The Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection and the Institute of Agricultural Environment have unveiled two new protocols for rice production. According to AgTechNavigator, the High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice Production Protocol and the Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) Protocol for low-emission rice cultivation are part of Vietnam’s one million hectares program and will be piloted for the 2025-2026 winter-spring crop, with plans for full regional adoption from 2027.

The Ministry of Agriculture highlighted that these protocols represent more than just technical requirements and will begin shifting Vietnam’s rice sector towards a “green, smart, circular, and low-emission model”. The Production Protocol provides detailed guidance on varietal selection, land preparation, sowing, fertilisation, water management, pest control, harvesting, storage, and market linkage. It aims to lower production costs, improve yields, enhance grain quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The rollout also includes tools to track both emission reductions and economic benefits for farmers. The MRV protocol establishes a system for measuring, reporting, and verifying greenhouse gas reductions in rice farming. It will underpin the certification and validation of agricultural carbon credits and is the first time the country has issued an MRV protocol for the rice sector. The ministry said it was based on extensive field data and developed in collaboration with research institutes, universities, local authorities, and international experts.

Vietnam plans to pilot a domestic carbon trading scheme before 2028 to prepare for international markets. Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said the MRV protocol sends a clear message internationally that Vietnam is advancing its COP26 climate commitments, offering a measurement and verification system aligned with global standards and grounded in real-world data.

Vietnam has ambitions to cut agricultural emissions by 15% by 2035 and transition all major crop areas to sustainable practices, positioning itself as a regional leader in climate-responsible farming. Results from existing models showed yield increases of 5 to 10% and profit gains of VND3m to VND5m (US$114 to 190) per hectare.

Last month, Singapore and Vietnam formally established a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Rice Trade. Vietnams Minister of Industry and Trade, Nguyen Hong Dien, stated, “Singapore is a leading economic partner and an important market of Vietnam. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on rice trade cooperation is a concrete step to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to strengthening the connection between the two economies, creating a foundation for stable and sustainable cooperation in the field of rice trade in the context of unpredictable fluctuations of the global market.”

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform

Published Date: November 27, 2025