VAG Group, IRRI launch sustainable rice farming model in Ninh Binh

On the morning of July 8, at the Green Agricultural Innovation Center (Nghia Son commune, Ninh Binh province), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in collaboration with Viet Nam Green Agricultural Investment and Development Group Joint Stock Company (VAG Group) and the Ninh Binh Department of Agriculture and Environment, organized the launching ceremony of the Green and Sustainable Rice Value Chain and Residue Circular Agriculture Initiative.

The event marks an important milestone in advancing low-emission rice production, improving economic efficiency, and promoting sustainable agricultural development in Viet Nam.

Strong support from businesses and local authorities

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Tien, Deputy Director of the Ninh Binh Department of Agriculture and Environment, affirmed that implementing the initiative in Nghia Son commune is a strategic step, building on the positive results of pilot projects in Hung Yen and Hai Phong.

According to Mr. Nguyen Sinh Tien, traditional sowing methods with high density and the inappropriate use of chemical fertilizers not only increase production costs but also waste resources, pollute the environment, degrade soil fertility, and increase greenhouse gas emissions.

To address the dual goals of improving economic efficiency and protecting the environment, he highlighted the role of modern mechanization, particularly row seeding technology combined with the deep placement of controlled-release fertilizer.

To facilitate the replication of the initiative, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Tien urged the province's specialized agencies to work closely with IRRI and VAG Group to monitor, evaluate, and complete the technical protocols based on scientific data, thereby laying a foundation for developing easy-to-use technical guidelines for farmers.

He also called on local authorities and agricultural cooperatives to step up communication, organize field visits and study tours for farmers, and proactively plan concentrated production areas to facilitate the synchronous application of mechanization.

For farmers, Mr. Tien encouraged them to boldly change cultivation practices and adopt technical advances to improve production efficiency. He also expressed his hope that businesses would continue investing in technology, supplying high-quality agricultural materials, and partnering with farmers through production and consumption linkages.

Concluding his remarks, Mr. Nguyen Sinh Tien emphasized that close collaboration among the four parties, including the State, scientists, businesses, and farmers, provides the essential foundation for transforming these efficient, low-emission rice farming models from pilot initiatives into production practices that can be widely replicated.

From the business perspective, CEO of VAG Group Nguyen Quang Truong said that the model implemented in Nghia Son commune is not merely a technology demonstration program but is designed to simultaneously address the key challenges facing rice production today.

According to him, the initiative aims to help farmers improve production efficiency, reduce input costs, minimize agricultural waste, and increase their incomes, thereby laying the foundation for green and sustainable agricultural development.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Truong emphasized that VAG Group's vision is not only to supply individual agricultural materials but also to develop synchronous farming solutions that integrate seeds, fertilizers, mechanization, and appropriate technical practices. "Only when these solutions are implemented in a synchronous manner, enhancing productivity while protecting soil health and the environment, can they create sustainable value for both farmers and the rice sector," he said.

To ensure the model delivers practical results, Mr. Nguyen Quang Truong said VAG Group follows the principle of "real implementation, real measurement, real evaluation, and real effectiveness." According to him, the success of the initiative should not be measured by the scale of the launching ceremony but by the outcomes achieved after each crop season, when farmers, cooperatives, businesses, and local authorities all benefit from the model.

Low-emission rice cultivation

The initiative launched on July 8 is part of the implementation of the Low-Emission Crop Production Scheme for the 2025–2035 period, with a vision to 2050. Under the initiative, IRRI has coordinated with management agencies, local authorities, and businesses to implement three high-efficiency, low-emission rice farming models in Hung Yen, Ninh Binh, and Hai Phong.

Initial results in the 2026 spring crop have been positive. The models have not only improved productivity but also reduced seeding rates and the use of fertilizers and pesticides, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Particularly, the clear economic efficiency has won strong support from farmers while attracting a growing number of businesses to provide technology solutions, agricultural materials, and market linkages. These outcomes have laid a solid foundation for scaling up the models in the coming times.

Building on the achievements, the model launched in Ninh Binh further affirms the role of the public-private partnership (PPP) in developing a green agriculture. The linkage chain between management agencies, research institutions, businesses, and farmers is expected to promote more efficient, low-emission rice production while maximizing the use of agricultural by-products to develop a circular economy.

The program’s highlight was the field demonstration of the technologies to be deployed across the green and sustainable rice value chain and residue circular agriculture. Through the demonstration, delegates were able to observe a synchronous mechanization process, from sowing to post-harvest by-product management, aimed at reducing production costs, improving economic efficiency, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Two technology solution groups

At the field demonstration, two key technology solution groups were introduced. The first was mechanized row seeding combined with the fertilizer deep placement. This technology enables uniform sowing, reduces seeding rates, and places fertilizer precisely during sowing. As a result, fertilizer use efficiency is improved, production and labor costs are reduced, and greenhouse gas emissions are lowered.

The second solution was mechanized production of organic fertilizer from rice straw. Instead of burning rice straw after harvest (a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution), the straw is collected, processed, and turned into organic fertilizer for use in subsequent cropping cycles.

This solution not only makes productive use of agricultural by-products, improves soil fertility, and reduces reliance on chemical fertilizers, but also advances the circular economy by transforming agricultural residues into valuable resources, moving toward a green and sustainable agriculture.

The models will be implemented during the 2026 summer-autumn rice crop, with the goal of establishing a synchronous rice production system that incorporates modern mechanization and circular agriculture measures.

They are expected to serve as flagship demonstration models, providing a basis for wider replication across localities. Thereby contributing to realizing the crop production sector's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, improving farmers' incomes, and accelerating the green transformation of Viet Nam's rice industry.