Urban agriculture: Green pillar for Ho Chi Minh city’s future

On the afternoon of April 15, the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Center (ITPC), in coordination with the Management Board of the Ho Chi Minh City Agricultural Hi-Tech Park (AHTP), the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, and Tam Nong Vietnam Cooperative, held a thematic seminar titled “Urban Agriculture - The Future of Farming Within the City.” The event was part of the 5th Ho Chi Minh City International Food and Foodstuff Exhibition 2026 (HCMC FOODEX 2026).

The seminar went beyond showcasing models, posing a central question: how can urban agriculture move beyond pilot scale to become a meaningful component of the urban economy?

According to the United Nations’ World Urbanization Prospects 2018, about 55% of the global population currently lives in urban areas, a figure projected to rise to 68% by 2050. In Vietnam, World Bank data shows urbanization has surpassed 40% and continues to climb rapidly. As a result, pressure on food supply, the environment, and urban infrastructure is intensifying, forcing cities to seek more adaptive production models.

In this context, high-tech agriculture is widely seen as a promising solution. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates such models can boost productivity by two to three times while significantly reducing resource inputs. The global high-tech agriculture market is also expanding at an annual rate of 10-12%, indicating substantial growth potential.

Ho Thi Quyen, deputy director of ITPC, said Ho Chi Minh City is well-positioned to develop urban agriculture thanks to its dynamic innovation ecosystem. In practice, the city has been among the country’s pioneers in implementing effective high-tech agricultural models.

“With a vibrant innovation ecosystem and the presence of AHTP, Ho Chi Minh City has favorable conditions to develop advanced urban agriculture models. However, scaling these models still faces limitations, particularly in linking research, businesses and markets, as well as transferring technology into practical production,” Quyen said.

Urban agriculture, especially high-tech applications, can help reduce emissions, conserve resources and enhance resilience, making it an important solution for climate adaptation in major cities.

This assessment is supported by data from research institutions. Pham Cao Khai, head of the Science and Training Division at AHTP, said more than 550 projects have been implemented, with around 70% showing real-world applicability. AHTP has also developed over 160 technical processes and deployed more than 580 high-tech models. However, bridging the gap between “available technology” and “successful commercialization” remains a long journey requiring coordinated efforts from multiple stakeholders.

Vo Dinh Long, a lecturer at the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City, noted that regional experiences show the key challenge lies not in land availability but in how production is organized. “Singapore, despite having only about 1% of its land allocated to agriculture, still meets 14% of its leafy vegetable demand and 26% of its egg consumption through high-tech urban farming. Malaysia has also developed up to 11,000 urban farming communities. These examples show that with the right strategy, urban agriculture can become a highly effective production sector,” he said.

In Ho Chi Minh City, urban agriculture is gradually showing promising signs. Nguyen Thi Van Anh, director of Tam Nong Vietnam Cooperative, said models such as horizontal hydroponics, vertical hydroponic towers and soil-based systems have demonstrated clear effectiveness in small spaces like balconies and rooftops, opening up the possibility of food production within the urban core.

“Even in the heart of the city, a small balcony can become a source of clean, self-sufficient food for a family. It doesn’t require large land areas or complex techniques, just a few planters and a bit of daily care can create a small home garden,” Van Anh said.

However, for these models to scale more widely, further development of a supportive ecosystem is essential, from financing and technology transfer to the creation of stable market outlets. Once these elements are better aligned, the potential of urban agriculture can be more fully realized rather than remaining at the experimental stage.

In fact, Ho Chi Minh City is gradually laying the groundwork for such development, with increasing connectivity among research institutions, businesses and markets. As land constraints tighten and climate pressures intensify, high-tech agriculture not only optimizes resource use but also improves the urban living environment.