Review on scientific research on ecology and environment at Vietnam National University of Agriculture

Vietnam J. Agri. Sci. 2016, Vol. 14, No. 10: 1631 -1638 Tạp chí KH Nông nghiệp Việt Nam 2016, tập 14, số 10: 1631 - 1638 
www.vnua.edu.vn 
1631 
REVIEW ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON ECOLOGY 
AND ENVIRONMENT AT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE 
Tran Duc Vien
1
, Ngo The An
2
, Nguyen Thanh Lam
3* 
1
Chairman of University Council, Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) 
2
Department of Agroecology, Faculty of Environment, VNUA 
3
Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Environment, VNUA 
Email
*
: ntlam_cares@vnua.edu.vn 
Received date: 05.11.2016 Accepted date: 30.11.2016 
ABSTRACT 
Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), a leading university in agro-forestry and aquaculture, has 
made significant contributions to the field of ecology and environmental protection towards sustainable agricultural 
development in Vietnam. This paper reviews existing publications and scientific works conducted by VNUA’s 
researchers, focusing in three specific regions: upland, peri-urban, and coastal zones. Research results reveal that 
forestland degradation is the main problem of the upland. Accordingly, the proposed solutions include decentralizing 
forest management and improving payment practices for environmental services. In peri-urban areas, fertilizers and 
pesticides abuse in agriculture, environmental pollution, and food safety violations are the main concerns and the 
corresponding priority measure are the high-tech farming in the context of land shortage and market development for 
safety vegetables. In coastal areas, climate change and saltwater intrusion are viewed as the critical problems and 
there is a need for further research on smart agriculture to adapt to climate change in these areas. 
Keywords: Ecology and Environment, environmental pollution, resource degradation, VNUA. 
Tổng quan hoạt động khoa học công nghệ trong lĩnh vực sinh thái môi trường 
tại Học viện Nông nghiệp Việt Nam 
TÓM TẮT 
Là một trường đại học trọng điểm trong khối nông lâm ngư, Học viện Nông nghiệp Việt Nam (HVNNVN) đã sớm 
có nhiều đóng góp có ý nghĩa trong lĩnh vực sinh thái môi trường, góp phần phát triển bền vững nông nghiệp nông 
thôn. Bài báo này tổng kết các công trình nghiên cứu của Học viện theo 3 vùng địa lý mang tính đặc thù của Việt 
Nam là vùng cao, vùng ven đô thị và vùng ven biển. Kết quả nghiên cứu chỉ ra vấn đề chính đối với vùng cao là suy 
thoái đất rừng. Định hướng nghiên cứu được đề xuất cho vùng này là xã hội hóa trong quản lý tài nguyên rừng; và 
hoàn thiện cơ chế chi trả dịch vụ môi trường rừng. Vùng ven đô có các vấn đề sử dụng hóa chất trong sản xuất nông 
nghiệp, ô nhiễm môi trường và mất an toàn thực phẩm. Định hướng ưu tiên của vùng ven đô là nông nghiệp công 
nghệ cao trong điều kiện khan hiếm đất sản xuất; phát triển thị trường sản xuất rau an toàn. Vùng ven biển có các 
vấn đề về biến đổi khí hậu, xâm nhập mặn. Trọng điểm nghiên cứu cần phát triển cho vùng này là sản nông nghiệp 
bền vững thích ứng với biến đổi khí hậu. 
Từ khóa: Học viện Nông nghiệp Việt Nam, Sinh thái môi trường, suy thoái tài nguyên, ô nhiễm môi trường. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
In recent years, the problems associated 
with natural resource degradation have 
received abundant attention from scholars in 
both the environmental and security aspects. 
Environmental pollution, degradation of 
natural resources, and climate change have 
occurred in many parts of the world and have 
caused many negative impacts on the well-
being of humans and the natural environment. 
As a result, governments and international 
Review on scientific research on ecology and environment at Vietnam National University of Agriculture 
1632 
organizations have put a lot of effort in 
addressing these problems. In this context, the 
Vietnamese government has made a strong 
commitment to the reduction of green house gas 
emissions and increased green development 
during the Paris Climate Conference (COP21 
2015); thereby, a number of environmental 
policies have been launched in the country 
(Vietnam’s INDC, 2015). 
VNUA (the former name was Hanoi 
University of Agriculture No.1), plays a very 
important role as a leader of science and 
technology in ecology and environmental 
sciences in the rural areas of Vietnam. Over the 
past decade, a number of research studies on 
ecology and the environment have been carried 
out by VNUA’s researchers and have been 
published as articles in international and 
national journals, books and scientific reports. 
