Urgent need to transform green agriculture for sustainable development

The conference has the theme "Green Agricultural Transition to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals" with the coordination of the University of Hull (UK), Okayama University Tsushima Campus (Japan), and the University of Trier (Germany).

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tat Toan, Rector of Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry, said that this is one of the major conferences held every two years to find solutions to issues serving sustainable development in agriculture and the environment.

The conference is a forum for exchanging ideas, establishing relationships and partnerships, and initiating new cooperation opportunities.

The world faces many challenges that negatively impact agriculture and the environment, such as climate change and abnormal weather, shrinking and degraded land, lack of fresh water, and pollution.

Traditional agricultural production, based on resource exploitation, production, consumption, and waste treatment, is no longer sustainable. This activity depletes natural resources, pollutes the environment, and contributes to climate change. Therefore, transitioning to a circular economy model for agriculture is highly urgent.

"By applying circular principles, we can transform agriculture into a sustainable industry in a resilient direction. As a result, we can reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, save water, and mitigate climate change. We can also enhance food security, improve rural livelihood, and protect biodiversity," said Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Tat Toan.

The SAE 2024 Conference aims to create a scientific forum for scholars, researchers, policymakers, businesses, and stakeholders at home and abroad to exchange and share knowledge and experiences on sustainable agricultural and environmental issues.

Prof. Soren Thiele-Bruhn, University of Trier (Germany), said that in modern intensive agriculture, soil quality and health degradation are increasing, seriously affected by climate change. Soil biodiversity is essential in maintaining ecological functions, such as nutrient cycling and pest control.

"Crop diversification helps reduce dependence on fertilizers and chemicals while improving biodiversity, enhancing soil fertility, and maintaining crop yields.," Prof. Soren Thiele-Bruhn affirmed.

The conference received 191 research abstracts from authors and scholars from many countries, such as Japan, the UK, Germany, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, and other countries. The conference had nine topics ordered from 9 famous scientific speakers, 54 ORAL presentations from scientific authors attending the meeting, and 137 scientific reports in poster form.

The key topics were developed, exchanged, and discussed, such as Identifying challenges in the current context that impact agricultural activities and food security and finding appropriate solutions to adapt and transform agricultural activities, thereby becoming a link in a new ecosystem in the digital technology and digital transformation; strengthening economic cooperation between countries in the region to grow together, develop and overcome the impact of the environment on the country's agriculture.

On Dec 6, there are parallel sessions with four scientific panels, including Social Economics in Sustainable Agriculture, Adapting Agricultural and Forestry Production to Climate Change, Innovative Technology in Sustainable Agriculture, and Recent Advances in Animal Bioscience and Sustainability.

The next day, a Field trip to The Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, Ho Chi Minh City, or Nam Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai Province.