On February 27, 2026, the Center for Human Resource Supply, Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), in collaboration with the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Japan, successfully organized the international conference entitled “Promoting Low-Carbon Rice Production through a Japan–Vietnam Partnership: Integrating Science with Business Innovation” at VNUA both in-person and online.
International conference “Promoting Low-Carbon Rice Production through a Japan-Vietnam Partnership: Integrating Science with Business Innovation”.
The workshop was honored to welcome Mr. Atsuro Matsuda, Vice President of the Niigata University of Agriculture and Food and Project Director; Mr. Kobayashi Kenichi, Deputy Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Vietnam; Mr. Nishikawa Naotaka, Project Advisor of JICA Vietnam; Ms. Ogura Chisa, Executive Director of Meros Consulting Company; Mr. Hiroshi Akutsu from the Institute for the Institute for the Development of Agricultural Cooperation in Asia (IDACA), JICA Expert and Agricultural Human Resource Development Advisor at VNUA; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Huong, Deputy Director General of the Crop Production Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment; Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai Linh, Vice President of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance; Mr. Tran Manh Bao, Labor Hero, Chairman of the Vietnam Seed Trade Association (VSTA) and Chairman of Thai Binh Seed Group; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mai Quang Vinh, Director of the Green Technology Institute and Vice President and Secretary General of the Vietnam Green Transformation Association; and Dr. Le Quy Kha, Vice President of the Vietnam Green Transformation Association.
Representing VNUA were Prof. Dr. Tran Duc Vien, Chairman of the University’s Scientific and Training Council, and Prof. Dr. Pham Van Cuong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of VNUA. The conferene was also attended by representatives from various organizations and enterprises, including the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI); the Vietnam Farmers' Union; UN Women; the International Organization for Migration (IOM); the Center for Organic Agriculture Development Support (CODAS); VNPT; Global Green Technology Development JSC; the Hanoi Association of Biological Sciences; Peterson Services Vietnam Co., Ltd.; the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences; the Center for Research and Development of Environmentally Friendly Production Technologies; the Vietnam Institute for Rural Industry Research and Development; the Institute for Cooperative Economic Science; Innogenex International Science and Technology JSC; Faeger Vietnam Co., Ltd.; Huong Lua Organic Vietnam Import-Export JSC; GFS Group; AQ Biological Group; Nippon Koei; Kanematsu Corporation (Kanematsu Vietnam); PwC Vietnam; PGS Vietnam Organic Agriculture Organization; Net Zero Vietnam; Winset Company; Vinpower Company; Tokyo University of Agriculture; and the Vietnam Institute of Fisheries Science. Representatives from universities also participated, including Kyushu University; Tokyo University of Agriculture; Hiroshima University; Universiti Putra Malaysia; Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali; Visayas State University; Kasetsart University; King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi; Vietnam National University Hanoi; Hanoi Metropolitan University; and Hanoi University of Industry.
Mr. Atsuro Matsuda, Vice President of Niigata University of Agriculture and Food, and Project Director, delivers the opening remarks on behalf of the Japanese side.
In his opening remarks on behalf of the Japanese side, Mr. Atsuro Matsuda introduced the BRIDGE initiative on emission reduction in rice production and international standardization. He highlighted one of the key technologies developed by NARO—the mid-season drainage technique, also known as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD). This method had been researched and proven to reduce methane emissions by approximately 30% as compared to conventional farming practices.
Prof. Pham Van Cuong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President of VNUA, delivers the opening remarks on behalf of Vietnamese side.
Representing VNUA, Prof. Dr. Pham Van Cuong emphasized that in the context of climate change and the global trend toward green transformation, the rice sector faced the dual challenge of ensuring food security while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The transition to low-carbon production models must be grounded in science and technology, supported by transparent Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems, and closely linked to market-based mechanisms such as carbon credits, offsetting, and insetting within agricultural value chains.
During the conference, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on policy contexts, market trends, and technical requirements for developing low-carbon rice production, particularly in relation to carbon credit mechanisms and international cooperation. Presentations provided substantial scientific evidence and practical experiences demonstrating the potential to reduce methane emissions in rice cultivation. The conference also underscored the role of science and technology solutions in monitoring and quantifying emissions, including the application of IoT technologies for real-time emission tracking; improved farming systems such as Alternate Wetting and Dryging (AWD); no-tillage practices combined with microbial products; and the need to establish and refine transparent MRV systems aligned with international standards.
The outcomes of the conference contributed to strengthening stakeholder connectivity and outlining future cooperation steps in technology transfer, the development of carbon credit methodologies, and the gradual establishment of carbon market infrastructure in the agricultural sector. These efforts were considered an important foundation for advancing the transformation of Vietnam’s rice industry toward a greener, more sustainable model in line with international commitments to greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Some photos of the conference