These publications mainly focus on three 
regions: upland, peri-urban, and coastal zones 
of Vietnam. For the upland regions, the key 
issues are forest protection, biodiversity 
conservation, and sustainable upland farming 
within an integrated market, while 
urbanization, pollution and food safety, and 
overuse of fertilizers and pesticides are critical 
concerns in the peri-urban areas. In the coastal 
areas, climate change and salt intrusion, and 
their impact on agriculture are the main issues. 
This paper reviews representative publications 
and papers in ecology and environment sciences 
carried out by VNUA researchers in order to 
demonstrate the contributions of VNUA to 
sustainable agricultural development in 
Vietnam. This paper focuses on major studies 
conducted in the three aforementioned 
geographic regions. 
2. UPLAND NATURAL RESOURCES 
MANAGEMENT 
In Vietnam, 3/4 of the natural area belongs 
to the uplands where forest degradation, soil 
erosion, leaching, and land degradation in 
swidden farming are alarming problems. In 
order to develop better options for soil fertility 
management in this region, the researchers of 
the upland working group carried out long-term 
studies in the northern uplands and the north 
central part of Vietnam. The most 
representative publications examine nutrient 
dynamic under swidden farming based on 
research over a 20-year period (Tran Duc Vien 
et al., 2008; Tran Duc Vien et al., 2009). The 
results describe the nutrient trends under 
different management options at different 
states of swidden-fallow stages in North West of 
Vietnam (Figure 1). 
Figure 1. Conceptual framework for swidden studies and solutions to maintain soil fertility 
Source: Tran Duc Vien et al., 2009.
Tran Duc Vien, Ngo The An, Nguyen Thanh Lam 
1633 
The dynamics of soil fertility in the swidden 
farming as shown in Figure 1 play a very 
important role because they provide the scientific 
fundamentals for selecting appropriate measures 
in order to shorten fallow periods and plant 
legumes. Similar research projects have been done 
in Yen Chau and for trans-boundary watershed 
management in Nghe An and Xieng Khoang. 
Soil erosion is considered the main cause of 
the decline of soil fertility in the uplands. The 
fallow period plays a very important role in 
nutrient build-up and reduction of soil erosion 
(Nguyen Thanh Lam et al., 2005; Nguyen Van 
Dung et al., 2008). Thus, all different upland 
management methods try to optimize the fallow 
period to adapt to local socio-economic contexts. 
Tran Duc Vien and Nguyen Thanh Lam (2006) 
found that it was not easy to implement this 
measure due to the pressures of population 
growth and market fluctuation. In recent 
decades, a shortened fallow period is often 
found in the uplands of Vietnam due to 
expanding cassava and canna plantations. This 
directly impacts the sustainability of composite 
swidden farming. (Tran Duc Vien et al., 2009). 
Other aspects of upland agriculture have 
been identified through the study of the 
“Upland group” on the negative impacts from 
upland intensive farming (Ziegler et al., 2009). 
These authors suggest that intensive farming 
can change water flows, promote soil erosion 
and landslides, and water quality might be 
impacted by fertilizers and pesticides. (Tran 
Duc Vien et al., 2009). 
Today, integration of forest plantations and 
biodiversity conservation into food security in 
the upland region of Vietnam is considered an 
alternative strategic solution in upland resource 
management. The forest plays an important 
role in maintaining the soil fertility of the whole 
watershed. Since the early 1990s, a number of 
studies provided strong evidence that forest 
protection and development strategies were 
imperative for sustainable agricultural 
development in many parts of country, such as 
Yen Bai and the Central highlands (Tran Duc 
Vien and Le Thanh Ha, 1993; Cu Xuan Dan et 
al., 1994; Tran Duc Vien, 2001). Institutional 
management, planning and decentralization are 
responsible for the success of organizations in 
natural resources management. Tran Duc Vien 
and Nguyen Vinh Quang (2005) investigated 
forest management in Son La and Nghe An 
provinces and found that overlapping functions 
in forest management carried out by the various 
organizations in the same province lead to the 
limitation of forest management and planning 
activities. These authors suggested that local 
authorities should be more empowered in forest 
management so that they can more easily deal 
with their own problems in the local area. 
