Hanoi (VNA) – Despite global economic volatility, sluggish growth and increasingly complex climate change and natural disasters, the agriculture and environment sector has fulfilled and exceeded all nine targets assigned by the Government, laying an important foundation for the next stage of development.
Specifically, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the sector's GDP growth reached around 3.7-3.92%, while exports of agricultural, forestry and fishery products are estimated at 70 billion USD, far exceeding the target of 65 billion USD and generating a trade surplus of more than 20 billion USD. Social and environmental indicators continued to improve markedly, with nearly 80% of communes meeting new-style rural standards, forest coverage reaching 42.03%, 95% of urban solid waste collected and treated to required standards, and the multidimensional poverty rate reduced by 0.8-1 percentage point.
Production remained stable and increasingly shifted towards a green, low-emission agricultural economy. In 2025, the sector implemented 312,734 hectares under the one-million-hectare high-quality, low-emission rice project in the Mekong Delta, while total grain output hit 48.09 million tonnes. Livestock production recorded 8.7 million tonnes of live-weight meat and nearly 21.4 billion eggs, adequately meeting domestic demand. The fisheries sector achieved output of 9.78 million tonnes, with export turnover of about 11 billion USD.
Forestry continued to play its dual role in economic development and environmental protection. Exports of wood and forestry products exceeded 18 billion USD, while revenue from forest environmental services exceeded 3.73 trillion VND (141.82 million USD), contributing to sustainable livelihoods for forest-dependent communities. Across the sector, more than 2,500 agricultural value chains were maintained, and organic farming areas exceeded 174,000 hectares, reflecting a clear trend towards market-oriented, standardised and sustainable agricultural development.
Following the merger, the ministry reduced 25 out of 55 internal units, equivalent to 45.45%, restructuring its organisational apparatus to be more streamlined, effective and efficient, while ensuring unified and smooth operations. Law-making and legal refinement were accelerated, with the submission and promulgation of two laws, 19 decrees, four resolutions and 74 circulars. The ministry also reviewed 1,055 legal documents, decentralised 381 tasks, and cut or simplified 208 business conditions and 73 administrative procedures, creating a more favourable environment for citizens and enterprises.
Digital transformation and the application of science and technology were promoted comprehensively. The sector provided 277 online public services, integrated digital infrastructure, built a shared data centre, and synchronised data on 61 million parcels of land into the national database. With 461 new varieties, 216 technical innovations and 34 patents, economic efficiency increased by around 30%. Numerous digital, smart and highly automated agricultural models were rolled out, including “footprint-free” fields, marking tangible progress in modernising production.
In addition, during the 2021–2025 period, the sector supported around 90,000 poor and near-poor households with housing, and implemented 292 projects on population arrangement and stabilisation, contributing to sustainable poverty reduction and long-term livelihoods, particularly in disadvantaged and disaster-prone areas.
In the fields of natural resource management, environmental protection and climate change response, the ministry focused on enhancing governance effectiveness through modern, transparent and data-driven approaches. Resource and environmental monitoring systems have gradually been integrated onto digital platforms.
On climate action, the ministry advised on the issuance and revision of regulations related to greenhouse gas emission reduction and ozone layer protection; implemented tasks to support the establishment and operation of the carbon market; developed key technical components such as the national registry system and market operation regulations; and prepared inputs for Vietnam's third Nationally Determined Contribution for the 2025–2035 period.
Looking ahead to 2026, the sector will continue to face significant challenges from the increasingly evident impacts of climate change, resource depletion and environmental pollution, as well as the requirements to fulfil international commitments on green growth, emissions reduction and nature conservation. In response, it has set objectives to strengthen resource management and environmental protection, enhance climate resilience, and effectively harness land, water, forest and biodiversity resources to serve sustainable agricultural development and the country’s socio-economic growth./.
VNA
