Title of document: ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND “SAFE” VEGETABLES IN VIETNAM: IMPLICATIONS FOR AGRO-FOOD SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY

Authors: Luke Simmons; Steffanie Scott

Ministry/Government Agency/Organisation: University of Waterloo

Geographic focus: Vietnam

School of agroecology: Organic Agriculture

Organic agriculture is often promoted as a possible route for farmers in the global south to follow in the quest for greater agricultural sustainability. By allowing farmers better access to the global markets for organic food, it is hoped that sustainable livelihoods will develop. But what happens when this approach is viewed through the lens of a low energy future? It is increasingly recognised that world energy supplies in the form of readily available oil and natural gas are very close to peaking and will soon start to decline. This poses a serious challenge to agricultural development activities that rely on these fuels. This challenge is explored in the context of Vietnam, a fast-growing country with heavily taxed natural resources and millions of smallholder farmers seeking to improve their livelihoods. This paper reports on field research and a review of secondary sources to assess the trends and prospects for organic agriculture to address agro-food system sustainability. As certified organic agriculture is only just emerging in Vietnam, the production of safe vegetables for the domestic market is also discussed. It is argued that organic agriculture in Vietnam is not centered on environmental concerns and is instead driven largely by the demand from export markets. There has been very little development of the domestic market for organic products in Vietnam despite the fact that there are strong concerns around food safety and food quality, particularly amongst urban consumers.