“Our clients demand sustainable products. We could have sourced SRP-verified rice on the spot market - but we want to know the farmers. What's special about this project is that we're part of the value chain, from start to finish. And there’s full transparency on how the rice isgrown and traced.” — Mr. Roland Vanhoegaerden, Operations Managing Director of BENEO-Remy.
On April 1, 2025, Rikolto and the Rural Development Sub-Department under the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap Province, co-hosted the event “Promoting SRP-Verified Rice Linkage with BENEO-Remy N.V.” in Cao Lanh City. The event served as a platform to present a new three-party cooperation model aimed at scaling up SRP (Sustainable Rice Platform) verified rice and building inclusive business relationships from farm to fork.
The event brought together key stakeholders in the rice food system: Tan Binh, Thang Loi and Binh Thanh Cooperatives, Hong Tan Rice Co., Ltd., BENEO-Remy N.V. from Belgium, CarbonFarm Technology from France, Preferred by Nature, the Asian Organic Agriculture Research and Development Institute, AOI, the Mekong Conservancy Foundation, MCF, and local authorities.
Presentations focused on illustrating the model that will link verified sustainable rice to international markets: Tan Binh Cooperative is responsible for producing SRP-verified rice, Hong Tan Rice Co., Ltd. oversees processing, packaging and logistics while BENEO acts as a buyer to secure rice for the European market while guaranteeing a premium price to farmers for their sustainability efforts.
“What inspires us most about joining this supply chain is the opportunity to work directly with farmers. We know that farmers will invest in sustainable production when they clearly see the benefits. Fortunately, Rikolto's SRP initiatives have delivered tangible and convincing results over the years – and that's why we are fully confident in joining this initiative.”
On April 3rd, in Ho Chi Minh City, Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) hosted the seminar “Vietnam-Flanders: Investing in Climate Resilient Partnerships”. Organised during the State Visit to Vietnam of Their Majesties the King and Queen of Belgium to Vietnam (March 31-April 4, 2025), the seminar highlighted the crucial role of public-private partnerships in promoting sustainable, climate-resilient development. Among the initiatives presented, Roland Vanhoegaerden of BENEO-Remy introduced the collaboration with Rikolto, Carbon Farm, and Vietnamese cooperatives and millers.
Since becoming a member of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) in 2015, Rikolto has played a key role as technical advisor - supporting cooperatives to adopt the SRP standard and building strong market linkages for smallholder farmers. As a result of these efforts, farmers at Tan Binh cooperative have saved 3–4 million VND in production costs per hectare, reduced irrigation water use by 30% through alternate wetting and drying techniques, improved their health conditions, and increased their environmental awareness.
To further validate and scale these gains, the initiative will integrate MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification) technology from CarbonFarm Technology. Powered by artificial intelligence and satellite data, this low-cost MRV system enables transparent monitoring of farming activities – such as water and rice straw management - and quantifies the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Building on the success of Binh Thanh Cooperative, the first in Vietnam to achieve third-party SRP certification in 2024, Rikolto is now working alongside Tan Binh and Thang Loi Cooperatives to follow the same path.
“For BENEO and other international buyers, certification provides assurance that sustainability and food safety standards are met.”
“For BENEO and other international buyers, certification provides assurance that sustainability and food safety standards are met.” said Mr. Le Tuan, Rikolto's Rice Programme Director for Southeast Asia and Rice Programme Manager for Vietnam. “Additionally, we will collaborate with all other partners in the system to expand areas of high-quality raw material, strengthen market linkages both internationally and domestically, and promote sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers in Dong Thap.”
Mr. Hoang Tan Dat, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Dong Thap Province, praised the initiative for contributing to specialised rice production zones and aligning with the province’s green growth and emission reduction goals. He stressed that close cooperation between cooperatives, companies, and international organisations will enhance the value and competitiveness of Vietnamese rice.
The model is supported by FICAP, the Flanders International Climate Action Programme and its aim goes beyond export markets: pave the way for deeper cooperation and the development of a robust and sustainable rice value chain, and ultimately to develop a domestic market for SRP-verified rice. This would make sustainably produced rice a trusted choice for Vietnamese consumers as well — creating long-term benefits for farmers, consumers, and a greener future for Vietnam’s agriculture.
Launched in March 2024, the 34-month FICAP-funded project aims to scale up a sustainable value chain model based on the application of the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) standard for rice cultivation and marketing of sustainable rice, contributing to both climate adaptation, mitigation in the region and the strengthening of farmers’ livelihoods.
Specifically, the project focuses on three main objectives:
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