Viet Nam and Finland expand cooperation in agriculture, forestry, and environment

As part of General Secretary To Lam and his spouse's official visit to Finland, accompanied by a high-level Vietnamese delegation, Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang met with Minister Sari Essayah on October 22 (local time). The two ministers agreed to open new avenues for investment and cooperation between their respective ministries in the coming period.

A long and effective partnership

At the meeting, Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang expressed his pleasure at meeting his Finnish counterpart, whom he referred to as "an inspiring figure." The latter is a former world champion athlete who currently occupies an important role in Finland's and Europe's agricultural and environmental policies.

He emphasized that Finland's extensive experience in sustainable development, forestry, and agricultural management provides Viet Nam with valuable lessons. He observed that the meeting presented an opportunity to fortify practical collaboration in the direction of sustainable and environmentally friendly development.

Finland has provided over 33 million euros (approximately USD 42.5 million) in support to Viet Nam's agricultural sector through various programs and initiatives over the past two decades. Numerous models of social forestry, land-use planning, and community-based forest management have been successfully piloted.

The two nations have achieved 20 years of productive collaboration in the field of forestry, with a particular emphasis on the development of sectoral databases and policies, the monitoring of forest resources, the payment for forest environmental services, and reforestation. Finland serves as both a market for Vietnamese wooden products and a source of raw timber for Viet Nam. Community-based forest management and social forestry initiatives have achieved favorable outcomes.

A new approach to collaboration

Reviewing past achievements, the two ministers expressed satisfaction with the progress of joint initiatives. In 2022, the ministries signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in agricultural products, food, and forestry. This year, an additional MoU was signed that encompassed biodiversity, climate change, groundwater management, and artificial groundwater recharge. Viet Nam proposed that Finland share its smart water management technology and provide assistance in the development of a national water resource database.

In 2024, the bilateral trade between Finland and Viet Nam amounted to USD 422 million. Viet Nam exported USD 216 million to Finland during the initial seven months of 2025. At present, Finland has 37 investment projects in Viet Nam with a total registered capital of USD 50.8 million.

In the third quarter of 2025, Viet Nam's export turnover in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries increased by 14% year over year, reaching USD 18.47 billion. In the first eight months of 2025, exports to Finland totaled USD 2.13 million, while imports from Finland totaled USD 5.88 million, mainly consisting of wood and wood products.

Additionally, the two parties deliberated on market access for agricultural, food, and animal products. Currently, Viet Nam is reviewing Finland's animal protein powder applications, which are anticipated to be finalized by the end of October 2025. It has approved eight Finnish meat establishments and 12 seafood processors. Conversely, the EU has granted market access to Vietnamese honey, fishmeal, cricket protein, and feathers.

In the future, both nations will prioritize collaboration in the areas of renewable energy, environmental management, and science and technology. Other important fields of interest include the trade in high-quality coffee and wood products, cold-water aquaculture, post-harvest preservation, forest management, and agricultural technology. Finland also committed to working with the EU to assist Viet Nam in implementing the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on deforestation-free commodities and to provide assistance in addressing the EU's "yellow card" on illicit, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Furthermore, Finland suggested that more intensive collaboration be established in the administration of water resources, particularly groundwater, as well as the sustainable protection and utilization of forest resources. Finland also invited Viet Nam to participate in the forthcoming Water Industry Summit in Vienna, Austria.

In the conclusion of the meeting, Acting Minister Tran Duc Thang and Minister Sari Essayah reiterated their shared dedication to enhancing Vietnam-Finland cooperation in agriculture, forestry, and the environment to new heights, thereby contributing to the green and sustainable development of both nations.