Southeast Asia plays a pivotal position in global rice production, with Vietnam and Indonesia among its key producers. Yet, despite their geographic proximity, rice farmers in these countries face distinct challenges and possess different capacities.
In Vietnam’s Mekong Delta—home to half of the country’s rice output— farmers manage larger landholdings1 and make extensive use of large-scale machinery and advanced technologies, such as drones, with a strong focus on boosting yields for export markets. In line its COP26 pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, the Vietnamese government is accelerating its transition towards a green growth model. Large-scale, consolidated production zones that bring farmers together to adopt climate-smart practices, meet international standards and boost the value and competitiveness of Vietnamese rice globally are crucial steps toward Vietnam’s goal of cultivating one million hectares of low-emission, high-quality rice production by 2030.
By contrast, Indonesian farmers typically cultivate smaller plots, averaging around 0,5 ha2 , and rely on more traditional, low-input rice farming methods with limited mechanisation. The main priority is self-sufficiency: with rice as the main staple food, Indonesia has set its sights on halting rice imports by 2025, increasing domestic supply by 2027 and becoming a major global food supplier by 2045. Achieving these goals has led to an ambitious production target of 32 million tonnes by 2025—a 2.76% rise compared to the previous five-year average—and 61 million tonnes by 2045.
Despite their ambitious production targets, both Vietnam and Indonesia continue to grapple with deep-rooted sustainability challenges in their rice sectors. Over-reliance on chemical inputs, high production costs, and escalating climate risks threaten the resilience of rice farming and the livelihoods it supports. Traditional farming methods still dominate, with heavy dependence on consistent water supplies, chemical fertilisers, and pesticides – practices that degrade to soil, forcing farmers to increase fertiliser use, which in turn raises production costs and reduces net income.
Climate change has further heightened vulnerabilities, with strong winds, erratic weather, and pest outbreaks jeopardising months of hard work. Smallholder farmers urgently require access to climate-resilient farming systems, but transitioning to sustainable practices is not straightforward. Farmers need technical support, financial backing, access to quality inputs and services, and reliable markets to make such a transition viable.
Across Vietnam and Indonesia, the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) standard is proving to be a powerful tool for transforming rice farming into a more sustainable and profitable livelihood. The SRP standard offers a comprehensive framework that helps farmers shift from resource-intensive, conventional practices to methods that restore soil health, cut emissions, and improve water use, eventually contributing to higher yields and better income.
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This shift is producing tangible results. In Vietnam, farmers using SRP practices have reduced water use by 30% through alternate wetting and drying techniques3. Combined with the elimination of straw burning - replaced by the practice of incorporating straw back into the soil to improve fertility - these changes have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 14,95 tons of CO2 per hectare. Furthermore, by optimising the use of inputs such as seed, fertiliser and pesticides, as well as water, farmers have reduced production costs by up to VND4 million (~US$157) per hectare. These savings directly benefit the farmers' bottom line.
Meanwhile, productivity in Indonesia has steadily increased, with average yields climbing from 6.4 to 7 tons per hectare on average, compared to the national average of 5.2 tons per hectare, driven by good agricultural practices that follow SRP recommendations. This boost in yields has significantly improved farmers' profitability, with net profit margins rising from 3.89% in 2022 to 17% in2024. Despite initial increases in production costs, mainly due to higher seedrequirements and the time-intensive nature of the manual planting techniquecalled Jajar Legowo double-row spacing, farmers' annual net incomes grew byaround 20%4.These results show that even when the shift to sustainable practices demandsmore at the outset, they can far outweigh the costs.
What made this possible? Inspired by the benefits of adopting the SRP standard, tailored financial and technical support enabled more than 8,000 farmers5 in Indonesia and in Vietnam put the SRP’s 41 sustainability criteria into practice. Demo plots and farmer field schools turned abstract concepts into hands-on learning and helped build confidence and collaboration at the community level.“We feel incredibly supported, to lead 394 farmers who now implement SRP practices. The cooperative is thriving, thanks to demo plots, farmer field schools, and other capacity-building initiatives. These benefits aren’t just for the farmers—we, as managers who are also farmers, have grown so much from this SRP journey too.” – Siti Marfuah, Chief of Amarta Padi Cooperative, Blitar, Indonesia.
The tangible gains in productivity and resilience are just one side of the coin. The SRP standard is also unlocking new market opportunities. As more cooperatives move towards certification, farmers are not only improving how they grow rice but also how—and where—they sell it.
