(binhthuan.gov.vn) On January 8, 2024, the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, in collaboration with NeT Zero Carbon Joint Stock Company, organized the closing ceremony for the smart rice cultivation process, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and presented greenhouse gas emission reduction certificates to the farming households in Phan Hoa Commune, Bac Binh District. The event was attended by Mr. Ngo Thai Son, Deputy Director in charge of the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center; leaders of the People's Committee of Phan Hoa Commune, Bac Binh District, and 50 households from both within and outside the model.

In the 2024 Summer crop season, a pilot model of "Smart Rice Cultivation for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions" was launched in Phan Hoa Commune, Bac Binh District, involving 11 Cham households over an area of 3.35 hectares. This initiative utilized a wet-dry alternating rice cultivation method developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and adhered to the emission reduction reporting process certified by Net Zero Carbon Joint Stock Company. After three months, the model delivered remarkable outcomes: Increased yield: Rice yield rose by 400 kg per hectare, a 5% improvement compared to traditional methods. Cost savings: Cultivation costs decreased by over 1.5 million VND per hectare. Higher profits: Farmers earned 20% more profit, equivalent to 3.7 million VND per hectare. Additionally, the implementation of the "1 Must, 6 Reductions" approach, emphasizing the reduction of carbon emissions, resulted in significant environmental benefits. Using data from the Spiro Carbon satellite, the project achieved an estimated reduction of 12.11 tons of greenhouse gas emissions across the 3.35-hectare field, averaging 3.62 tons of emission reduction per hectare. One ton of reduced emissions equates to one carbon credit, valued at approximately 20 USD per credit.

At the closing ceremony, Net Zero Carbon Joint Stock Company awarded certificates to the farmers participating in the model and purchased over 12 tons of carbon emission reductions from nearly 3.4 hectares of rice cultivation under the model. Through the sale of carbon credits, farmers earned an additional income of nearly 2 million VND per hectare of rice.

It is known that this is not an official carbon credit transaction, as the emission reductions are only recognized by Net Zero Carbon Joint Stock Company and purchased by the company itself as an incentive for rice farmers to reduce emissions, aiming for green and sustainable agriculture, and striving towards the Net Zero Carbon target by 2030, as initiated by the Government. Currently, the carbon trading market in Vietnam has not been established and is expected to be piloted nationwide during the 2025–2030 period.

Mr. Ngô Thái Sơn, Deputy Director in charge of the Agricultural Extension Center of Bình Thuận Province, said that Bình Thuận is the first locality in the South Central Coast region to pilot smart rice farming, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has been granted a carbon credit certification. In the 2024-2025 Winter-Spring season, the Agricultural Extension Center will continue its collaboration with Net Zero Carbon Joint Stock Company to expand this model to over 40 hectares of rice grown with smart farming practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in key areas for high-quality rice production in the province.

Nguyễn Phương