A seminar in Hanoi discusses agricultural biotechnology on April 7, 2021.

In Vietnam, biotech corn was officially approved for commercial farming in 2014-2015. 220,000 hectares were planted in biotech corn between 2015 and 2019. The introduction of biotech varieties at that time was seen as a key way to increase production yield and quality, add value, generate higher profits for corn farmers, and strengthen Vietnam's ability to keep the domestic food and feed chain supplied.

Mr. Tran Xuan Dinh, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Farmers’ Union, says agricultural biotechnology is advocated by the Vietnamese government. It is a major focus of research and a path to sustainable agriculture.

“Before biotech varieties are used more widely, management agencies and research institutes need to observe what good and bad effect they are having on consumers, producers, and the environment. Based on those studies, we will propose new policies to encourage investment in and cultivation of biotech varieties,” according to Dinh.

The seminar was jointly organized by the Vietnam Farmers’ Union (VFU), the Vietnam Seed Trade Association (VSTA), and the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).