The federal government launched a contract with a Vietnamese company for gender-just, low-carbon, rice in Vietnam worth $8.2M in January.The $8.2-million project, Greening Our Rice: Gender-Just, Low-Carbon, Rice Value Chains in Vietnam (GORice), was launched with funding from Global Affairs Canada. Running until March 2029, the program aims to reshape one of the world’s most important rice-producing regions by linking sustainability with social inclusion..So far, training programs have begun rolling out across high-yield provinces such as Trà Vinh, An Giang, and Sóc Trăng. More than 20,000 small-scale producers are expected to benefit over the life of the project, with women making up about half of participants and ethnic minorities one-fifth.The focus is twofold: lowering the sector’s carbon footprint and breaking down barriers to gender equality. Farmers are being introduced to climate-smart methods that improve productivity while cutting methane emissions.At the same time, workshops and coaching sessions are challenging traditional gender norms, encouraging women to take a stronger role in household and community decision-making..The initiative also equips local officials with tools to access carbon markets and attract green financing.By aligning climate priorities with gender equity, Canadian and Vietnamese officials say the program has the potential to build a more resilient and socially just rice economy.Vietnam is the world’s third-largest rice exporter, but its intensive farming practices contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.Observers note that projects like GORice are increasingly seen as essential to balancing global food security with the urgent demands of climate action.
