SRP cultivation: Path forward amid climate change in An Giang

Regional efforts are prioritizing the breeding of new rice varieties capable of resisting pests and adapting to extreme climate change scenarios. The expansion of SRP cultivation is not limited to training sessions for hundreds of participants; it also includes applying Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation techniques to reduce emissions and establish a foundation for carbon credits.

Standardizing sustainable production

In 2025, the An Giang Extension Center is collaborating with local businesses and cooperatives to implement the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) framework. This internationally recognized set of criteria focuses on efficient resource use and on improving producers' livelihoods. SRP represents a holistic farming ecosystem that encompasses land preparation, sparse sowing, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and reduced pesticide use. Dr. Le Van Dung, Deputy Director of the An Giang Extension Center, noted that this model helps investment costs drop by 10 to 20 percent while yields remain stable. More importantly, this process is shifting farmers' mindset from prioritizing volume to focusing on long-term efficiency and ecological sustainability.

The SRP model is also organized strictly according to value chains. A prime example is the Thuy Nong Cooperative in An Bien, covering 50 hectares where members cultivate high-quality ST25 rice on shrimp-rice land. By applying SRP protocols and using organic fertilizers, production costs have fallen by nearly 2.4 million VND per hectare (approximately 94 USD). Profits have risen by roughly 5 million VND per hectare (approximately 197 USD) compared to traditional farming. Furthermore, enterprises have committed to purchasing the harvest at prices 200 to 400 VND higher per kilogram (approximately 0.008 to 0.016 USD) than the market rate.

Beyond the immediate economic gains, the model has significantly improved farmer awareness of sustainable practices. The increased use of organic matter enhances soil fertility and reduces pollution in water sources, maintaining a stable shrimp-rice ecosystem. Moving forward, An Giang plans to scale these models while integrating digital transformation to ensure traceability and strengthen the provincial rice brand in international markets.

Strategic vision for global market access

The SRP model's success in An Giang is further supported by strategic directives from the national government. Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment emphasized that transitioning to low-emission cultivation is a mandatory requirement for Vietnamese rice to access demanding markets such as the United States and the European Union. The Ministry is also promoting the digitalization of farming processes to ensure transparency in traceability and to build a robust database for the international carbon credit market. These efforts not only enhance the value of An Giang rice but also affirm Viet Nam's position in global efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt effectively to climate change.

The shift toward Sustainable Rice Platform standards in An Giang and the wider Mekong Delta is not merely a local initiative but part of a global movement to transform the world’s most vital food crop. Launched in 2011 by the International Rice Research Institute and the United Nations Environment Programme, the SRP standard was developed to address the significant environmental footprint of traditional rice farming. Globally, rice production is responsible for approximately 10 percent of man-made methane emissions and consumes nearly one-third of the world’s total freshwater resources. By adopting these standards, Viet Nam is positioning itself at the forefront of the global green agriculture revolution, aligning its domestic production with the increasingly strict environmental requirements of Western markets.

International financial institutions and technical experts heavily support this transition. The World Bank has been a primary partner in this effort, providing significant funding through projects like the Viet Nam Sustainable Agriculture Transformation project, which served as the precursor to the current 1-million-hectare initiative. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the high-quality rice project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 20 percent by 2030, equivalent to roughly 10 million tons of CO2 annually. This achievement is critical to Viet Nam’s commitment to achieving "Net Zero" emissions by 2050, a goal reaffirmed by Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam at recent climate summits.

Beyond environmental metrics, the economic stakes are incredibly high. International experts estimate that the potential for carbon credit sales from this low-emission rice acreage could generate hundreds of millions of USD in additional revenue for rural communities. Currently, high-quality carbon credits from nature-based solutions are being traded globally at prices ranging from 5 USD to 15 USD per ton of CO2 equivalent. By standardizing these technical protocols in provinces like An Giang and Can Tho, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is creating a verifiable data framework that ensures Vietnamese rice farmers can participate in these lucrative international carbon markets while simultaneously securing long-term food security and climate resilience.