Farmers must be the central force of green transition

Speaking at the ninth National Congress of the Viet Nam Farmers' Union recently, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung argued that agriculture, farmers, and rural communities continue to hold strategic importance for national development, not only ensuring food security and social stability but also representing a vast space for growth and a critical resource for expansion in the new era.

Deputy Minister Hoang Trung addresses the Congress. Photo: Bao Thang.

According to the leader of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, agriculture continues to be a pillar of the national economy. Export turnover of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products exceeded 70 billion USD in 2025, with many sectors maintaining strong positions in international markets. More than 80 percent of communes have met the new rural standards, and the living standards of rural populations have continued to improve.

Behind those results, he said, lies the contribution of millions of farmers alongside the organizing and supporting role of the Viet Nam Farmers' Union in developing agroecology, modernizing the countryside, and cultivating a new generation of farmers capable of meeting the demands of global integration.

However, as Viet Nam enters a new stage of development, its agricultural sector faces unprecedented pressures on multiple fronts. Climate change, extreme weather events, the depletion of natural resources, and increasingly stringent requirements from import markets are all directly affecting agricultural production and rural livelihoods.

At the same time, the rapid advancement of digital technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the green economy is opening opportunities to restructure the agricultural sector along more efficient and sustainable lines.

Deputy Minister Hoang Trung observed that these shifts compel agriculture to undergo a fundamental transformation in development thinking, moving from agricultural production to agricultural economics, from output-driven growth to growth driven by productivity, quality, science and technology, and added value, and from resource extraction to green, circular, and sustainable development. "The farmer stands at the center of this transformation," he said.

The Ministry's leadership emphasized that in the new era, farmers can no longer rely solely on experience or existing capacity. They must gradually become "agricultural entrepreneurs" who understand markets, quality standards, environmental requirements, and the opportunities to participate in global value chains.

To that end, farmers need to shift from "producing what they have" to "producing what the market needs"; from selling products to selling value; and from competing on price to competing on quality, branding, and differentiation.

Alongside this shift in the production mindset comes the imperative to master science, technology, and digital transformation. Deputy Minister Hoang Trung described technology as the key to unlocking agriculture's most significant bottlenecks, from labor productivity and product quality to resource efficiency and climate resilience.

Farmers need faster access to high-yield crop varieties and livestock breeds, advanced cultivation techniques, biotechnology, automation equipment, and digital platforms for production and distribution.

Digital transformation, he noted, is profoundly reshaping production methods, management systems, and consumption patterns worldwide, and farmers cannot afford to be left behind. Going forward, the agricultural sector will intensify its "Digital Literacy for All" movement, build out agricultural databases, and strengthen digital skills among rural populations. "The goal is not only to bring technology to farmers but to help farmers take ownership of that technology," he said.

Beyond digital transformation, the green transition has been identified as a key pillar of agriculture in the new period. Viet Nam has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, Deputy Minister Hoang Trung noted, and the agricultural sector must play a distinctive role in reaching that goal.

That will require continued expansion of organic farming, circular agriculture, and low-emission production models, as well as encouraging the use of organic fertilizers and biological pesticides, recycling agricultural by-products, conserving irrigation water, and minimizing resource waste.

Beyond production, Hoang Trung stressed that farmers also hold a central role in building modern rural communities. The new countryside should not only be a place with good infrastructure and higher incomes but a place worth living in, one that develops in harmony across economic, cultural, social, and environmental dimensions.

He called on all levels of government and relevant agencies to coordinate with the Viet Nam Farmers' Union to raise awareness among rural populations, promote solidarity, preserve cultural identity, encourage environmental stewardship, build civilized communities, and maintain order and security at the grassroots level.

To drive the transition forward, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment proposed continued institutional reform, the development of the cooperative and private economies in agriculture, the promotion of land consolidation, the expansion of large-scale raw material zones, and improved access for farmers to land, credit, science and technology, and markets.

One of the key strategic directions highlighted was the shift from directly supporting production to strengthening producers' capacity by investing in farmers' knowledge, skills, and innovation.

Deputy Minister Hoang Trung expressed confidence that the sector must foster a generation of "digital farmers" capable of adapting swiftly to technology and market changes, while also attracting young intellectuals, youth, and high-quality workers to contribute to agricultural development in the new era.

He affirmed that the agricultural sector will continue to stand alongside the Viet Nam Farmers' Union and people across the country in building agroecology, a modern countryside, and a civilized farming community in the spirit of the Party's resolutions.