Vietnam has great potential to develop green agriculture: Official

Vietnam, with its advantage as an agricultural country, has great potential to develop green agriculture. Investments in technology, coupled with a young workforce and supportive government policies, have facilitated its progress, said an official.

However, to fully exploit this potential, Vietnam needs to overcome several barriers and challenges, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc said.

According to the Deputy Minister, one of the major challenges is the human resources, especially the high-quality workforce in the agricultural sector, which is still limited, lacking experts and teams capable of mastering high technology and techniques. In addition, the proportion of untrained rural labor remains high.

Farmers need to be systematically trained in advanced farming methods, sustainable land management, and effective resource use, the offficial added.

Furthermore, access to green technologies, new crop varieties, and investment capital is still limited.

Startups in the green agriculture sector also face difficulties in connecting with experts, accessing markets, and scaling production. Additionally, the lack of infrastructure and resources is also a significant barrier that needs to be addressed to promote the development of these enterprises.

According to the Deputy Miniser, the agricultural sector, which contributes approximately 12% of Vietnam's GDP and supports roughly 30% of the workforce, is facing significant challenges.

“Climate change, particularly the rising sea levels in the Mekong Delta, threatens to displace between 500,000 and 1 million hectares of agricultural land by 2050, causing annual damages of up to 3% of GDP,” she told the workshop tilted “Promoting green innovation in agriculture through the market mechanism,” held on September 17.

Therefore, green agriculture is emerging as an essential solution for sustainable development in Southeast Asia, she said, adding that with rapid economic growth, the region is facing environmental and climate change challenges, necessitating a strong transformation in the agricultural sector.