Viet Nam
Context
Viet Nam joined the FFF in 2014 during Phase I of the programme and has been a member ever since.
Viet Nam’s Farmers’ Union (VNFU) is the main implementing partner. FFF activity is focused on the mountainous northern provinces, where agriculture and forestry are the lifelines of the community. Here, the FFF has supported producer organizations to shift from traditional monoculture to diverse, climate-resilient plots.
Climate-smart practices include agroforestry and long-rotation timber – where trees are left to grow for longer before felling them for timber, allowing them to store carbon for longer.
With FFF support, producer organizations have implemented FSC and organic certification for timber and cinnamon, enabling these products to reach higher value markets. Many products from FFF-supported activity have also achieved VietGAP (Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices) status – a national standard for safe and sustainable agricultural production, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – and OCOP (One Commune One Product) status. OCOP is a government certification programme was introduced to promote the development of distinctive, high-quality products made by local communities.
In 2025, through VNFU, FFF Viet Nam supported 10 172 081 individual members and their families
Contacts
Coach:
[email protected]
Facilitator:
[email protected]
Products
Key products produced in Viet Nam FSC timber, bamboo, rice, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, poultry, fruit and vegetables, herbal medicine and herbal teas. Traditional handicrafts, such as silk weaving and bamboo weaving, and cultural tourism provide additional income streams.
Highlights
- Influencing policy
Viet Nam’s model of annual roundtable discussions at provincial, district and commune level and national policy workshops are key to successful policy change. Since 2015, roundtables between the Viet Nam Farmers Union (VNFU), the Viet Nam government’s People’s Committees and the private sector have led to over 19 cumulative changes in policy or process.
- Resilience and restoration
With FFF support, producer organizations are leading a paradigm shift from short-cycle (3–5 years) acacia harvesting to long-rotation timber (8–12 years). This allows their trees to capture significantly more carbon and boosts their market value. Over 12 000 hectares of timber are now FSC certified, proving that smallholders can meet the world’s highest environmental standards.
- Production and markets
The Tu Nhien Cooperative has integrated modern technology with traditional farming by developing QR codes and digital production diaries. This enables full traceability of its 39 forest and farm products to comply with organic, VietGap, OCOP and FSC certifications, allowing them to secure lucrative contracts with major retail chains in the country.
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