The EPP Approach To Sustainable Agriculture In Vietnam

Vietnam’s agricultural sector, while vital to its economy and rural livelihoods, like in many parts of the world, faces growing environmental degradation and public health challenges. Two particularly harmful practices, open burning of crop residues and excessive pesticide use, remain widespread. 

Pesticides help protect crops, but when overused, they can affect soil and water quality and pose health risks to farmers and nearby communities. Exposure—especially to highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs)—has been associated with long-term health concerns. Pesticide misuse, driven by a lack of safety awareness and the belief that more chemicals mean better results, has polluted water sources. In 2022, over 80% of tested vegetables from Central Vietnam contained residues, with 23% above safety limits. One survey found that one-third of the pesticides used by farmers in the Red River Delta contained extremely or highly hazardous pesticides, as defined by the World Health Organization. 

At the same time, open burning of rice straw remains a common practice. This releases pollutants such as PM2.5, methane, and carbon dioxide, contributing to air pollution and respiratory issues. Addressing these issues involves balancing productivity with health and environmental considerations—an area where ongoing collaboration and innovation continue to play an important role.

nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4), and fine particles known as black carbon. Photo by Yorch Urbina, 2017, Shutterstock.

In recent years, the Government of Vietnam has issued policies, such as the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection, and Decree No. 05/2025/ND-CP, encouraging sustainable farming and better use of agricultural residues. Building on national efforts, the Environmental Pollution Programme in Vietnam (EPP-VN) was launched in 2022. This initiative is led by the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) and is funded by the UK government through UK International Development. EPP-VN is locally implemented by the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment (VACNE) and the Rainforest Alliance (RA). Its primary goal is to protect human health and the environment by addressing the harmful effects of open burning and pesticide use in agriculture.

Key objectives include: 

• Building a knowledge base on the health and environmental effects of these practices. 

• Researching and promoting sustainable alternatives to open burning and chemical pesticides. 

• Raising awareness and educating stakeholders, including farmers and local communities, about the associated risks. 

• Influencing policy development to support long-term, systemic change. 

• Exploring opportunities for replicating successful approaches in other countries facing similar challenges. 

This initiative seeks to not only mitigate immediate environmental and health risks but also pave the way for more resilient and sustainable agricultural practices across Vietnam and beyond.

Planned Actions 2022-2025

Some Results at Glance 

• In tea farms, IPM adoption led to the most dramatic results: Insecticide use dropped 82% after two years, while biodiversity improved through strategic weeding, establishment of buffer zones, and shade tree planting. Farmers transitioned from preventive spraying to pest scouting and targeted treatments. As a result, yields increased and pest pressure declined without additional chemical input. A key factor in this success was the behavioural shift in pest management, supported by consistent training and field coaching. To further strengthen farmer incomes, tea producers would benefit from access to premium markets that reward low-chemical or organic production, and from greater investment in composting and organic inputs to reduce reliance on synthetic fertilisers. In 2024–2025, the demonstration tea farms had productivity of 24.8 tons per hectare compared to 16.2 tons per hectare of traditional non-IPM farms. 

• 12,500+ farmers trained nationwide, with over 725 visiting demonstration farms. 

• New methods tested in An Giang: mushroom cultivation, composting, and straw-to-fodder processing. 

• Bio-based solutions introduced, including microbial mixes to speed up straw breakdown and improve soil health as a profitable alternative to open burning 

• Mushroom cultivation using rice straw proved especially promising, with participating farmers reporting increased income and reduced burning. 

• Public outreach: education campaigns reached 600+ people in six provinces. 

• 12 countries identified for possible model adaptation, including Indonesia and Bangladesh.

Samples of bio-products from Nguyen Tat Thanh University were used to decompose rice straw to reduce chemical pesticide use—photos by GAHP, 2024.

In November 2024, GAHP convened the EPP-VN Conference in Hanoi, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and farmers. It spotlighted Vietnam’s progress and explored regional replication. Countries across Asia and Africa—Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Philippines—face similar pollution challenges. Vietnam’s practical results, thanks to the Rainforest Alliance’s Integrated Pest Management adoption and the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment’s (VACNE) alternatives to burning, offered a model worth adapting. 

To date, more than 5,000 tea, coffee, and pepper farmers have been trained on sustainable pest management practices and using alternatives to chemicals and pesticides.

The swallows return 

In Dak Nong, the Doan Ket Cooperative transitioned to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for coffee and pepper. Instead of synthetic pesticides, they use organic solutions. Yields are stable, and products are easier to sell at a premium. In the Mekong Delta, applying microbial bio-products to straw shortens decomposition to 14–15 days, boosts soil nutrients, and increases profits by VND 4 million per hectare. Nguyen Thanh Ha, a farmer in An Giang, used to burn straw after harvest. After training, he invested VND 200 million (partly subsidized by the programme) to build eight mushroom greenhouses. Now he earns VND 24 million per month—double his income from rice. 

Ha is among thousands of project participants from North to South, from paddy fields to tea and coffee farms, from the vast deltas in the West to the red basaltic soil mountains in the Highlands, whose successes reflect what EPP is about: linking science and best practices to local needs, building collaboration and trust, and showing results. Farmers began with skepticism, but seeing nearby results and profits changed minds.

With the right support, sustainable farming becomes not just viable, but preferable. Maria Paola Lia, GAHP Executive Director, said,” Vietnam has demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental protection through the implementation of national policies and active participation in United Nations environmental programs. In alignment with these efforts, the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP) supports the government's priorities by promoting sustainable practices that benefit both environmental quality and public health. We thank the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for financing and partnering with us in this important initiative." Accordingly, Vietnam is prioritizing its national sustainable development goals, so it is hoped that technical advice and alternative solutions to open burning and agrochemical management can contribute to helping Vietnam achieve its goals soon.