Vietnam shares experience on developing green agriculture at UN forum

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’s permanent mission to the United Nations (UN), presented the country’s policies and experience to promote green agriculture.

A sideline event of "Green economy and the transformational impact on sustainable development in all aspects" was held in the framework of High-level Political Forum of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in New York on July 11, Vietnam News Agency reported.

A clean shop selling green products in Son La province of Vietnam. Photo: Huu Quyet

The event was co-organized by Thailand, Vietnam, Bhutan, the EU, UNEP and Switch Asia. Participants are all nations' representatives from government leaders and experts on environment and sustainable development. 

They shared their countries’ solutions to promote a green economy and sustainable production and consumption models that bring about inclusive benefits for the people and minimize environmental impacts.

In his speech at the event, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy highlighted Vietnam’s achievements in agriculture as well as challenges that the country is facing to ensure sustainable development such as low productivity and environmental impacts due to the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

The diplomat emphasized the importance of concrete initiatives to bring policies into life, including the application of Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practice (VietGAP) to help increase productivity, mitigate environmental impacts, and raise incomes for farmers.

A representative from Thailand underlined the role of building policy frameworks to promote green economy and efforts to realize these policies, especially in rural areas.

Meanwhile, a delegate from Bhutan shared the country’s “high value, low impact” tourism policy and its approach based on the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index in building a prosperous country.

A representative from the EU referred to the circular economy that helps minimize waste in production and consumption. 

The UNEP’s representative underlined its cooperation efforts with the private sector to boost plastic recycling solutions and gradually eliminate the use of plastic products.

The event attracted the attention and participation of the UN's members and other participants working in the field of sustainable production and consumption.