Green Transition in Vietnam's Mekong Delta: Innovative Agriculture and Climate Change Adaptation

Strategic Insights -

Provinces in the Mekong Delta are pioneering a green transition in agriculture, leveraging technology and eco-friendly methods to enhance productivity, reduce emissions, and boost farmers' incomes. This shift, driven by the Vietnamese government's efforts to adapt to climate change, focuses on sustainable rice, aquaculture, and fruit production. Notable initiatives include the development of one million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice, with 101 pilot models covering over 4,500 hectares reporting yield increases of 5-10% and additional profits of 3-5 million VND per hectare.

Key Takeaways:

  • The government's project to develop one million hectares of high-quality and low-emission rice has been rolled out in nearly all rice-growing provinces, with 101 pilot models covering over 4,500 hectares.
  • These models reported yield increases of 5-10% and additional profits of 3-5 million VND per hectare.
  • In Dong Thap province, yields reached 7.1 tonnes of unhusked rice per hectare, 4% higher than those outside the model, while farmers earned nearly 28 million VND per hectare.
  • Producton costs dropped by roughly 500 VND per kilogram of rice, while selling straw added another 400,000 VND per hectare in income.
  • Emissions were cut by about 3.1 tonnes of COa,, per hectare each crop.
  • The Can Tho city project was implemented on 76,000 hectares with 12 pilot models, resulting in yields 0.3-0.7 tonnes per hectare higher than conventional farms.
  • Production costs fell by an average of 1.1 million VND per hectare, while profits rose by 1.3-6.5 million VND per hectare.
  • The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) reported that greenhouse gas emissions in Can Tho pilot fields dropped by 2-12 tonnes of COa,, per hectare.
  • In An Giang, a 50-hectare summer-autumn pilot model applied methods such as cluster sowing, alternate wetting and drying irrigation, integrated pest management, and straw collection, resulting in yields averaging 6.67 tonnes per hectare.
  • The green transition in the tra fish sector aims to reduce emissions from current levels of 6-7 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilogram of fish, equivalent to 9-10.5 million tonnes per year.

Statistics:

  • 101 pilot models covering over 4,500 hectares reported yield increases of 5-10% and additional profits of 3-5 million VND per hectare.
  • In Dong Thap province, yields reached 7.1 tonnes of unhusked rice per hectare, 4% higher than those outside the model.
  • Farmers earned nearly 28 million VND per hectare, an increase of 4.6-4.8 million VND.
  • Production costs dropped by roughly 500 VND per kilogram of rice.
  • Selling straw added another 400,000 VND per hectare in income.
  • Emissions were cut by about 3.1 tonnes of COa,, per hectare each crop.
  • The Can Tho city project was implemented on 76,000 hectares with 12 pilot models, resulting in yields 0.3-0.7 tonnes per hectare higher than conventional farms.
  • Production costs fell by an average of 1.1 million VND per hectare, while profits rose by 1.3-6.5 million VND per hectare.
  • Greenhouse gas emissions in Can Tho pilot fields dropped by 2-12 tonnes of COa,, per hectare.
  • The tra fish sector emits 6-7 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilogram of fish, equivalent to 9-10.5 million tonnes per year.

Sources:

  • "Provinces in Mekong Delta press ahead with green and sustainable agriculture".
  • International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
  • Le Van Dung, Deputy Director of the An Giang provincial agricultural extension centre
  • Nguyen Ba Thong, programme manager at the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH)