Technical Workshop | Data to Decisions: Digital Transformation in Viet Nam’s Agriculture

Agriculture is a cornerstone of Viet Nam’s economy, employing tens of millions, contributing significantly to the national GDP, and ensuring food security and rural livelihoods. However, traditional farming practices and limited access to real-time data, constrain productivity, climate resilience, and resource efficiency. As digital technologies reshape global agrifood systems, Viet Nam stands at a critical juncture to leverage data-driven decision-making to enhance its agricultural sector. 

To support this transformation, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Department of Digital Transformation (DDT) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) and the AFSIS Initiative, is advancing geospatial analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning to improve agricultural planning and monitoring. These efforts align with FAO’s global commitment to digital transformation for sustainable agriculture and are supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan. 

The global shift toward digital agriculture - powered by tools like geospatial analytics, AI, and machine learning - offers transformative opportunities for the Vietnamese agricultural sector. These technologies enable real-time monitoring, predictive modeling, and optimized resource allocation, yet their adoption in Viet Nam remains nascent due to gaps in infrastructure, expertise, and policy frameworks. 

On 14 May, FAO and its partners organized a technical workshop titled "Data to Decisions: Digital Transformation in Viet Nam’s Agriculture" in Hanoi. 

The event aimed to address the urgent need to bridge existing gaps and institutionalize data-driven approaches in agriculture. By bringing together government agencies, international organizations, academia, and private-sector innovators, the workshop fostered dialogue and collaboration to accelerate Viet Nam’s digital agricultural transformation.

The workshop also highlighted Viet Nam’s growing role in global efforts to achieve sustainable agrifood systems, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2: Zero Hunger.

Preceding the workshop, an expert training session titled "AI-based Rice Boundary Recognition and the AI4Biochar Tool" introduced participants to practical applications of AI in environmental monitoring. The training focused on Earth Observation and Deep Learning techniques, equipping stakeholders with hands-on experience in cutting-edge digital tools.

Workshop objectives

The workshop convened policymakers, researchers, and private-sector stakeholders in Hanoi to explore how advanced digital methodologies can be integrated into Viet Nam’s agricultural framework. The event aimed to foster collaboration, share insights, and develop actionable policy recommendations to accelerate Viet Nam’s digital agricultural transformation. In particular, the event:

• examined and disseminated findings from ongoing digital agriculture initiatives in Viet Nam.
• explored advanced applications of geospatial analytics, machine learning, and AI in agricultural monitoring and planning.
• enabled interdisciplinary collaboration among government entities, international organizations, and private-sector innovators.
• generated policy directives aimed at institutionalizing data-driven approaches for agricultural decision-making.
  

Participants

• Senior officials from Ministries and associated governmental institutions
• Representatives from FAO and multilateral development organizations.
• Academic researchers and data scientists specializing in agricultural informatics.
• Private-sector stakeholders from agricultural technology (AgTech) enterprises.
• International experts in AI-driven agricultural modelling and geospatial intelligence.