On the afternoon of May 14, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan met with Paavo Eliste, Manager of the East Asia and Pacific Agriculture Practice Group at the World Bank.

Mr. Paavo Eliste shared that over the past week, the World Bank expert group and MARD engaged in detailed discussions to advance the preparation of the Project Proposal (PIN) for submission to the Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF). This marks an important milestone and provides a foundation for countries and TCAF sponsors to proceed with the next steps.

Additionally, the World Bank has actively prepared a loan for a project focusing on one million hectares of high-quality, low-emission rice tied to green growth in the Mekong Delta.

Eliste highlighted that many parties in the East Asia region are showing interest in low-emission rice production programs. Some countries are beginning to invest in the necessary infrastructure for such production, and nations like Indonesia and the Philippines are keen to learn from Vietnam’s experience in this field.

The World Bank is also developing a regional initiative, the Multi-phase Approach (MPA) program, to encourage client countries to invest in low-emission rice production.

"Vietnam, as a pioneer in low-emission rice production, has a significant opportunity to benefit from this program by reinforcing its leading role," Eliste noted.

Vietnam has been at the forefront of low-emission rice production with the Sustainable Agriculture Transformation Project in Vietnam (VnSAT). This positions Vietnam well to participate in the MPA program, which offers a multi-faceted approach to sharing knowledge and experience. Furthermore, Vietnam can collaborate with international organizations like IRRI and ASEAN to exchange insights and learn from other countries.

MARD will continue to advance Vietnam’s institutional framework related to carbon credits and green growth. According to a World Bank representative, by participating in the MPA, Vietnam will gain access to technical assistance, non-refundable aid, and preferential carbon credits provided by program sponsors. The World Bank's experience with MPA in other countries shows that it can mobilize up to 20% of non-refundable aid within a one-year timeframe for participating nations.

In response to the comments from the Manager of the East Asia and Pacific Agriculture Practice Group at the World Bank, Minister Le Minh Hoan viewed this as a new approach. He noted that Vietnam has significant advantages in low-emission rice production, especially with the upcoming 1-million-hectare high-quality rice project building on the success of the VnSAT project. The existing mindset among people in the project area towards conversion is a positive factor that will support the new initiative.

The Ministry has instructed the National Agricultural Extension Center to develop a community-based agricultural extension system and to enhance the capacity of cooperatives and farmers. This will enable them to effectively engage with issues related to the 1-million-hectare high-quality rice project.

Drawing from the experiences of the VnSAT project, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development plans to assess potential risks and implement risk management strategies. This will help minimize conflicts and ensure smooth implementation of the project, supported by the Ministry and World Bank funding sources.

Additionally, Minister Le Minh Hoan emphasized that the Ministry will continue to advance Vietnam's institutional framework related to carbon credits and green growth.

The Ministry has established the Coordination Office for the 1-million-hectare rice program, which includes comparison models to help people understand the benefits and mandatory procedures for cultivating high-quality, low-emission rice as outlined by the project. Alongside private sector commitments, MARD leaders are hopeful that the World Bank will continue to support the development of effective models that can serve as exemplars for all farmers in the region.

"We often discuss procedures, technical aspects, benefits, and Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) tools, but we must address simple questions from farmers, such as whether implementation is difficult, if there are additional costs, and if there is a market for this type of rice," Minister Le Minh Hoan expressed his concern.

Consequently, MARD has requested the establishment of a communication system to ensure that people voluntarily understand and participate. Furthermore, the Ministry has proposed a support package for the National Agricultural Extension Center to enhance the capacity of partners involved in the project. Minister Le Minh Hoan urged World Bank experts to pay special attention to this aspect.