Long known for its rich agricultural heritage, Vietnam is now navigating a global marketplace that requires far more than mere volume. As global consumers demand higher standards of safety and sustainability, Vietnam’s agricultural sector is under growing pressure to modernize. 

Experts at the Green Economy Forum (GEF) 2025 said the country’s next phase of growth will depend on deeper partnerships with farmers, stricter compliance with international regulations, and stronger branding for its signature products. These shifts, they noted, are essential for maintaining competitiveness in rapidly-changing global markets.

Safer and sustainable food

A stronger commitment to food safety and sustainable agriculture emerged as a central theme at the Forum, highlighted by the need to reduce pesticide reliance, improve farming practices, and build long-term partnerships with producers.

Mr. Jean-Luc Voisin, Founder and Chairman of Les Vergers du Mekong, said food safety remains the most pressing concern in the fruit and vegetable industry, both in Vietnam and globally. Recent studies in the Mekong Delta, he noted, show that about 30 per cent of rice farmers have pesticide levels in their bloodstream high enough to pose cancer risks. “Safety, safety, and more safety - that is where everything starts,” he said, arguing that the industry must work directly with farmers instead of addressing contamination only at the final stage.

Since 2000, Les Vergers du Mekong has built a farmer network that has grown from a single grower to more than 1,000 today. The company trains farmers in chemical-free cultivation and operates a circular economy model in which fruit processing waste is turned into compost and returned to the orchards. “The farmers are not suppliers, they are partners,” Mr. Voisin said. “Partnership is the only way to build long-term, high-quality, and sustainable products.”

The same principle of long-term partnership is shaping the spice industry. Mr. Tim van Acker, Planning and Logistics Manager at Nedspice, said global buyers in Europe and the US increasingly require detailed traceability and commitments to lower supply chain emissions. These expectations are pushing companies to invest more deeply in farmer development. In southern Tay Ninh province, Nedspice is working with a major international customer to convert 200 farmers from conventional farming to regenerative practices, with both companies co-investing in training and monitoring.

Regenerative agriculture, he explained, improves biodiversity, restores soil health, and enhances the overall environment around farms. Nedspice currently works with about 3,000 farmers, but only some 20 per cent of its sourcing is fully sustainable because the transition requires multi-year investment. “You cannot change a production system in one season,” Mr. van Acker said. “But when farmers, local buyers, and final customers are aligned, the supply chain becomes much stronger.”

From a conservation perspective, the move towards safer and more sustainable food is essential for Vietnam’s long-term economic and ecological stability. Mr. Quoc-Tinh Huynh, Agriculture and Food System Lead at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WEF) Vietnam, said the organization uses science-based approaches combined with cultural understanding to shape farming models that protect ecosystems while improving incomes. 

The WWF has piloted several models in the southern region and Mekong Delta, including sustainable rice farming and small-scale shrimp systems that limit groundwater extraction and reduce land subsidence. Traditional shrimp farmers often store groundwater, which traps sediment and accelerates subsidence. In this context, the WWF’s model increases water exchange while using microbial treatments that improve soil quality and provide natural feed for shrimp. It is now working with export companies to form value chains that give farmers greater security. The rice-shrimp model alone, Mr. Huynh said, could expand from 30,000 ha today to as much as 250,000 ha by 2030.

The importance of farmer mindset and training was reinforced by Mr. Xuan-Phong Mai, General Director of Seaprodex, who said that even small errors can prevent products from meeting strict export standards. Seaprodex has built a strong raw material base in mangrove areas of the Mekong Delta, and in 2019 began partnering with 450 households to produce ecological black tiger shrimp and white-leg shrimp. The company has exported nearly $20 million worth of its ecological shrimp since the beginning of the year.

The model, he continued, simultaneously preserves mangrove forests and strengthens rural livelihoods. Rising domestic demand for high-quality seafood is also shaping the company’s strategy. “We want Vietnamese consumers to have access to the same clean, high-quality shrimp that pass the most stringent international standards,” he explained.

There is no doubt that sustainable agriculture and food safety can only be achieved through patience, investment, and long-term collaboration. Vietnam’s agricultural sector is transitioning towards models where environmental responsibility strengthens, not weakens, economic opportunity.

Building global recognition

Vietnam’s path to stronger global competitiveness lies not only in safer production but also in building stronger product identities and adopting internationally-recognized standards.

Mr. Renzo Moro, Agricultural Expert at the Embassy of Italy in Vietnam, pointed to Italy’s geographical indication (GI) system as a model for linking farmers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers into a unified, legally-protected value chain. Under the GI framework, products such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Chianti wine cannot be reproduced outside their home regions, preserving authenticity and ensuring that value remains with local producers. A third-party certification system verifies each step in the chain, making the model economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable.

Mr. Moro said Vietnam has many products with qualities that could benefit from a similar approach, particularly shrimp, pepper, and signature foods such as rice noodles. However, these products must be accompanied by clear narratives: where they originate, how they are produced, and what makes them distinct. “The world does not always recognize the uniqueness of Vietnamese products,” he said. “There is enormous potential if Vietnam strengthens the link between producers, territory, and consumer perception.”

Mr. Huynh agreed that Vietnam needs foundational standards at the national level so producers and consumers share a common understanding of what defines each product category. He added that Vietnamese firms often fail to build strong brand identities because many export products end up being sold simply as “Made in Vietnam”, detached from the company that produced them. “This is a major missed opportunity,” he said. “Strong brands require long-term strategy and consistent storytelling.”

Mr. van Acker outlined the growing complexity of compliance as different markets maintain different limits on pesticide and heavy-metal residues. Vietnam has identified about 20 high-risk pesticide molecules, but acceptable levels vary widely between Europe, Japan, and the US. To ensure compliance, Nedspice implements a rigorous three-tier testing system that includes pre-harvest sampling, batch-level testing during processing, and independent verification in France. Each test costs roughly $200, while certifications such as FSA, Sedex, BRC, Halal, and Kosher can cost $3,000 to $5,000 annually per product.

These costs place premium producers at a disadvantage against low-cost competitors who import concentrates and add preservatives. Yet Mr. van Acker said the company has no intention of competing in that segment. Instead, Nedspice is expanding its processing capacity to approximately 20,000 tons per year while maintaining a strict focus on premium, high-quality goods. “The market we serve demands trust,” he said. “And trust is expensive, but it is also the future.”

The panelists emphasized that Vietnam’s agricultural identity must rest on more than production volume. As global markets demand higher safety standards, deeper traceability, and stronger product narratives, Vietnam’s opportunity lies in combining its rich culinary heritage with internationally-recognized systems that reinforce quality and sustainability from farm to consumer.

Source: VnEconomy