Eight public-private partnership (PPP) groups were established to enhance productivity and reduce emissions in Vietnamese agriculture. However, key sectors like fisheries and livestock are underperforming, prompting a public apology and promises of corrective action from government officials.

At the December 11 conference on "Promoting PPP in low-emission agricultural value chains and carbon market integration," organized by PSAV (the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Vietnam), concerns were raised over the sluggish pace of some sectoral PPP groups.

Founded in 2010, PSAV aims for a "20-20-20" target: 20% increase in productivity, 20% poverty reduction, and 20% emission cuts. It currently supports eight PPP working groups: coffee, tea, fruits and vegetables, seafood, rice, spices and pepper, livestock, and agricultural chemicals.

Fisheries and livestock PPPs lack impact

Nguyen Hoai Nam, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said the fisheries PPP group was established late and has made minimal impact.

According to Nam, emission-reduction efforts in the seafood industry have largely been driven by VASEP independently, while the PPP group has contributed little. He called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (NN&MT) to issue clearer directives to revitalize the group’s effectiveness.

Pham Kim Dang, Deputy Director of the Department of Livestock Production and Veterinary Services, admitted similar issues. Despite many industry-led initiatives on greenhouse gas reduction in livestock, these efforts remain disconnected from PSAV's official programs.

Livestock is one of Vietnam’s major sources of emissions. The country ranks fifth globally in pig population, and dairy farming is also a major emitter.

Notably, livestock could become a leader in generating carbon credits, thanks to early biogas projects. In 2020 alone, the sector generated 32 million carbon credits, worth around USD 7 million - all reinvested into the industry.

Despite a clear sustainable development strategy, the lack of project coordination within the livestock PPP group has hindered carbon inventory efforts.

“We have not paid enough attention to the PSAV initiative. I take responsibility,” Dang said.

He noted the department is drafting new regulations and plans to identify leading enterprises to collaborate with PSAV’s secretariat, establishing measurable targets and action plans.

Government response: Acknowledgement and commitment

After hearing industry concerns, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung, PSAV co-chair, issued a public apology.

“The fault lies with State management, specifically the Department of Fisheries and Inspection. The Ministry takes responsibility. On behalf of the Ministry, I apologize and pledge to fix this,” Trung said.

VASEP plays a key role in national exports, projected to exceed USD 11 billion this year. Trung stressed that proactive carbon reduction efforts are vital, rather than waiting for external pressure.

Agricultural chemical PPP underperforming

Trung also urged stronger action from the agricultural chemicals PPP group. While efforts to promote biological plant protection products in partnership with CropLife have started, progress is slow.

The adoption rate remains low, with limited inclusion of effective products on the approved list. Public awareness campaigns have also been insufficient.

Pesticide residue remains a major concern. Despite various initiatives, fragmented efforts have failed to address the root causes. As a result, exported produce still gets flagged for excessive pesticide levels.

Trung called on the chemical PPP group to develop a robust monitoring program for pesticide residues in crops. This would support both domestic food safety and export compliance.

Looking ahead: Building Vietnam’s carbon credit system

Speaking to VietNamNet on the sidelines, Deputy Minister Trung acknowledged that the fisheries and livestock PPP groups were established later than others, contributing to their slower progress. Still, all eight PPP groups have shown improvement in awareness and intent.

Going forward, the Ministry will guide each group to redefine their focus and deliver concrete results.

By 2028, Vietnam aims to complete its domestic carbon credit system. The Ministry is building emission reduction protocols for each agricultural sector, followed by public education campaigns.

The biggest challenge lies in developing a standardized system for measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) of emissions that is internationally recognized.

Once that is in place, the Ministry will launch projects that generate carbon credits and eventually integrate with international carbon markets.

“In our roadmap, the domestic system will be finalized by 2028. Only after internal evaluation and piloting will we enter the global market,” Trung emphasized.

Agriculture remains one of Vietnam’s top emitters, responsible for approximately 116.5 million tons of CO2-equivalent in 2020. Of this, crop cultivation alone accounts for 80%.

Tran Chung