As an outstanding farmer in An Giang province, Mr. Le Thanh Long has a total agricultural production area of ​​80 hectares. Each year, his revenue reaches 8.91 billion VND, with a profit of nearly 5 billion VND.

When discussing the project to produce 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice at the recent 2024 National Farmers Forum, Mr. Long stated that the project gives rice farmers the opportunity to change their production methods to be safer, more efficient, environmentally friendly, and more profitable.

The results of the local pilot models have made farmers like him proud, eager to participate in low-emission rice cultivation. However, he also hopes that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Vietnam Farmers' Association will have programs to support farmers in successfully cultivating low-emission rice and selling carbon credits.

To ensure peace of mind in production and food security, Mr. Ho Ba Phieu ( Can Tho City) also hopes that the leaders of the agricultural sector will create the best conditions and provide the best possible support for large-scale rice farmers to participate in low-emission rice cultivation.

"I also want to participate in the project to cultivate 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta," Mr. Phiêu expressed.

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Dak Lak is the first province in Vietnam to sell its carbon emission reductions from rice at a price of 20 USD per ton of CO2 reduction. Photo: Dak Lak Newspaper

According to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan, in the history of Vietnam's development, it is the farmers themselves who have contributed to the miracle of the agricultural sector, transforming Vietnam from a poor and hungry country into a world food exporting powerhouse, not only ensuring domestic food security but also contributing to the global food system in the context of climate change and extreme weather events.

He believes that farmers are the ones who will redefine the agricultural sector with new production models.

Over the years, the Minister has traveled to many regions, from the Northwest and Northeast to the coastal areas and plains, and has observed many innovative models implemented by farmers, ranging from traditional production to circular agriculture, clean agriculture, and more recently, reduced-emission agriculture and integrated multi-value agriculture such as rice-fish farming, rice-mud-crab farming, etc.

The task of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Vietnam Farmers' Association is to summarize practical models into lessons. Practical experience is dynamic; instead of pulling, we should push farmers forward through policies and mechanisms, by educating farmers, and connecting them to the market.

The project to cultivate 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice aims to create an agricultural economy that reduces emissions and adapts to climate change. Starting with 1 million hectares of rice in the Mekong Delta, the project will be expanded nationwide. From rice cultivation, it can then be used to develop other crop sectors, and subsequently, to livestock and aquaculture.

In reality, within the agricultural sector, only forestry is currently absorbing emissions, while other sectors are emitting large amounts. Our task is to ensure that forestry continues to absorb emissions more effectively, while other sectors reduce emissions even more.

The project to cultivate 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice also aims to redefine Vietnam's rice production process, focusing on how to achieve greater results with less input. The project includes guidance for farmers on how to produce with less input and higher output, improving rice grain quality, recycling rice straw waste, and creating non-rice-related economic activities.

Minister Le Minh Hoan emphasized that the focus is not only on reorganizing the rice-based economic sector, but he also hopes to reorganize farmers, forming cooperatives and agricultural extension services to support them in production.

The role of the Vietnam Farmers' Association in this project is significant; it is the core force in mobilizing farmers to participate. The Ministry will coordinate with the Vietnam Farmers' Association to support farmers in embracing the agricultural sector to reposition their production, the Minister affirmed.

The project to cultivate 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta is still in the pilot phase. Twelve provinces in the Mekong Delta have already developed production plans under the project. The area of ​​production achieving carbon credits will increase rapidly in the near future, as pilot models with standardized production processes and good results will be expanded to other provinces. According to the plan, by 2025 the area of ​​rice with reduced emissions will increase to 200,000 hectares.

The Carbon Transition Finance Fund has approved a total budget of $33.3 million, which may increase to $40 million, for the project. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the fund are currently discussing and agreeing on how to prepare for the pilot implementation of payments for greenhouse gas emission reductions to rice farmers.

A West African country, earlier than Vietnam, signed a contract to sell 1 million carbon credits for rice . Vietnam has the world's largest high-quality, low-emission rice production project. Ghana, on the other hand, was the first country in the world to sell carbon credits for rice. This West African nation is also importing a large quantity of rice from Vietnam.