Tay Ninh, a province known for its agricultural dynamism in southern Vietnam, became the focal point for the nation’s high-tech farming ambitions this week as over 500 delegates—from government officials and academics to bankers, business leaders, and farmers—converged for the **Hi-tech Agriculture Summit – AgriS Agro Day 2025**. The event wasn’t just another industry gathering; it signaled a deliberate shift in how Vietnam is positioning its agricultural sector: not as a passive participant in global food chains, but as an innovator shaping them.
At its core, the summit underscored a growing consensus that Vietnam’s agricultural future hinges on **three interconnected transformations**: digitalization, sustainability, and deeper integration into high-value global markets. The “Five Stakeholders” model—uniting government, academia, businesses, financial institutions, and farmers—emerged as the framework to drive this change, a recognition that siloed efforts can no longer address the sector’s complex challenges.
**Policy as a Catalyst**
The timing of the summit aligns with Vietnam’s recent policy push. Four key resolutions issued by the Politburo (Nos. 57, 59, 66, and 68) over the past two years have set the stage for agricultural modernization, emphasizing **science and technology adoption, digital transformation, and green growth**. Nguyen Minh Lam, Vice Chairman of Tay Ninh’s People’s Committee, framed the event as a response to these directives, stressing that the province is positioning itself as a testbed for innovations that could scale nationally.
Yet policy alone isn’t enough. Prof. Dr. Tran Duc Vien, Chairman of the Vietnam National University of Agriculture, pointed to a critical gap: **restructuring the sector requires not just government support but private-sector investment in R&D and infrastructure**. His keynote address served as a call to action, urging businesses to move beyond incremental improvements and instead reimagine Vietnam’s role—from a supplier of raw commodities to a hub for high-value, processed agricultural goods.
**From Theory to Practice: The Role of Technology**
The summit’s panel discussions revealed where the rubber meets the road. In the **Agtech session**, experts highlighted that **standardized data**—not just digital tools—is the backbone of a sustainable value chain. Without it, efforts to track carbon footprints, optimize water use, or predict crop yields remain fragmented. Meanwhile, the **Foodtech panel** zeroed in on processing as the missing link. Vietnam’s agricultural exports often fetch lower prices because they’re sold as unprocessed materials; advancing food technology could unlock premium markets, particularly in Europe and North America, where demand for ready-to-use and functional foods is rising.
Financing these transitions was the third piece of the puzzle. The **Fintech discussions** explored how **data-driven credit scoring** and green finance products could direct capital to smallholder farmers and agribusinesses that prioritize sustainability. Traditional lending models often overlook these groups due to perceived risks, but digital financial tools—like blockchain-based supply chain tracking—could change that by providing transparency and reducing default risks.
**AgriS: A Case Study in Circular Agriculture**
As the summit’s co-organizer, **AgriS (Thanh Thanh Cong – Bien Hoa JSC)** offered a tangible example of how these ideas translate into practice. The company, which controls nearly half of Vietnam’s sugar market and operates across four countries, has spent years building a **circular agricultural ecosystem**—one that integrates farming, processing, and financial services under ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles.
During the event, AgriS Chairlady Dang Huynh Uc My unveiled a **2025–2030 modernization plan** centered on two pillars: **AgriBrain and DigiFarm**, digital platforms designed to optimize production, and a **National Agricultural Data Framework** to standardize information across the sector. The company’s demo farms in Tay Ninh, which visitors toured, showcased how these systems work in real time—from precision irrigation to waste-to-energy conversions—all while maintaining profitability.
The summit also saw AgriS sign memoranda of understanding with partners like **Korea’s K-Best Research Group** and **Australia’s Mort&Co**, reinforcing the idea that Vietnam’s agricultural transformation won’t happen in isolation. International collaboration, particularly in technology transfer and market access, is critical.
**Why This Matters**
For Vietnam, agriculture isn’t just an economic sector—it’s a **strategic asset**. The country is the world’s second-largest exporter of coffee, third-largest for rice, and a major supplier of cashews, pepper, and seafood. Yet its growth has often been volume-driven, leaving it vulnerable to price fluctuations and trade barriers. The shift toward **high-tech