Sustainable crop development: From awareness to green action

In the face of increasingly severe climate change and the depletion of natural resources, developing the crop sector along a green, clean, and sustainable path is no longer a choice but the only way to ensure ecological security, public health, and the future of Viet Nam’s agriculture.

Green mindset to green action

From a country once struggling with food shortages, Viet Nam has risen to become one of the world’s leading agricultural exporters. In 2024 alone, the export value of crop products reached 32.8 billion USD, accounting for more than half of the total agricultural export turnover. Many products, such as fruits and vegetables, rice, coffee, cashew nuts, and rubber, have joined the billion-dollar export club, affirming the position of Vietnamese agricultural products on the global map.

However, behind those impressive figures lie a series of challenges quietly eroding the foundation of production: soil degradation, water pollution, air contamination, and biodiversity loss. The overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, along with monocropping and excessive intensive cultivation, has severely damaged agricultural ecosystems. Many key production areas, especially the Mekong Delta, Central Highlands, and Northwest, are paying the price through environmental degradation, rising costs, and declining productivity.

Even more concerning, agricultural production, particularly wet rice cultivation, has become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the vicious cycle of global climate change, impacts that agriculture itself must bear first.

According to the Plant Production and Protection Department, the guiding principle for the coming period is that environmental protection is the prerequisite for developing the crop sector. This is not merely a slogan but the compass for all policies, actions, and production models in the industry.

Therefore, crop development must be based on three pillars: restoring and conserving soil, water, and ecosystems with nature at the center; reducing chemical inputs while increasing the use of organic fertilizers and biological agents, progressing toward a zero-emission agriculture; and ensuring a balance among economic, social, and environmental benefits to foster green, sustainable, and humane values in every agricultural product.

The Department also emphasized the need to strengthen international cooperation and learn from developed countries with advanced ecological farming systems such as Japan, South Korea, and EU members, in order to narrow the gap in technology and global green standards.

By 2030, Viet Nam’s crop sector aims to make a strong shift toward sustainable production methods. The targets include biological pesticides and organic fertilizers accounting for 30% of total use; 10-15% of cultivated area meeting VietGAP or equivalent standards, with 1% under organic production; reducing greenhouse gas emissions from crop production by at least 20%; keeping methane emissions below 42.2 million tons of CO₂ equivalent; restoring soil fertility; and preventing erosion, degradation, and water pollution in major production zones.

In addition, the sector will focus on raising awareness and capacity among officials, enterprises, cooperatives, and farmers regarding green and low-emission agricultural models, which are considered key factors in turning a green mindset into green action.

4 breakthroughs to advance sustainable crop production

To achieve a green and sustainable agriculture, the Plant Production and Protection Department has identified four key breakthroughs to drive sustainable crop development:

Firstly, institutional and policy breakthroughs by improving the legal framework, prioritizing policies that encourage organic production, circular agriculture, and the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies, while strictly controlling chemical use and enforcing sanctions against agricultural pollution.

Secondly, for the breakthrough in science and technology, efforts will focus on developing crop varieties that are drought-, salinity-, and pest-resistant; expanding models such as “Three Reductions, Three Gains,” “One Must, Five Reductions,” IPM (Integrated Pest Management), and INM (Integrated Nutrient Management); increasing the use of organic fertilizers and biological products; and promoting agroforestry systems to conserve soil and retain water.

Thirdly, for the breakthrough in resources and cooperation, priority will be given to mobilizing international funding, participating in the carbon credit market, attracting private investment in green agriculture, and building a network of modern agricultural technology innovation centers.

Fourthly, the final breakthrough lies in awareness and community linkage. This includes bringing green knowledge to every village and field, training technical officers, extension workers, and farmers, and encouraging enterprises and cooperatives to collaborate in developing green, clean, and traceable agricultural value chains.

Sustainable crop development is not only the task of farmers or the agricultural sector but a shared responsibility of the whole society. It is the only path for Viet Nam to maintain food security, protect the living environment, enhance the value of its agricultural products, and move toward a modern, low-carbon agriculture for people and for the future.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Agriculture and Environment Sector and the 1st Patriotic Emulation Congress, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is organizing a series of events running from July to December 2025.

The highlight will be the 80th Anniversary Celebration of the Agriculture and Environment and the 1st Patriotic Emulation Congress, scheduled for the morning of November 12, 2025, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi. VAN News will report the event live.