Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Minh Tien – Deputy Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Director of the Soil Science and Agrochemistry Institute

Interviewer: As we know, improving soil health and managing crop nutrition are inseparable and mutually reinforcing. As the country’s leading research institution on soils, how would you describe the importance of soil health?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Minh Tien: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defines soil health as “the capacity of soil to function as a living system, within ecosystem and land-use boundaries, to sustain productivity of plants and animals, maintain or enhance the quality of water and air, and promote plant and animal health.”

In other words, healthy soils support plant and animal productivity, sustain biodiversity, improve water and air quality, and ultimately contribute to human and livestock well-being.

Put simply, soil health reflects both natural fertility (the inherent physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil) and effective fertility (human interventions such as tillage and fertilization) that together maintain crop yields, quality, and biodiversity.

In many countries, soil health research has provided the foundation for national policies on land, agriculture, and the environment. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) for agricultural land management, while the European Union has integrated soil health into its low-emission farming strategy to advance climate-smart agriculture and restore soil ecosystems.

For Vietnam, maintaining and enhancing soil health is crucial to ensuring food security and sustainable agriculture. If soils are unhealthy, crop productivity inevitably declines. Therefore, we must treat soil health as we treat human health: soil requires care, regular assessments, and tailored measures to protect it.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Minh Tien presenting soil classification at the Soil Museum Exhibition Hall – Soil Science and Agrochemistry Institute

Interviewer: Given the growing problem of soil degradation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (formerly the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) approved the “Soil Health Improvement and Crop Nutrition Management Program to 2030, with a vision to 2050” on October 11, 2024, marking a significant step in sustainable agriculture. How do you assess its impact?"

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Minh Tien: Vietnam’s soils face widespread degradation. A 2020 nationwide survey by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment showed that 5.08 million hectares of agricultural land (44% of the surveyed area) are degraded to varying degrees. Of these, 65.2% suffer mild degradation and 32.6% moderate degradation. Degradation includes declining fertility, erosion, drought, desertification, hardening, lateritization, salinization, and acid sulfate soils.

Beyond natural factors such as soil formation and climate change, human practices play a major role. Intensive cropping, overuse of chemical fertilizers, and limited application of organic matter have led to nutrient imbalances, organic matter depletion, and loss of soil fertility. Prolonged reliance on chemical inputs has acidified soils, reduced organic carbon content, accumulated toxins, and disrupted soil structure, leaving soils compacted and less productive.

A 2021 survey by the Institute of Soils and Fertilizers in the Central Highlands, where coffee and pepper are widely grown, found significant deterioration. Average soil organic carbon was only 1.2–2.5%, compared with 5.14% in natural forest soils. Soil pH ranged from 3.1 to 4.6 in plantations, versus 5.6 in forest soils, clear evidence of declining soil quality.

Vietnam is a land-scarce, densely populated country, with just over 0.1 hectares of arable land per person. To feed a population of more than 100 million and sustain its position as a major agricultural exporter, protecting soil health is imperative. The Party, State, and Government have all prioritized this issue, reflected in recent policies, regulations, and Party resolutions emphasizing the need for sustainable land management.

What remains lacking, however, is sufficient capacity and effective implementation. The approval of the “Soil Health Improvement and Crop Nutrition Management Program” provides a much-needed framework for research, policy, and coordinated action. It offers a strong basis for local authorities, businesses, donors, and partners to design and implement measures to protect soil health and manage crop nutrition more effectively.

Staff of the Soil Science and Agrochemistry Institute analyzing soil samples

Interviewer: Soil health management must go hand in hand with science, technology, and digital transformation. In your view, what concrete steps should Vietnam take to manage soil more effectively in the years ahead?

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Minh Tien: First, strengthen state management of soil health and crop nutrition by adopting a unified soil classification system and national indicators for soil quality. Standards and technical regulations on soil health and fertilizer quality should be updated and improved, while laboratories require better equipment, methods, and capacity to support monitoring and management.

Second, build a national soil quality database, covering physical, chemical, and biological indicators for major soil types and fertilizer use on key crops. Data should be modeled, standardized, and digitized so that farmers and enterprises can easily access information and adjust crop choices and farming practices accordingly.

Third, develop indicators and grading systems for soil health across physical, chemical, and biological dimensions, harmonized with regional and international standards.

Fourth, establish sustainable farming practices that optimize fertilizer use, reduce nutrient losses, and improve soil health on key agricultural soils. These practices should also protect beneficial organisms, enhance biodiversity, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Fifth, build human capacity by training managers and technicians, while raising public awareness at both central and local levels about the importance of soil health and crop nutrition management.

Interviewer: Thank you for sharing your insights!

Le Hai - Ngoc Huyen