. This mechanism not only optimizes resources but also promotes the commercialization of research results.