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Reducing Open Burning and Pesticide Use: Lessons from Four Years of Research in Viet Nam

Ds C7634 (1)

On 4 March 2026, more than 120 scientists, policymakers, and international experts gathered in Ho Chi Minh City for the closing workshop of the project “Air Pollution and Open Burning in Agriculture in Viet Nam.” 

Opening the workshop, Steering Committee Chair Prof. Dang Huy Huynh acknowledged the contributions of more than 150 scientists and experts across 25 institutions, describing the results as the product of four years of international cooperation and shared commitment to environmental and public health goals. 

Prof. Dang Huy Huynh gave the opening speech at the conference (VACNE 2026).
Prof. Dang Huy Huynh gave the opening speech at the conference (VACNE 2026).

After four years, the project has established a strong foundation and a concrete body of work: 

  • Field pilots: Rapid straw decomposition models were tested across 50 hectares each in An Truong and Quoi An communes in Vinh Long province, showing early improvements in soil quality and measurable reductions in emissions of air pollutants. Around 40 tonnes of straw were separately collected and converted into fuel, demonstrating practical opportunities for circular resource use at the local level. 

  • National evidence base: For the first time, the project established a scientific database linking open burning and pesticide use to air quality degradation, climate change, biodiversity loss, and human health impacts — giving policymakers the data needed to act. 

  • Real-time monitoring: Two solar-powered devices capable of tracking fine particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10 and TSP) were developed and deployed in Vinh Long, capturing air quality conditions before, during, and after burning periods.  

Biomass pellets made from rice straw, tested in the Nguyen Tat Thanh University laboratory (GAHP 2025)
Biomass pellets made from rice straw, tested in the Nguyen Tat Thanh University laboratory (GAHP 2025)

In his closing remarks, VACNE President Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Sinh emphasised that reducing open burning and pesticide use remains urgent for protecting public health, biodiversity, and air quality — and reaffirmed the commitment to scaling up proven models through local action plans toward a greener, lower-emission agricultural sector. 

VACNE, GAHP, DEFRA and local CSO representatives’ group photo at the conference (VACNE 2026). 
VACNE, GAHP, DEFRA and local CSO representatives’ group photo at the conference (VACNE 2026). 

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The design and implementation of this project have been accomplished through a collaborative effort with the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) and funded by UK International Development from the UK government through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).