Viet Nam to shape emission reduction framework in agriculture

The synchronized policy system

The agricultural sector is required to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as it accounts for nearly one-third of the national total, with methane from rice cultivation and livestock production accounting for a large share. Since the Net Zero commitment at COP26, the system of executive documents has been relatively completed, laying the foundation for the transition to low-emission production models during 2025-2030.

In addition, management agencies pay particular attention to establishing coordination mechanisms between central and local authorities to ensure that climate policies are implemented and to avoid overlaps or implementation difficulties. Communication and awareness-raising about low-emission production have been strongly promoted, helping farmers understand the economic and environmental benefits of adopting new practices.

The first framework is the National Strategy on Climate Change to 2050. This document identifies agriculture and forestry as one of the five key sectors that need emission reduction, while requesting ministries and sectors to develop transition roadmaps suitable for each major emission group such as rice, livestock, fisheries, fertilizers and land management. The strategy also sets the goal of enhancing the carbon-absorption capacity of forest ecosystems, considering this a pillar for offsetting emissions in hard-to-reduce sectors.

The second foundation is the updated 2022 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The NDC emphasizes the task of reducing methane by 30%, a gas that has a warming potential more than 28 times higher than CO2, from two primary sources: rice fields and livestock. The measures include alternate wetting and drying (AWD), livestock waste treatment, increasing organic inputs, reducing chemical fertilizers and controlling the burning of crop residues.

Notably, the NDC also requires the development of provincial-level emission inventories, enabling each locality to proactively assess its emissions and propose solutions tailored to its production conditions. This is considered an important step forward in climate governance at the grassroots level.

In terms of spatial development, the national master plan for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, incorporates climate adaptation and emission reduction goals. The plan identifies key agricultural production zones, prioritizing the Mekong Delta for high-quality, low-emission rice; the Central Highlands for sustainable certified industrial crops; and the Central region and Northwest for forestry, carbon storage and forest-based economies. It also requires modernization of irrigation systems to reduce losses, reduce energy use and limit indirect emissions.

Multiple sectors contribute to emission reduction

Specialized plans have also been completed simultaneously. The project for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta is the most impactful program. The project aims to expand rice areas meeting sustainability standards, reduce irrigation, reduce inorganic fertilizers, control straw burning and enhance regional linkage in irrigation operations. The requirement to record cultivation data helps form a measurement-reporting-verification (MRV) system for the rice sector.

In livestock production, the Livestock Development Strategy for 2021-2030 includes emission reduction as a mandatory solution, requiring localities to develop waste treatment technologies such as biogas and solid-liquid separation; adjust feed rations to reduce enteric methane; and control farming scale to reduce environmental pressure. The strategy also sets the target that by 2030, the proportion of livestock facilities applying waste treatment technologies must increase significantly, moving toward building circular livestock chains in concentrated farming areas.

For forestry, the Sustainable Forestry Development Program and REDD+ continue to focus on protecting natural forests and expanding certified forest areas. This is the main carbon sink, expected to absorb 95 million tons of CO2 annually by 2030, playing a balancing role in the remaining agricultural emissions. Digitalizing forest maps, controlling deforestation and strengthening timber traceability have also been promoted to help Viet Nam soon participate in domestic and international carbon markets.

The Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) sets the goal of reducing up to 43.5% of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to 403.7 million tons of CO2 equivalent, in which the agricultural sector reduces 50.9 million tons of CO2 equivalent and forestry and land use (LULUCF) reduces 46.6 million tons. Therefore, agriculture and forestry are not only sectors required to reduce emissions significantly, but also central to fulfilling the national climate commitment, contributing importantly to bringing Viet Nam closer to the Net Zero goal.