Low-carbon rice farming has resulted in strategic economic benefits and contributed to poverty alleviation, according to a meeting concluding the Vietnam Low-Carbon Rice Project (VLCRP).

The project is financed by the Australian Government and the Environmental Defence Fund and carried out by the Mekong Development Research Institute, the Can Tho University and An Giang and Kien Giang’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The project was piloted across 540 hectares over 11 crop seasons from 2012-2014 in Phu Thuong commune, Phu Tan district in An Giang and Kenh 7B commune, Tan Hiep district in Kien Giang.

The project helped build capacity among personnel in the departments, local agriculture promotion centres and over 500 households.

Farmers involved in the project have increased their income by 5-10 percent thanks to an increase in crop productivity and a reduction in production cost.

Food safety is another benefit from the project, thanks to high-quality rice produced with clean and environmentally friendly methods.

The two provinces plan to increase the production area to 1,000 hectares per season in their large-scale field programme.-VNA