Vietnam has been seeking ways to further promote green agriculture development as the demand for products that are safe for health and the environment is forecast to rise strongly.

According to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan, Vietnam's agriculture sector has recorded strong and comprehensive development, and great achievements in recent years, with the food output increasing rapidly in both quantity and quality, ensuring the needs of domestic consumption and export.

To effectively address challenges related to the shrinking of cultivation land, the increasing demand of food, the excessive use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides in agricultural production, and post-harvest losses, a series of solutions have been proposed.

Agriculture needs to have harmony in each production link, towards ensuring sustainable growth goals, protecting the environment, and adapting to climate change, Hoan said.

Bui Ba Bong, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the agricultural sector sets a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions - one of the important criteria for protecting the environment.

To that end, attention must be paid to ensuring green agricultural materials for production, he said.

He also underlined the significance of building mechanisms and policies on green agriculture, towards further promoting the development of agricultural production models meeting organic standards, and ecological agriculture models in order to produce quality and safe products.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved an action plan to implement the National Strategy on Green Growth from 2021-2030.

Under the plan, the ministry will work to develop the agricultural sector in an ecological, organic, circular and low-carbon direction to improve growth quality, added value, competitiveness and sustainable development, while reducing pollution in agricultural production and in rural areas, and promoting energy efficiency towards carbon neutralisation by 2050.

It will strive to increase the use of organic fertilisers to 30% of all those consumed, along with 30% of pesticides and at least 30% of farm areas using water-saving systems.

The agricultural sector will also take measures to encourage green consumption.

It will mobilise social resources, especially those from businesses, while calling for financial support and technology transfer through international cooperation activities, in order to ensure resources for green growth./.