Agriculture and Environment Advancing Toward Net Zero

Realizing Net Zero agricultural goals

Based on central directions on controlling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions aimed to develop the carbon market in Vietnam and accelerate green transformation towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050, the agriculture and environment sector advised the Provincial People's Committee to promulgate many regulations on GHG emission reduction and carry out carbon credit application programs. To further uphold its achievements, the sector will assess the potential for carbon market development in Dong Nai because the province has nearly 200,000 ha of forests and forestland, with a forest coverage rate of 29.24%. The province currently has more than 170,000 ha of forest, of which special-use forests account for nearly 100,000 ha. This is the potential for carbon market development in Dong Nai province.

A modern industrial chicken farm in Dong Nai province

In addition, the sector will build a roadmap for cooperation in executing the action program on carbon reduction and the action plan to achieve Net Zero emissions. The province will issue an Air Quality Management Plan for the 2023-2030 period; and effectively implement the National Environmental Protection Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050, in the Prime Minister's Decision 450/2022/QD-TTg dated April 13, 2022. Four fields are oriented to quantify GHG emissions in the province: Energy (including transportation); waste; industrial processes and product use (IPPU); and agriculture, forestry and other land uses (AFOLU). At the same time, the sector will advise on building a sustainable ecological industrial park (IP) model.

Dong Nai aims to have ecological agriculture, modern rural areas and civilized farmers by 2030. The province will speed up agricultural restructuring together with changing the growth pattern and building new rural areas in a sustainable, environmentally friendly direction; develop agriculture rapidly, sustainably, effectively, increase added value and enhance competitiveness. The locality will develop ecological, organic, circular agriculture, apply high technology, low carbon emissions and adapt to climate change in the direction that associated commercial production is aligned with the agricultural processing industry and agricultural consumption market. It will further develop agritourism, forest ecotourism and agro-forestry tourism to tap local potential advantages.

The province will continue to carry out appropriate and strict land management in line with the Dong Nai Provincial Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050. The locality determined the space and approach for developing production areas to 2030, with 321 concentrated production areas covering nearly 96,000 ha and 10 high-tech agricultural areas on nearly 12,000 ha of land. The province formed 127 concentrated agricultural production areas for local key products and specialties (covering over 40,689 ha), including eight high-tech agricultural areas (nearly 1,600 ha) for rice, mango, grapefruit and durian products in Xuan Loc, Dinh Quan, Vinh Cuu and Tan Phu districts.

At the same time, Dong Nai will carry out tasks and solutions to execute the Agricultural and Rural Development Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2045, and the plan for implementation of the announced development strategy for sub-sectors (cultivation, livestock and aquaculture).

Science and technology are key

Through many stages, the agriculture and environment sector has always put a premium on boosting scientific and technological application in administration, as well as in agricultural production and business. This issue has been given more attention by the sector when the Politburo issued Resolution 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation.

High-tech agriculture development is defined by the Provincial Party Executive Committee (11th term) as among important tasks. Up to now, the agriculture and environment sector has achieved some outstanding results: 46.28% of high-tech agriculture in the agricultural sector, 419 high-tech agricultural models, nine certified organic models, eight high-tech agricultural production areas, 15 organic agricultural production areas and 328 high-tech agricultural enterprises.

In addition, 100% of newly planted and replanted areas are grown with new varieties and high-quality varieties; 95% of livestock and poultry are raised with advanced technical varieties; more than 4,600 ha of crops, 125 livestock farms and 402 ha of fish farms are certified for safety; 149 ha of crops use greenhouse and net house technology. The sector has effectively applied biotechnology to production, with the current rate of biological pesticides at nearly 42% and organic fertilizers at over 82%; 11 tissue culture propagation facilities (banana and acacia), two producers of biological products for livestock and livestock waste treatment. Agricultural mechanization services have strongly developed. The province has more than 257,000 machines and equipment used in agriculture, forestry and fishery. Mechanization from land preparation to harvesting covers about 90% of the area. In recent years, the drone service for pesticide spraying, foliar fertilization and field management has developed strongly, largely used in rice, corn, banana, durian and rubber in Tan Phu, Dinh Quan, Cam My and Thong Nhat districts.

The province formed 419 high-tech agricultural models applied in over 3,700 ha of crops, 15.2 million pigs and chickens a year. In particular, the agriculture and environment sector has digitized province-wide land data, which is made transparent to people and businesses. The traceability of agricultural products has been promoted, with a total of 50 safe product control chains with 331 outlets introducing the province's key products to customers to date.

With strong progress in both agriculture and environment, Dong Nai has asserted its position as one of the pioneers in sustainable development and high-tech application and contributed significantly to the country's overall development.