In 2024, a small but powerful milestone was achieved by the Binh Thanh Agricultural Service Cooperative in Lap Vo, Dong Thap that became the first cooperative in Vietnam to achieve and own SRP certification through a third-party assessment conducted by Preferred by Nature. Covering 64.11 hectares and involving 32 farmers, the certification process was supported by Rikolto through technical assistance, funding and training sessions with provincial agricultural officials to ensure transparency and accuracy. The cooperative navigated a demanding process that looked at everything from seed quality and fertiliser use to water management and social responsibility.
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Inspired by Binh Thanh’s success, two more cooperatives—Tan Binh and Thang Loi—are now embarking on the SRP certification journey. For Tan Binh, its commitment is already opening doors. The cooperative is preparing to supply SRP-verified rice to Hong Tan, a local miller who will promote the development of a local value chain for sustainable SRP rice, and to Beneo, a Belgian company that requires high-starch rice produced to meet European sustainability standards. These partnerships are not just commercial deals—they’re opportunities to connect sustainable practices to premium markets, creating real incentives for farmers to transition.
But how replicable is this path? In Indonesia, without national recognition, SRP-compliant rice is sold as regular rice, making certification a hard sell. For many cooperatives, the upfront investment doesn’t yet guarantee a return, particularly when competing in price-sensitive markets. However, as Indonesia positions itself to enter the rice export market, SRP certification could become a strategic lever to meet international standards and unlock access to new buyers.
That’s where Rikolto’s broader market facilitation efforts come into play. Rikolto has also supported Indonesian cooperatives in expanding their markets through direct buyer introductions and participation in European trade shows. As a result, sales of environmentally sustainable rice —SRP6 and organic combined— increased from 617 tonnes in 2022 to 770 tonnes in 2024, reflecting a gradual but steady commitment from both the market and producers.
So, is certification the way forward for all? Not necessarily. As we often say at Rikolto, no one-size-fits-all solution exists in food systems. Certification requires investment—in time, trust, coordination, and money. Its long-term viability must be assessed case by case. Yet, when the conditions are right, the process can be open markets and empower farmers. As Mr. Cao Tho Truong from Binh Thanh Cooperative puts it: “After a challenging implementation process, each farmer has changed their mindset. That transformation is our biggest success. Achieving SRP certification is a source of pride for us, as it enhances the value of our rice.”
After a challenging implementation process, each farmer has changed their mindset. That transformation is our biggest success. Achieving SRP certification is a source of pride for us, as it enhances the value of our rice
The SRP standard offers local and regional governments a clear framework for achieving sustainability goals and its gradual compliance mechanism enables farmers to adopt practices at their own pace. By striking a balance between sustainability and scalability, the standard gives authorities a practical tool with which to track and demonstrate progress towards national and provincial green growth targets, such as Vietnam’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and Indonesia’s food security roadmap.
Scaling up of its adoption requires coordinated involvement from the public sector at all levels. National and provincial governments can lead the way by incorporating the SRP standard into agricultural strategies, creating supportive policies and investing in training and infrastructure. District authorities play a vital role in mobilising extension services, coordinating farmer groups, and aligning interventions with local needs.
Private sector stakeholders, such as millers, retailers and input suppliers, also play a crucial role in generating demand for sustainable rice by offering reliable market incentives. Success is measured not only by better yields and reduced environmental impact, but also by integrating farmers into value chains that reward sustainable practices. Local and international organisations, including Rikolto, contribute to this process by fostering trust among stakeholders and supporting farmer cooperatives to amplify smallholders’ voice in these decision-making processes.
Through cross-sector collaboration, SRP can evolve into a collective commitment to sustainable rice farming, thereby reinforcing resilient rice-based food systems.
[1] Accordingto our partner reports, the size of plots ranges from 2.84 to 3.32 ha perhousehold.
[2] Indonesia's2023 agricultural census data shows that 59.5% of farmers cultivate plots of0.6 hectares or less; the average land holding per farmer we worked with in2024 was approximately 0.53 hectares.
[3] Alternate wetting & drying (AWD) is a water-saving method that involves periodically draining the fields instead of keeping them flooded constantly. Two weeks after planting, fields are allowed to dry, and water is only added when levels fall to a specific depth. This improves soil health, allows oxygen to reach the roots and helps plants access nutrients more efficiently.
[4] These net income figures represent the average net income of the four cooperatives we worked with. The data was collected from a sample offarmers who participated in the SRP survey.
[5] In 2024, Rikolto supported 4,103 farmers in Vietnam on 3,036hectares and 4,334 farmers in Indonesia on 2,314 hectares in adopting SRPpractices. Our work in Vietnam began in 2018, supporting 16 cooperatives inDong Thap and Kien Giang provinces. Our engagement in Indonesia dates back to2017, and since then we have supported four cooperatives in Boyolali and Klaten(Central Java) and Blitar (East Java), as well as 14 farmer groups in CentralJava.
[6] SRP rice accounted for 73.49% of that growth.
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