Can Tho (VNA) – The significance of the public-private partnership (PPP)to the project on developing 1 million hectare of high-quality and low carbonfootprint rice in the Mekong Delta region by 2030 was highlighted at a workshopheld in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho on April 4.

The project will be implemented in the provinces of An Giang, Kien Giang, Dong Thap, Long An, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, TraVinh, Hau Giang, Ca Mau, Tien Giang, and Vinh Long, and Can Tho city.

It is part of an effort to restructure the region's production system and valuechain with a focus on sustainable farming practices, higher product value,greater business and production efficiency, as well as improved livelihoods ofrice farmers, in accordance with Vietnam’s commitment to environmentalprotection, climate change response, and greenhouse gas emission reduction.

Under the project, greenhouse gas emissions from ricefarming is expected to reduce by more than 10% and low-emission, high-qualityrice will account for over 20% of the total for export in the entirespecialised rice farming region.

According to Deputy Director of the International CooperationDepartment under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development To VietChau, concerted efforts should be made to realise the set target, withattraction of the public-private investments being a key solution.

Last year, the agriculture minister issued a decision on the establishment of aPPP working group on the rice sector, contributing to concretising Vietnam’senvironmental commitments, improving rice added value via value chain, luringmore investments, and modernising the agricultural and food systems.

Deputy Director of the Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agricultureand Rural Development Hoang Vu Quang suggested several PPP activities for the implementation of the project, including signing cooperation agreementsbetween businesses and competent State-owned agencies, and those betweenbusinesses and cooperatives, which clarify responsibilities of the State, firms, and cooperatives.

He recommended theState build rice cultivation procedures and guidance and transfer technologiesto cooperatives, drawing linkage contracts, and handle differences betweenbusinesses and cooperatives.

In the meantime, companies are responsible for providing seedlings andtechniques, investing in materials in advance, and supervisingand supporting the development of cooperatives, he said, adding cooperativesshould guide their members how to comply with technical procedures andsupervise farmers in measurement of emissions reduction.

At the workshop, experts, agriculture leaders, and representatives fromlocalities, businesses, and cooperatives also discussed the benefits of theState, firms, and cooperatives when joining the PPP model.

Chairman of the Vietnam Rice Industry Association Bui Ba Bong stressed once Vietnameserice is branded with “low carbon”, it will help improve the image of theVietnamese agriculture, describing this as the most substantial benefit.

As part of the project, the agriculture ministry has developed five pilot low-carboncultivation models applied the Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV)method in Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Kien Giang, and Dong Thap provinces and Can Thocity in the 2024-2025 period./.