The message was highlighted at a seminar and technology exhibition themed ‘Right Fertiliser Application for High-Efficiency, Low-Emission Rice Cultivation’, jointly organized by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Hai Phong Department of Agriculture and Environment on June 30.
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Delegates explore agricultural extension applications and low-emission rice production solutions at the conference. (Photo: Hai Phong's Department of Agriculture and Environment) |
The event was held under the USDA-funded Right Fertilizer Use Project, implemented by IRRI in Vietnam. It also supports the Government's low-emission crop production strategy for 2025–35, with a vision to 2050, by improving fertilizer efficiency, boosting productivity and farmers' incomes, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Unlike a conventional technical workshop, the program served as a platform for public-private collaboration, combining expert discussions with exhibitions showcasing advanced fertilisers, biotechnology, mechanization and digital farming solutions.
The format enabled farmers, cooperatives and local authorities to directly access new technologies and practical solutions, encouraging wider technology transfer and adoption.
Clemen Gehlhar, senior agricultural program manager at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), said improving fertilizer-use efficiency would be essential to building a productive and sustainable agricultural sector.
Through the Right Fertiliser Use Project, USDA is working with IRRI and Vietnamese partners to promote proven technologies that enable farmers to use fertilisers more efficiently, increase incomes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
She stressed that close cooperation among government agencies, businesses and farmers would be key to scaling up successful models nationwide.
From the private sector, Le Van Hai, general director of BiOWiSH Vietnam, said the company was collaborating with domestic fertiliser manufacturers to integrate U.S.-developed microbial technology into inorganic and organic fertiliser products.
The combination of local production capacity and biotechnology enhances nutrient uptake, reduces fertilizer losses, improves soil health, increases yields and contributes to lower emissions, supporting the country's sustainable agriculture goals, according to Hai.
Nguyen Van Hung, IRRI's senior science specialist and project leader of the Right Fertilizer Use Project, said the institute was working closely with private-sector partners to develop integrated nutrient management packages combining enhanced fertilizers, biotechnology, mechanization and digital technologies.
Through these partnerships, IRRI had established sustainable rice production models tailored to different ecological zones, particularly in the Mekong Delta and the Red River Delta.
Results from eight pilot models under the Government's one-million-hectare high-quality, low-emission rice program in the Mekong Delta, together with three pilot sites in the Red River Delta, showed that seeding rates fell by around 50%, nitrogen fertilizer use dropped by at least 30%, and pesticide use declined by about 20%, while farmers' yields and profits increased by more than 10%.
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Clemen Gehlhar, senior agricultural program manager at the U.S. Department of Agriculture speaks at the event. |
Pham Quoc Trung, general director of MTK/Innovar Ag, said the event demonstrated the value of connecting public agencies, researchers and businesses. Developing next-generation fertilisers based on the principles of ‘right fertilizer application’ would improve nutrient-use efficiency, soil health and overall farm productivity, he said.
A representative of BOF/AMT Import-Export Company said combining inorganic fertilisers, organic fertilizers and biological solutions would offer an effective pathway to improve nutrient efficiency, restore soil quality and reduce emissions in rice cultivation.
The company expressed its commitment to continuing cooperation with IRRI, USDA and other partners through public-private initiatives to foster innovation and green agricultural development.
Scaling up successful models
As one of the Red River Delta's major rice-producing localities, Hai Phong is gradually transforming its crop sector towards higher quality, greater efficiency and stronger environmental sustainability.
Luong Thi Kiem, deputy director of the city's Department of Agriculture and Environment, praised the support of IRRI, USDA and the business community in bringing scientific advances, modern technologies and innovative nutrient management solutions closer to farmers.
She said the event not only facilitated knowledge sharing, but also created opportunities for technology transfer and wider adoption of high-efficiency, low-emission rice farming models across the city.
Nguyen Van Khien, chairman of the Farmers' Association of Tan An commune, said farmers were most interested in solutions that are practical, easy to apply and capable of reducing production costs.
Based on the 2026 Spring Crop pilot under the Right Fertilizer Use Project, farmers found that proper nutrient management improved crop growth, increased fertiliser efficiency, lowered input costs and generated higher profits, he said, adding that they hoped to gain greater access to new technologies and products suited to local farming conditions.
Experts at the event agreed that integrating nutrient management, biotechnology, mechanisation and digital technologies would enhance productivity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition towards greener, more sustainable rice production.
Source: VNA