Journalism and Communication on Organic Agriculture: For Human Health, the Environment, and Society

Thứ Năm, 26/06/2025 14:42

(VNFU Portal) More and more consumers are paying attention to safe, chemical-free food that retains its natural flavor and freshness — from the field straight to the dining table. Markets in Europe, the U.S., and Japan have a strong demand for Vietnamese organic products. In this context, journalism and media need to go beyond the role of observers and become active contributors in creating a healthy, fair and sustainable environment for production and business.

A remarkable journey of growth

Twenty-five years ago, the term "organic agriculture" was hardly known in Vietnam. A few natural farming practices existed in remote villages, using no chemicals, but they weren’t officially recognized as “organic” by international standards. It wasn’t until 2006 that Vietnam began approaching organic agriculture in a more systematic way. With support from international organizations and NGOs such as ADDA (Denmark) and Helvetas (Switzerland), several organic farming projects were implemented in some provinces including Lao Cai, Hoa Binh, Ben Tre, and Tra Vinh — achieving encouraging results. While it hadn't yet become a widespread movement, organic agriculture gained attention from scientists, policymakers, and farmers alike.

In 2011, the Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association was established to bring together individuals and organizations involved in producing, researching, certifying, and distributing organic products. At the time, the Association faced many challenges: no office, no funding, and no technical materials. Yet, with dedication and persistent efforts — especially from staff at the Vietnam Farmers’ Union — and by working closely with project areas at grassroots level, significant progress was made.

By 2017, Vietnam officially became a member of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). The government also issued Decision No. 150/QD-TTg date 28 January 2022 on the strategy for sustainable agriculture and rural development through 2030, with a vision toward 2050. This policy emphasized organic agriculture as a key direction to enhance the value and sustainability of the agricultural sector.

Even more notably, the 13th National Party Congress clearly stated the goal of building a modern, efficient, and sustainable agricultural sector — highlighting the role of science, technology, biotechnology, organic agriculture, and circular farming.

Today, even the most skeptical observers can recognize how far Vietnam has come in organic agriculture and its communication. What started from scratch has evolved into a structured, standardized approach, shifting from small households to cooperatives and agricultural enterprises. Organic products have gone from local markets to international shelves — telling their own story to the world.

Despite the progress, organic agriculture in Vietnam still lacks a comprehensive, long-term communication strategy. Many outreach efforts rely on outdated methods such as flyers, loudspeakers, or community meetings. Information isn’t always tailored to farmers’ educational levels and often fails to help consumers distinguish organic agriculture from "clean" or "high-tech" farming.

Organic businesses have not paid enough attention to brand-building and product promotion. As a result, there’s a lack of strong public trust and synergy between the government, businesses, and farmers to run effective media campaigns.

Moving toward innovation

Domestic consumers increasingly seek out safe, chemical-free, and fresh food. High-value markets like Europe, the U.S., and Japan continue to demand Vietnamese organic products. This is a critical opportunity for journalism and media to take the lead in shaping perceptions, influencing behavior, and building supportive ecosystems — making organic farming a central trend in sustainable agriculture.

The media plays key roles in:

Raising awareness and shifting mindsets from traditional to sustainable organic farming, for the benefit of health, the environment, and product value.
Sharing knowledge and techniques by transferring scientific insights, methods for organic cultivation, pest management, composting, certification processes, and success stories — inspiring learning and real-world application.
Connecting markets and building brands, helping consumers understand and trust organic products. This builds stable demand, supports standardization, traceability, brand recognition, promote consumption and increases product value as well as raise profits for all players involved.
Shaping policy and mobilizing support, by voicing the needs of farmers and businesses, thus influencing policies that foster organic agriculture in line with local strengths. Media also helps attract attention from the public, organizations, and donors for investment.
Linking stakeholders, by organizing events and forums where farmers, scientists, businesses, authorities, and consumers can connect — helping the organic value chain work transparently and efficiently.

A new role for the media

Media and journalism are becoming essential components in the organic agriculture ecosystem. Looking ahead, they must evolve from observers to active participants — helping to build a clean, fair, and sustainable production and business environment.

Key figures on organic agriculture in Vietnam (as of 2024)