26 March 2021, Ha Noi, Vietnam — the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) held the first workshop in support of planning the implementation of Vietnam's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in the rice sector. Aiming at setting priorities for NDC implementation in rice production, the workshop highlighted different NDC scenarios to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while gaining economic, social, and environmental benefits sustainably.
The workshop was organized in collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the Climate Technology Center and Network (CTCN), and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), with the participation of the ministries and agencies involved in the planning and implementation of Vietnam’s NDC. Representing State management, this includes the Departments and Institutes of MARD, Nam Dinh Province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
To engage the international community and the private sector in the NDC implementation, the workshop also invited various organizations from related sectors. Participants in the event included representatives from the embassies of New Zealand and Netherlands; international organizations the EU, UNDP, FAO, GIZ, SVN, Oxfam, CIAT, and Rikolto; and rice enterprises Thai Binh Seed Group and Loc Troi Group.
Under the chairmanship of the Department of Crop Production (DCP), ministries and agencies presented updates on the Rice Sector Restructuring Program and the contribution of rice production to achieving the NDC targets. CCAC’s representatives shared international experiences in supporting the reduction of climate pollutants (methane and black carbon) in the agricultural sector in Vietnam.
The highlight of the workshop was an analysis of NDC implementation scenarios in the rice sector, which was presented by IRRI. IRRI had developed and analyzed three scenarios for NDC implementation in the rice sector through converting traditional farming practices to the ‘1 Must Do, 5 Reductions’ (1M5R) approach, including the Alternate Wetting and Drying technology (AWD) or the Mid-season Drainage technique in the Red River and the Mekong River Deltas. The presented scenarios showed significant benefits of these technical packages, in particular:
- Significant reduction of GHG emissions, in line with the mitigation targets by 2030 stated in Vietnam’s updated NDC;
- Economic benefit for farmers: increased net revenue through reducing production costs; and
- Health and environmental benefits.
The formulation of these scenarios was enabled by three digital tools developed by IRRI and UNIQUE Landuse, a German consulting firm, with the support of CCAC, CTCN, and the Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security Research Program (CCAFS). These tools are: MapAWD – a mapping tool to identify suitable rice area for AWD application, SECTOR – a GHG emissions calculator specific for rice, and COMPARE – a cost-benefit analysis tool for mitigation options in rice cultivation (see more details in MRV Toolbox).
The participants discussed the scenarios and tools mentioned above, and identified the roles of stakeholders, investment needs, crucial partnerships, and methods to mobilize support from domestic and international partners in NDC implementation in rice.
DCP took on a leading role in the formulation of the NDC implementation plan for the crop sector. Through the workshop, DCP acknowledged the proposed mitigation options to reduce GHG emissions in rice cultivation as well as the technical inputs by IRRI and workshop participants for building the NDC implementation plan. Along this process, DCP appreciated the contribution of IRRI and other organizations in providing technical assistance to MARD as well as linking partners and enterprises to achieve the goal of GHG emissions mitigation in Vietnam's rice sector.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Bjoern Ole Sander (b.sander@irri.org)
IRRI Representative in Vietnam
Agricultural Genetics Institute,
Km 2, Phạm Văn Đồng,
Bắc Từ Liêm, Hà Nội