Ninh Binh welcomes Asia’s premier organic farming event

On September 8 in Hanoi, the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association, in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Ninh Binh province, held a press conference to introduce the 8th Asian Organic Congress (OAC) 2025. This marks the first time that Vietnam will host the event, which is scheduled to take place from September 17 to 19, 2025, in Ninh Binh.

According to the Organizing Committee, the Organic Asia Congress (OAC) is an international event held in rotation among countries to promote sustainable agriculture, particularly organic agriculture. Since its inception in 2012, the congress has been organized regularly until 2024, serving as an important platform for policy dialogue, knowledge sharing, and cooperation among governments, research institutions, farmers, and businesses in the organic sector.

This year’s congress is expected to welcome more than 550 delegates, including international participants from 33 countries and territories. Attendees will include policymakers, experts, scientists, businesses, and organizations working in agricultural development.

The event is especially significant in promoting Vietnam’s culture, people, and agriculture to the world while also encouraging green investment and knowledge exchange in the transition toward environmentally friendly farming.

Dr. Sc. Ha Phuc Mich, Chairman of the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association, stated that this year’s congress is themed "Organics for a Better Future." Vietnam has already issued policies and a legal framework to support the development of organic agriculture, and provinces and cities nationwide have been actively implementing them. The country has identified organic agriculture as an inevitable trend, closely tied to the process of international integration.

"Organic agriculture in Vietnam has spread widely, yet it is still at an early stage with many issues, areas, and experiences that need to be further learned and exchanged with international partners. Vietnam’s honor of hosting the 8th Asian Organic Congress in 2025 is therefore a vital opportunity to share and absorb knowledge and experiences in organic agriculture development among countries in the region and the world," Dr. Sc. Ha Phuc Mich added.

Mr. Nguyen Sinh Tien, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ninh Binh, shared that hosting the 8th Asian Organic Congress in the historic land of Hoa Lu is a great honor for Ninh Binh province.

"Ninh Binh is very proud to be trusted by the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association to be the host venue for the first major international event on organic agriculture in Vietnam. This event is not only a milestone in Ninh Binh’s process of international integration but also an opportunity for us to learn, exchange, and work together toward building a green, clean, and sustainable future," Mr. Tien added.

The 8th Asian Organic Congress 2025 will focus on themes related to policies, markets, and organic practices within agriculture in general and organic agriculture in particular. The congress program will span three days, with plenary sessions held in the mornings and 2-3 parallel sessions taking place in the afternoons.

On the policy side, the congress will share experiences and success stories from countries around the world by reviewing effective and innovative policies at the local, national, and global levels to scale up the organic/ecological sector. It will also explore the role and opportunities of green finance in supporting the development of organic agriculture and agroecology both domestically and internationally.

In terms of markets, the congress will focus on experiences in maintaining the integrity and reliability of the organic market along the supply chain; exploring ways to create fair and accessible markets, including through cooperation and empowerment of local communities and smallholder farmers.

It will also share lessons on promoting national organic markets through community initiatives and awareness-raising, integrated trade partnerships and government cooperation, as well as public procurement of organic products.

In addition, discussions will address the most pressing challenges facing national and global organic sectors. These include highlighting approaches and innovations to combat fraud, tackling threats and risks posed by biotechnology, and addressing other issues that could undermine the credibility of the organic supply chain.

Topics on organic practices will cover organic crop production, livestock, and aquaculture; biological control applications; approaches to improving soil health and biodiversity; conservation agriculture; advances in soil and water conservation techniques; and supply chain innovations in organic processing and product development.

Ms. Jennifer Chang, Executive Director of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) Asia, noted that the Organic Asia Congress is hosted on a rotational basis among countries to foster exchange, networking, and learning, particularly from those with more advanced organic sectors. In recent years, Vietnam has been recognized as one of the countries making strong progress in organic agriculture. Therefore, hosting the 8th Asian Organic Congress in Vietnam will be a valuable opportunity for the international community to learn from Vietnam’s experiences.