Strengthen regional linkage, serve green transition

Solidifying green value chains

At the workshop, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien of Agriculture and Environment emphasized the importance of renewing mindsets, improving institutions, and promoting regional cooperation to build a green, circular, and sustainable agricultural sector.

Agriculture accounts for 11.5% of Viet Nam’s GDP yet serves as a vital pillar of the economy, as more than 60% of the population lives in rural areas. Despite natural disasters, epidemics, and market volatility, the sector has maintained its stabilizing role, ensuring food security and generating a significant trade surplus. By the end of October this year, agricultural exports posted a surplus of USD 17.59 billion, up 16.4%, and the total export value in 2025 is expected to reach USD 70 billion.

“Central Resolution 768 and the orientations for green agriculture, circular economy, and organic farming are creating major opportunities for Viet Nam to develop distinctive, locally rooted product groups that hold strong competitiveness in the global market. The application of science and technology, digital transformation, traceability, and the advantages of seven ecological economic zones will help form sustainable agricultural value chains,” said the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment.

On the other hand, the agriculture and environment leadership also gave out warnings about the severe impacts of climate change, considering that accumulated natural disaster losses are estimated at nearly VND 70 trillion this year. The Deputy Minister stressed that production, forecasting, prevention, and recovery must be synchronized and aligned with emission-reduction goals, international commitments, and the national green-growth strategy.

To achieve these goals, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will continue to strengthen regional linkages, develop circular cooperation models, and enhance the role of businesses, scientists, and local authorities. Alongside this, efforts will be intensified in technology transfer, international standard certification, food safety, and traceability to build regionally distinctive agricultural brands.

“Promoting green value chains is not only the responsibility of the agriculture sector but of society as a whole. Only with strong cooperation among the State, businesses, farmers, and international organizations can we transform the entire agricultural production and consumption ecosystem toward a modern, green, and globally competitive agricultural sector,” Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien stated.

Green agriculture needs strong linkages

According to Dao Xuan Hung, Editor-in-Chief of the Agriculture and Environment Magazine, after six years of implementing Decree 98, more than 3,500 value-chain linkage models have been established across the country, engaging 300,000 farming households through nearly 2,000 cooperatives and cooperative groups. Approximately 70% of the models involve cooperatives, which play crucial roles in organizing raw material areas, signing contracts, and controlling quality. Total mobilized capital exceeds VND 20 trillion, with businesses contributing 50 - 60%.

“These figures reflect the growing trend of risk-sharing in modern agricultural production. However, linkage chains are still insufficiently sustainable, not yet fully integrated across production, processing, and market phases. Support procedures remain complicated, and effectiveness varies across localities. At the same time, the agriculture sector faces increasingly intense climate challenges, emission-reduction requirements, stringent international standards, and administrative changes as local governments shift to a two-tier model starting July 1, 2025,” said the Editor-in-Chief of the Agriculture and Environment Magazine.

He also affirmed that developing green value chains is essential to enhancing added value, promoting environmentally friendly production, creating concentrated raw material areas, optimizing logistics, expanding premium markets, and moving toward Viet Nam’s goal of net-zero emissions. In order to achieve these objectives, strong coordination among the State, businesses, scientists, cooperatives, and farmers is crucial. Priorities must be given to technology transfer, improved regional-linkage mechanisms, and incentives for innovation.

Not only in agriculture, but many other sectors are also adopting “green” technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move toward carbon neutrality. Although the road ahead is still filled with challenges, Viet Nam has taken its first steps, showing its determination and long-term vision.