Rice fields in An Giang Province that have been pooled for the one-million-hectare rice project. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Sang

The one-million-hectare rice project in the Mekong Delta has been accomplished effectively, with cooperatives playing a central role in expanding the high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation envisaged under it.

On November 27, 2023, the Government approved the “Sustainable Development of One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice Associated with Green Growth in the Mekong Delta by 2030” project (referred to as the one-million-hectare rice project) to tackle the challenges facing rice farming in the delta.

The delta cultivates around 3.8 million hectares annually, producing over 50 per cent of Việt Nam’s rice and accounting for up to 90 per cent of its exports.

But the rice sector faces difficulties related to standards, quality, markets, climate change, land degradation, and emission reduction commitments.

With an annual rice output of 24–25 million tonnes, the delta also produces a similar volume of rice straw, but only 30 per cent is collected and reused, while the rest is burned or ploughed back into the soil.

Burning straw pollutes the environment, while burying it in flooded fields increases methane and other greenhouse gas emissions.

The one-million-hectare rice project seeks to produce high-quality, low-emission rice while restructuring the sector for greater value. It also aims to raise farmers’ incomes, ensure food security, and support Việt Nam’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

During the 2024 summer-autumn crop the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment – MAE), in collaboration with the delta’s localities and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), launched seven central-level pilot models under the project.

Each pilot model covered 50ha and achieved excellent results.

They reduced costs by 20–30 per cent by halving seed use, cutting nitrogen fertiliser use by 30 per cent, spraying two to three times less pesticides, and saving 30-40 per cent of irrigation water.

Yields rose by 10 per cent to 6.3-6.6 tonnes per hectare.

All the rice was sold under contracts at VNĐ200-300 (0.7-1 US cent) per kilogram above market prices. Farmers’ incomes increased by 20-25 per cent, with profits up by VNĐ4-7.6 million (US$150-290) per hectare.

Of these successes, cooperatives led the implementation of pilot models, advancing the project’s goals and encouraging wider farmer participation.

A farmer uses a smartphone app to control irrigation in a rice field under the one-million-hectare rice project in An Giang Province. VNA/VNS Photo Văn Sĩ

The Phát Tài Agricultural Cooperative in the former Thanh Mỹ Commune in Trà Vinh Province’s Châu Thành District (now part of Châu Thành Commune in Vĩnh Long Province) was one of the seven cooperatives selected for pilot models.

The cooperative had 48.4ha owned by 50 members.

Trần Văn Chung, its director, said members earned additional profits of VNĐ8-10 million ($300-380) per hectare per crop from three consecutive crops.

“The cooperative expanded the model to 100ha with nearly 90 members in the 2025 summer-autumn crop.”

Cooperatives are vital for encouraging farmers to adopt digital and green technologies for the one-million-hectare rice project.

They also sign contracts with technology providers, input suppliers and purchasing companies to establish value-chain linkages.

A paddy with advanced techniques for high-quality, low emission rice cultivation belonging to the Phát Tài Agricultural Cooperative in Vĩnh Long Province’s Châu Thành Commune. VNA/VNS Photo Phúc Sơn

Strict processes

Cooperatives and cooperative groups in the project follow stringent procedures from land preparation and harvest to post-harvest, including straw management.

Each field applies at least one sustainable farming method, such as “one must and five reductions,” alternate wetting and drying irrigation and the Sustainable Rice Platform.

The “one must and five reductions” method requires the use of certified seeds while reducing their use along with that of nitrogen fertilisers, pesticides, and water and post-harvest losses.

Alternate wetting and drying irrigation saves 20-30 per cent of water, reduces emissions and strengthens rice resilience, eliminating five to six tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per hectare.

Cooperatives and cooperative groups organise production, train farmers, secure markets, and link farmers with companies and the Government, ensuring their central role in the project.

The success of the pilot models has encouraged wider farmer involvement through cooperatives and cooperative groups.

In the 2024-25 winter-spring crop the Phú Thọ Agricultural Service Cooperative in what is now An Long Commune in Đồng Tháp Province joined the project with 50ha.

“When encouraged to participate, I joined with my family’s entire 1.5ha of rice. At first it was difficult and unfamiliar. I worried about the sparse sowing and lower seed use," Nguyễn Ngọc Hà, a member of the cooperative, said.

“However, in the winter-spring crop, yields were not lower but even higher than [normal]. My family was very pleased.”

The cooperative’s members collected all the rice straw and earned an additional VNĐ400,000 ($15) per hectare from selling it.

Mai Thanh Liêm, director of the cooperative, said: “At first many farmers were hesitant. But after two crops, they became more confident and registered in large numbers. We grew 50ha in the winter-spring crop, 50ha in the summer-autumn crop, and plan to expand to 100ha for the upcoming autumn-winter crop.”

He noted that a key achievement of the project had been changing farmers’ mindsets, especially in straw and water management.

The Phước Hảo Agricultural Cooperative in Vĩnh Long Province uses an automatic methane emission monitoring system in its pilot model for growing high-quality, low-emission rice under the one-million-hectare rice project. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Hòa

To support the project, local authorities were providing farmers with preferential loans and equipment through cooperatives.

