Scaling precision nutrient management for a greener rice future in Vietnam's Mekong Delta

MEKONG DELTA, VIETNAM — What if rice farmers could apply precisely the nutrients their crops need, when and where they need them, while reducing fertilizer costs and environmental impacts?

This is the promise of Precision Nutrient Management (PNM), a science-based approach supporting Vietnam's ambition to transform one million hectares of rice production in the Mekong Delta by 2030. With fertilizer accounting for approximately 29–32% of regional rice production costs, improving nutrient-use efficiency offers opportunities to increase profitability and reduce emissions.

To help scale PNM, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in collaboration with the Vietnam Rice Sector Association (VIETRISA) and provincial Departments of Agriculture and Environment, conducted six Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops between 9 September and 1 October 2026.

Held across Can Tho, Ca Mau, An Giang, Dong Thap, Tay Ninh, and Vinh Long, the workshops reached nearly 750 participants, including farmers, extension officials at provincial and commune levels, and board members of selected cooperatives, from 284 communes, representing localities with approximately 860,000 hectares registered under Vietnam's One Million Hectare High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice (1Mha) Program.

Implemented under CGIAR's Scaling for Impact (S4I) Program, the workshops addressed complementary aspects of sustainable rice production, emphasizing PNM, digital tools, and local scaling capacity.

Getting nutrient management right

PNM recognizes that rice crops obtain nutrients from multiple sources, including soil, irrigation water, sediment, organic materials, and fertilizers. Effective management therefore requires understanding crop needs and local growing conditions.

Central to PNM is the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework: applying the Right Source of fertilizer, at the Right Rate, at the Right Time, and in the Right Place, complemented by balanced fertilization, water management, and agricultural residue recycling.

During the An Giang workshop, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Bo, Senior Advisor at IRRI, emphasized that nutrient management extends beyond fertilizer application. Rather than prescribing uniform fertilizer reductions, PNM tailors recommendations to rice varieties, soil characteristics, crop growth stages, and farming practices.

Turning field data into practical recommendations

Hands-on training in Rice Crop Manager (RCM) was a major component of the workshops. This digital decision-support tool generates field-specific fertilizer recommendations based on production conditions, rice varieties, and cultivation practices.

Participants practiced collecting field information, interpreting RCM recommendations, and translating them into practical fertilizer management advice.

According to Nguyen Van Hung, Project Leader of the CGIAR-S4I Program in Vietnam, RCM translates field-based evidence into tailored recommendations. Its integration with a Zalo-based virtual assistant and fertilizer application calendars also helps make technical guidance more accessible to farmers.

Participants were also introduced to ViRiCert, which supports digital documentation, monitoring, and assessment of compliance with cultivation protocols under the 1Mha Program.

Together, these tools connect scientific recommendations with implementation and standardized documentation, strengthening transparency and traceability.

"Digital tools will help connect these two elements, providing local authorities with an additional basis for monitoring the transition process and improving product value," emphasized Le Thanh Tung, President of VIETRISA, during the Dong Thap workshop.

These records can also support verification associated with the Vietnam Green Low-Emission Rice label, linking sustainable practices with potential market recognition.

From technical training to commune-level scaling

Beyond technical instruction, the workshops emphasized practical implementation planning.

In An Giang, more than 150 participants developed commune-level PNM scaling plans, identifying priority locations, activities, and implementation requirements. The province targets 351,362 hectares across 86 communes and wards under the 1Mha Program by 2030.

Similarly, approximately 110 participants from 49 communes and wards attended the Dong Thap workshop, developing local plans under the guidance of provincial crop production and plant protection authorities.

"Jointly developing plans at the commune level helps stakeholders more clearly identify priority actions and coordination mechanisms for putting the techniques into production," explained Tran Thanh Tam, Director of the Dong Thap Sub-Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection.

Agricultural cooperatives also play an important role in connecting technical agencies with farmers. Nguyen Thanh Giang, Director of Binh Thanh Agricultural Cooperative in An Giang, highlighted how field-specific nutrient recommendations could help members reduce input costs while maintaining rice yield and quality.

Building an inclusive and sustainable pathway to scale

The workshops promoted farmer-centered and gender-inclusive approaches, ensuring that PNM recommendations respond to diverse farming conditions and needs. During the Dong Thap training, Nozomi Kawarazuka, Gender Specialist at the International Potato Center (CIP), emphasized the importance of providing women and men with equal access to agricultural knowledge, training, and technical tools.

By strengthening local capacities and coordination among authorities, extension personnel, cooperatives, and technical partners, the initiative is laying the groundwork for wider PNM adoption. The next challenge is translating these capacities into sustained farmer adoption, improved fertilizer-use efficiency, and measurable economic and environmental benefits.

Through the S4I Program, IRRI and its partners demonstrate that scaling PNM goes beyond improving fertilizer application—it requires strengthening the people, tools, and institutions that enable sustainable farming decisions. These efforts contribute to Vietnam's ambition to make rice production more efficient, profitable, and environmentally sustainable under the 1Mha Program.

The ToT series was supported by the CGIAR Scaling for Impact (S4I) Program, USDA-funded Fertilize Right project and Taiwan ICDF–CABIN Project.