Vietnam’s rice industry has grown into a global leader thanks to the development of high-quality rice varieties, modernised farming practices, and strong collaboration among farmers, businesses, scientists, and the government. After major setbacks through the mid-20th century, the sector began to recover in the 1980s with the introduction of improved rice strains by the Cửu Long Delta Rice Research Institute. Since then, annual rice production has surged to 24–25 million tonnes, with over nine million tonnes exported in 2024, worth $5.7 billion. Today, 95% of Vietnam’s rice is high-quality, and the sector is transitioning toward sustainable, low-emission practices. A key initiative is a government-backed project to develop one million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice in the Mekong Delta by 2030, aligned with Vietnam’s net-zero emissions goal by 2050. Farmers are adopting mechanisation, precision agriculture, and digital tools like QR code-based traceability and pest surveillance. Co-operatives, supported by companies like Bình Điền Fertiliser, are reducing chemical inputs, lowering emissions, and improving yields. Pilot models in provinces like Cần Thơ, Sóc Trăng, and Kiên Giang show up to 20% profit increases and nearly 30% emissions reductions, making the new model both economically and environmentally sustainable. The strategy is seen as a blueprint for Vietnam's rice future. (ICE HO CHI MINH CITY)

Fonte notizia: Vietnam News