Việt Nam has certified around 71,000 tonnes of rice under its Low-Emission Green Vietnamese Rice label over the past two years, marking a key early milestone in the country’s push towards more sustainable agriculture, according to the Vietnam Rice Sector Association (VIETRISA).
The certification is awarded to rice produced in line with technical standards set under the One Million Hectare Programme and verified by commune-level authorities or accredited international organisations. Certified rice must meet strict traceability requirements covering production areas, varieties and cropping seasons, and comply fully with low-emission, high-quality cultivation protocols.
VIETRISA has so far granted label-use certificates to eight enterprises farming a combined area of around 18,000 hectares, its vice chairman Lê Thanh Tùng said at a meeting in Cần Thơ. He added that Việt Nam has become the world’s first country to produce and export low-emission rice.
The eight companies are currently exporting about 70,000 tonnes of certified low-emission rice under the One Million Hectare Programme, out of roughly 400 rice exporters nationwide. While participation remains limited, Tùng said the exports reflect both the project’s initial progress and the challenges of its early implementation.
Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Lê Minh Hoan said changes in human behaviour are a critical but often overlooked factor in delivering the programme. Discussions typically focus on rice varieties, cultivation techniques, irrigation, fertiliser reduction and emissions targets, he noted, but behavioural change cannot be measured by machines or observed directly in the fields.
Hoan highlighted the role of the media in supporting this transition, not by directing or enforcing change, but by accompanying farmers and encouraging them through practical examples. “If policy is a blueprint, then the press is the storyteller of life within that blueprint,” he said, adding that farmers respond more to stories of real people and familiar fields than to technical concepts such as carbon targets.
Rather than emphasising emissions alone, he said media coverage should showcase farmers who sow less densely and achieve healthier crops, reduce post-harvest burning, or lower costs while maintaining yields—making change appear practical and achievable.
Hoan also described cooperatives as a key pillar of the project, cautioning that their reform cannot rely solely on administrative measures. He said the media could help by highlighting successful cooperatives, explaining management changes and pointing to gradual but sustainable improvements.
The press, he added, should avoid exaggerating achievements or focusing only on shortcomings, and instead clearly outline pathways for others to follow, acting as a practical guide to innovation.
Vietnamese businesses participating in the programme, Hoan said, also require credibility, trust and a socially responsible image, alongside financial incentives. Media recognition of companies that make long-term investments alongside farmers, and tell brand stories linked to sustainable farming practices, could create constructive pressure—encouraging firms to align their behaviour with sustainability goals, meet market expectations and support long-term development.
