Vietnam promotes sustainable agriculture

Vietnam is moving towards sustainable and regenerative agriculture

Held annually since 2018, the programme provides press agencies with up-to-date information on sustainable development policies, the orientations of the Party and government, and best practices for sustainable business in Vietnam.

The VBCSD-VCCI helps raise awareness, supports media agencies, and motivates journalists and reporters to accompany the business community more closely on their responsible business journey.

As the co-host of VBCSD and the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Vietnam, Nestlé Vietnam is a pioneer in sustainable development activities, especially in the field of regenerative agriculture, contributing to the implementation of the national emissions reduction targets.

In Vietnam, regenerative agriculture is integrated and implemented by Nestlé through its NESCAFÉ Plan aiming to conserve and restore farmland, ecosystems, and vital resources including soil, biodiversity, and water, thus benefiting farmers, the environment, and society at large.

These benefits include soil carbon sequestration and plant biomass, the improvement of soil health and fertility, and the reduction of the use of agrochemicals and net greenhouse gas emissions.

Pham Phu Ngoc, chief representative of Nestlé Vietnam office in the Central Highlands said, “At the end of 2019, Nestlé announced its ambition to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and to achieve net-zero by 2050 with its detailed net-zero roadmap.”

So far, farmers participating in the model have reduced production costs by 20 per cent, irrigation water by 60 per cent, and chemical fertilisers by 20 per cent.

Agriculture is not only strongly affected by climate change but also a huge source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 13.9 per cent of the country’s total – according to data from the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development.

This year’s training programme attracted the participation of more than 50 delegates from ministries, agencies, the media, local organisations, and representatives of member enterprises of VBCSD-VCCI

In Vietnam, agricultural production releases about 80 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent into the environment each year, accounting for over 30 per cent of the total national greenhouse gas emissions. Within this, nearly 70 per cent comes from farming activities, of which 46 per cent is from wet rice farming.

At COP26, Vietnam joined nearly 150 countries in committing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In addition, Vietnam also joined more than 100 countries in the commitment to reduce global methane emissions by 2030.

At the UN Food Systems Summit, Vietnam aims to become a transparent, responsible, and sustainable global producer and supplier of food and foodstuffs.

Currently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is developing a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture and rural development for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision for 2050.

The VBCSD has cooperated with Nestlé Vietnam to identify the main theme of the training for media agencies on sustainable development in 2022 as "COP 26 and the Development of regenerative agriculture in Vietnam".

After the training session, the delegates joined a field trip and exchange at the Central Highlands Agro-Forestry Institute and Y Hung Farmer’s Garden under the NESCAFÉ Plan at Pu Hue commune in Dak Lak province.