Regional forum seeks solutions to rice value chain development challenges

The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of Vietnam and the Food Systems, Land Use and Rehabilitation (FOLUR) Impact Program run by the World Bank. It was attended by 120 people, including 70 delegates from FOLUR Impact Program member countries, UN agencies, international organizations, civil society and research organizations, and businesses.

Mariam Sherman, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, said the bank’s support for sustainable agricultural transformation projects had yielded significant results in the Mekong Delta region, demonstrating the capacity to produce low-carbon, high-quality rice.

As a result, profits in pilot models increased by 30%, while production costs fell by 25% and CO2 emissions fell by about 1.5 million tons. This shows that Vietnam’s project to develop one million hectares of high-quality, low-carbon rice has the potential to deliver extraordinary changes in rice production, attract private sector participation and contribute to Vietnam’s goals of reducing emissions and protecting the environment.

Vietnam has made significant commitments at the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), the 26th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP26) and COP28 to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The country has joined the initiative to reduce global methane emissions and has also committed to implementing the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture and Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action.

The project to grow one million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice, approved last year, requires joint efforts by government agencies, the private sector, businesses and producers, according to Dr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, director of MARD’s International Cooperation Department.

He stressed that access to finance is a key factor in helping farmers and enterprises in the rice value chain invest in new technologies, improve production processes and increase economic efficiency, but enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, and farmers face many difficulties in accessing finance for agricultural investments.

Vietnam is ready to cooperate and share with countries around the world through South-South cooperation in agriculture in general and rice production in particular, he said.

The forum, which runs until September 12, offers participants the opportunity to discuss policies aimed at increasing access to finance, science and technology, and efficient practices in production, distribution and trade, all aimed at low-carbon and sustainable practices for stakeholders in the rice value chain./. VNA