Vietnam’s 1-Million Hectare Rice Program shows promising results

Soc Trang Province, Vietnam (September 4, 2024) —The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute, conducted a seasonal review meeting for the 1-Million Hectare High Quality and Low Emission Rice Program. The meeting coincided with the Harvesting Day of a pilot farm in Soc Trang Province.

The program, to be implemented across the 12 provinces in the Mekong River Delta (MRD), aims to promote sustainable, high-quality rice production and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The 7 pilot models, representing diverse ecological subregions and soil types, were implemented in 5 selected provinces in MRD from the summer-autumn 2024 season.

Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production (DCP), presented the seasonal report on the 7 pilot farms. The report highlighted significant increases in farmer profits (12-20%) and yields compared to traditional methods. Input costs were reduced by 10-15%, lowering production costs. However, challenges such as a lack of commitment among cooperative members and misrepresenting the program’s objectives were identified.

Dr. Nguyen Van Hung, senior scientist at IRRI, shared insights into the farming efficiency and profitability of the pilot farms. Dr. Hung reported that the pilot models applying mechanized direct seeding reduced seeding rates by at least 50%, reduced N application by 30%, and increased yield by more than 7%. This increase is partly due to reduced lodging, a common issue in rice production,” he shared.

Dr. Mai Van Trinh, Director of the Institute for Agricultural Environment, reported on the greenhouse gas emission reduction achieved in the pilot models. For example, the Can Tho pilot model reduced emissions by up to 12 tons of CO2 equivalent per hectare compared to traditional practices. The pilot models in Tra Vinh and…