The seminar was held in a hybrid format, connecting sites in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue and many other localities across the country, with the participation of over 120 scientists, managers and experts from both domestic and international locations.

A large number of delegates attended the workshop in person in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: VACNE

The project, led by VACNE, has been implemented since 2022 with funding from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) through the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution (GAHP). The project's goal is to assess the current situation and propose solutions to reduce the impact of open burning and the use of pesticides in agriculture on air quality, human health, biodiversity, and climate change in Vietnam.

Attending the seminar were Ms Adetokunbo Adekunbi Folasade Akinseye, Director of the International Centre for Chemicals, Pesticides and Hazardous Waste, Head of the DEFRA delegation; Ms Maria Paola Lia, Executive Director of GAHP; along with many international experts. Representing VACNE were Dr Nguyễn Ngọc Sinh, President of the Association; Prof Dr Dang Huy Huynh, Vice President of the Association, Head of the Project Steering Committee; other Vice Presidents, Prof Dr Trần Hiếu Nhuệ, Prof Dr Đặng Kim Chi, Assoc Prof Dr Phùng Chí Sỹ, along with many scientists attending both in person and online.

Prof. Dr. Sc. Dang Huy Huynh, Head of the Project Steering Committee, delivers the opening speech of the workshop. Photo VACNE

In his opening speech at the Conference, Professor Dr Dang Huy Huynh, on behalf of the VACNE leadership, warmly welcomed domestic and international delegates to the Conference in the atmosphere of the early days of the new spring, the traditional Tet festival of the Vietnamese people. The professor respectfully extended his wishes to all delegates for a healthy, happy, and successful new year; and wished that the cooperation between organisations and Vietnamese and international scientists would become increasingly strong and effective.

Professor Huỳnh emphasised that over the past four years, the Project has received invaluable support and responsibility from DEFRA, GAHP, and partners both domestically and internationally. On behalf of VACNE, the Professor expressed deep gratitude to DEFRA and GAHP for their trust and collaboration; thanks to agencies and localities for facilitating the pilot implementation; and thanks to more than 150 scientists and experts who contributed their intellect and efforts to the Project. The Professor affirmed that today's achievements are the result of sincere international cooperation, scientific responsibility, and dedication to the environment and public health.

In the summary report, Associate Professor Dr Phung Chi Sy, Project Director, comprehensively presented the results achieved over four years of implementation with the participation of 25 units across the country. The report shows that the Project has established a database system and important scientific evidence on the status of open burning of agricultural residues and the use of plant protection products; analysed the relationship between air pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss and human health; and proposed an impact assessment framework and policy orientation suitable for the conditions in Vietnam.

One of the notable outcomes is the research and pilot testing of alternatives to open-field straw burning. The fast straw decomposition model outside the fields was implemented in An Truong and Quoi An communes (Vinh Long province), covering 50 ha in each commune, initially showing positive effects on soil improvement and emission reduction. The activity of collecting straw to produce fuel pellets (RDF) at Gia Binh Hong Ngu Joint Stock Company (about 40 tons) demonstrates the potential for developing a circular economy and reducing biomass resource waste.

The project also updates the mapping process to identify open straw burning hotspots nationwide; develops monthly and annual distribution maps; forecasts PM2.5 concentrations for 2025; and assesses the contribution of straw burning to PM2.5 pollution in Hanoi. Biomass surveys, estimates of burned amounts, and greenhouse gas emissions are systematically carried out, providing a scientific basis for policy development and improvement.

In particular, the Project has manufactured 02 automatic monitoring devices for PM1, PM2.5, PM10, and TSP using solar energy, transmitting data online, deployed in several communes of Vinh Long province to monitor air quality before, during, and after straw burning, thereby providing practical evidence of the impact of open burning on the air environment.

In communication and awareness-raising activities, in addition to developing training materials, organising training for managers, students, and farmers; distributing leaflets, posters, and technical guides; and publishing articles on websites and scientific journals, the Project also organised the "Green Field – Clean Air" competition. The competition generated a positive ripple effect in many localities, encouraging farmers to adopt environmentally friendly farming practices, reduce burning of rice straw, and avoid inappropriate use of plant protection chemicals.

 Mrs Adetokunbo Adekunbi Folasade Akinseye, Head of the DEFRA delegation, and Mrs Maria Paola Lia, Executive Director of GAHP, delivered the welcome remarks. Photo VACNE 

Speaking at the workshop, Ms Maria Paola Lia, CEO of GAHP, praised VACNE's evidence-based approach and the integration of research, policy, and community. A representative from DEFRA noted that the Project is an effective cooperation model that can share experiences with other countries facing similar issues.

In addition to summarising content, evaluating research results and discussing the project's next directions, the workshop also recorded more than 10 official reports and dozens of contributions from domestic and international delegates offering opinions on the scientific validity, practicality and scalability of the pilot models.

At the seminar, the Organising Committee officially launched the 'Environmental Health' Network chaired by Professor Dr Dang Kim Chi. The establishment of the Network aims to strengthen connections among scientists in the fields of environment, health, and related sectors; to promote research, information exchange, and policy proposals to protect public health from the impacts of environmental pollution.

Participants at the workshop appreciated the establishment of the 'Environmental Health' Network, considering it a necessary step to connect scientists and regulatory agencies, and to enhance long-term monitoring of the health impacts of air pollution. Many opinions also emphasised that the Project's products, such as the biomass briquette production model, open burning hotspot mapping system, and fine dust monitoring equipment, are highly practical and should be scaled up and integrated into sustainable agricultural development policies.

Concluding the workshop, Dr Nguyen Ngoc Sinh, President of VACNE, emphasised that reducing open burning and the use of chemical plant protection products is an urgent requirement to protect the environment, public health and biodiversity. VACNE will continue to cooperate with domestic and international partners to expand effective models, integrate research results into local action plans, contributing to the development of green agriculture, low emissions and cleaner air for future generations.

 Delegates take commemorative photos. Photo by VACNE