Thái Phước Lộc, chairman of the Vĩnh Long Province Cooperative Alliance, said the province was helping cooperatives access support policies for investment in modern machinery and advanced rice processing.

For example, VNĐ2.1 billion ($80,000) had been allocated to the Phát Tài Agricultural Cooperative for procuring rice dryers and advanced equipment, and to assist in building a high-quality, low-emission rice brand.

Chung, the cooperative's director, said the cooperative had mechanised almost all farming tasks except for manual bagging of paddy.

In terms of loan support, the Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Agribank) and other commercial banks had disbursed about VNĐ5.2 trillion ($198 million) for the one-million-hectare rice project by June.

Agribank, the lead lender, has pledged unlimited credit support for the project.

Farmers visit a pilot model for growing high-quality, low-emission rice at the Phước Hảo Agricultural Cooperative in Vĩnh Long Province. VNA/VNS Photo Phúc Sơn

Target surpassed

The delta’s provinces and Cần Thơ have so far registered 312,000ha of rice, far exceeding the first-phase target of 180,000ha for this year.

“Currently 620 co-operatives are participating in the project. Around 200 companies provide inputs and purchase rice, each with linkages covering at least 200ha," Deputy Minister of MAE Trần Thanh Nam said.

“Of the 232,000ha cultivated in the 2025 summer-autumn crop, 68 per cent was grown with linkages.”

During the 2025 summer-autumn crop the ministry carried out 11 central-level pilot models, while local authorities launched 101 provincial-level models covering 4,518ha.

An Giang, the country’s largest rice-producing province, is implementing 56 pilot models involving 1,494ha, most showing positive results and strong farmer participation.

It aims to cultivate 352,787ha under the project by 2030.

“We need more training and technology transfer for low-emission farming. Investment is required in emission monitoring systems and certification for ‘green’ rice to raise export value," Trần Thanh Hiệp, deputy director of the An Giang Department of Agriculture and Environment, said.

“Credit packages should be tailored to the capacity and conditions of cooperatives and cooperative groups.”

A straw chopping and threshing machine being demonstrated at the National Agricultural Extension Centre's forum “Solutions to promote low-emission rice cultivation associated with green growth in the Mekong Delta” held in the former Kiên Giang Province (now part of An Giang Province) on March 28. VNA/VNS Photo Văn Sĩ

Nam, Deputy Minister of the MAE, noted that alternate wetting and drying irrigation required draining fields three times, but in many places irrigation systems were not adequate.

Straw collection and processing also remained difficult due to the large volumes involved, and so some areas still resorted to burning.

To address these issues, the MAE had asked localities to invest more in irrigation infrastructure and was working with Vietnam Electricity and other units to encourage investment in biomass power plants using rice husk and straw.

Huỳnh Kim Định, deputy director of the National Agricultural Extension Centre, said: “The centre will continue to act as the focal point to expand the one-million-hectare rice project, strengthen digital transformation, apply smart technologies in farm management, promote public-private partnerships, and broaden its partner network at home and abroad.”

The Trà Sư sluice in An Giang Province’s Thới Sơn Ward prevents flooding and saltwater intrusion. The Mekong Delta has increased investment in irrigation systems in recent years, helping farmers increase crop yields, including rice grown under the one-million-hectare rice project. VNA/VNS Photo Công Mạo

Further development

Speaking at a conference on the project’s implementation held in Cần Thơ on July 13, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính praised the initiative by the delta’s provinces and the strong involvement of farmers and cooperatives.

He urged the provinces to complete zoning for the one-million-hectare rice project by the end of the third quarter of this year, and exhorted relevant ministries and sectors to develop a national rice brand.

He instructed the State Bank of Vietnam to come up with preferential credit policies, the Ministry of Finance to mobilise legal capital and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to immediately enter into long-term rice agreements to ensure stable markets for farmers.

He called on localities to develop cooperatives and accelerate the rice project’s implementation, and urged companies to guarantee the supply of inputs and purchase of outputs for the project.

On August 18 the Prime Minister instructed the MAE to boost premium rice exports with traceability and a national brand to enhance value.

Packing rice for export at the Lộc Trời Group Joint Stock Company’s factory in An Giang Province. It is one of the major companies participating in the one-million-hectare rice project. VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh

The Vietnam Rice Industry Association, in collaboration with the MAE, IRRI, the Netherlands Development Organisation, and the World Bank, has developed the “green and low-emission Vietnamese rice” brand.

More than 20,000 tonnes of rice under the project have been given this trademark.

In June 2025 the Trung An Hi-Tech Farming Joint Stock Company in Cần Thơ exported the first 500 tonnes of “green and low-emission Vietnamese rice” to Japan.

Phạm Thái Bình, director of the company, said the company expected to export nearly 3,000 tonnes of the grain to Australia next month.

“The one-million-hectare rice project is the only solution to stabilise rice prices. Banks have pledged sufficient funds for every stage of cooperation between farmers and companies in the project.

“This ensures companies will purchase all farmers’ rice. This project is the most effective solution.” VNS