On 20^th December 2023, the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development organized the “The manual on the development of ecological agriculture: The case study of Viet Nam"  with the aim of exchanging and sharing new knowledge on agroecological development in Vietnam among researchers,  scholars and project network members  of the regional project "Network for Research and Policy Advice on Agriculture and Rural Development for the countries of the Mekong Sub-region" (NARDT). This workshop is under the national workshop "The development of ecological agriculture: A case study in Vietnam" in the framework of the NARDT project in 2023 which is funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The workshop attracted the participations of more than 40 experts, researchers and policy makers having expertise in ecological agriculture, agricultural economics, environmental resources. The workshop was chaired by Dr. Tran Cong Thang - Director General of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for agriculture and rural development.

The workshop took place in the context of official agroecological models being included in the national agricultural development orientations. According to Decision 1658/QD-TTg issued on October 1, 2021 on the National Strategy on Green Growth for the period 2021-2030 and vision to 2050, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been assigned with developing sustainable and low emissions agriculture tasks. On January 28, 2022, the Prime Minister approved the Strategy for Sustainable agriculture and rural development for the period 2021-2030 and vision to 2050. In particular, agroecology has been considered as one of the three pillar perspectives in agriculture and rural development in this period and the Strategy stated “developing responsible, modern, efficient and sustainable agricultural production; developing ecological, organic, circular, low-carbon, environmentally friendly agriculture and adapting to climate change”.

At the workshop, Ms. Tran Thi Thuy – Center for Agricultural Policy, Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development presented on "Theoretical framework and overview of agroecological development in the world". The presentation systematized the concept, principles and role of ecological agriculture in Vietnam's current agricultural development progress. At the same time, the presentation also summarized the policies and achievements of agroecological development of some countries in the world such as China, Switzerland, Cuba, etc. The lessons have been drawn from the international experience review for developing ecological agriculture in Vietnam. In fact, ecological agriculture is not a new concept or a new approach in Vietnam. Many models of ecological agriculture have been built by local people and farmers for a long time but have not been systematized in a methodical way nor recorded in official documents. Up to now, Vietnam has developed serious ecological agriculture models for a long time and have spread to many farmers and farms across the country. Outstanding agroecological models can connect "farmer to farmer", promote link among different stakeholders in the value chain while optimize the efficient exploitation and use of resources, minimize waste and loss, create agricultural safe and high-quality products.

Dr. Truong Thi Thu Trang, Deputy Director of IPSARD gave the presentation on "Current situation of agroecological development in Vietnam". This report summarized some of the agroecological models that are being implemented and achieve certain successes. Through the review of agroecological models, the presentation also pointed out some causes of success as well as limitations in agroecological development.  Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Luan, Deputy Director of Policy Consultancy Center, Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development also shared specific contents on "Policies to develop agroecology in Vietnam" at the workshop.

Photo: Visiting the agroforestry model in Thua Thien Hue province of CAP/IPSARD.

At the workshop, experts, researchers, and participants discussed and analyzed the concept related to ecological agriculture more carefully and assessed the current situation of ecological agriculture development in Vietnam. Most of participants agreed that agroecology is not a production practice way but that is an approach which encompasses many different production practices and can be adapted to different conditions and adjusted suitable current context. In addition, the experts and researchers highly appreciated the contents mentioned in the ecological agriculture manual and affirmed the role of this document in providing the initial knowledge base on ecological agriculture development for stakeholders and policy makers at all levels. Ecological agriculture has been affirmed as an inevitable direction that Vietnam needs to move towards to transition to a sustainable, nature-based, environmentally friendly production system as well as contribute to the sustainable development goals of the world.