Based on these findings, the Vietnamese 
government laid down forestry socialization as a 
policy and accepted the participation of multi-
sectors in forest protection and development in 
2010. From that time onwards, the role of the 
local communities has received more attention 
from policy makers. They have become 
important stakeholders and have participated 
in all the forestry management activities, 
namely forest monitoring, and benefit sharing 
(Danielsen et al., 2013; Brofeldt et al., 2014; 
Tran Nguyen Bang & Ngo The An, 2015). 
In response to the above mentioned issues, 
many research topic initiatives have been 
created by VNUA. These include (i) Improving 
the local livelihood of forest owners; (ii) 
Socializing forest resources management; (iii) 
Enhancing mechanisms for Payment for Forest 
Ecosystem Services (PFES); and (iv) Reducing 
greenhouse gas Emissions from Deforestation 
and forest Degradation and enhancing carbon 
stocks (REDD+) (Tran Duc Vien et al., 2016). 
3. MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL 
ENVIRONMENT IN PERI-URBAN AREAS 
Over the past few years, the peri-urban 
areas have become priority areas for studying 
ecology and the environment at VNUA. Tran 
Duc Vien (2002b) and Pham Van Hoi et al. 
(2009a&b) in collaborations with experts from 
Wagennigen did research on agriculture in the 
peri-urban areas of Hanoi. The results showed 
urgent issues of agriculture in the peri-urban 
areas including: environmental pollution, food 
safety, urbanization, diseases, and overuse of 
pesticides and fertilizers. 
Review on scientific research on ecology and environment at Vietnam National University of Agriculture 
1634 
Figure 2. Environmental issues in Agriculture 
and Solutions for Peri-Urban areas in Vietnam 
As mentioned above, environmental 
pollution in animal husbandry is considered a 
major challenge for the suburbs in particular 
and agricultural focus areas in general. The 
research findings of lecturers of the Faculty of 
Environment show that animal manure has not 
yet been treated carefully and it might cause 
eutrophication and lead to serious 
environmental pollution in peri-urban areas 
(Nguyen Thuy Dung et al., 2015). Peri-urban 
areas are also the most sensitive places for the 
poultry trade and are characterised by the 
potential risk of bird flu infection. For a solid 
scientific basis, VNUA cooperated with 
international scientists to develop systematic 
research on the vectors of avian flu in the sub-
urban areas of Vietnam. (Saksena et al., 2014). 
Fertilizer and pesticide abuse is of 
increasing concern because of the harmful 
impacts on human health. An intensive 
research by Pham Van Hoi et al. (2009b) 
showed that the number of dealers selling plant 
protecting chemicals (e.g., pesticides, herbicides, 
fungicides) increased rapidly at the rate of up to 
40% per year in the Red River Delta and the 
suburbs of Hanoi. 
In the animal husbandry sector, VNUA’s 
study, carried out on 20 farms in Bac Giang 
Province, shows that the use of antibiotics in 
animals on farms have not been managed 
strictly and suitably. Furthermore, the selection 
of antibiotics is based mainly on experience and 
recommendations of the drug manufacturing 
companies. (Duong Thi Toan and Nguyen Van 
Luu, 2015). 
Nutrient management issues in the farming 
systems in intensive farming areas in the Red 
River Delta have been mentioned in the research 
of Tran Duc Vien (1992) from the early 1990s. 
The author carried out a three year research 
study and proposed solutions for nutritional 
management in the paddy fields with frequent 
floods in Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province, by 
developing a fish-rice model (Tran Duc Vien, 
1994a,b). These models were promoted and 
expanded to the whole country by the Ministry of 
Agriculture and Rural Development (Tran Duc 
Vien and Pham Chi Thanh, 1994). 
VNUA also proposed technical solutions in 
environmental ecology based on research done 
in the peri-urban areas of the Red River Delta. 
Doan Van Diem et al. (2011) found different 
varieties of different species (rice varieties 
DH60, CH133, and DT10; hybrid peanuts 75/23 
and B5000; mung bean DX02; soybeans AK03 
and V74) that can be adapted to infertile soil in 
the Soc Son district of Hanoi under non-drought 
conditions. In addition, in order to improve the 
sustainability of farming systems, VNUA 
Urgent issues in Peri-Urban areas 
Solutions 
Green 
corridor 
 Planning Vietgaps 
RAT 
 Treatment Envi. 
Control 
 Pollution Overuse pesticides & 
fertilizers 
Diseases 
Urbaniz
ation 
Food 
safety 
Tran Duc Vien, Ngo The An, Nguyen Thanh Lam 
1635 
focused on the development of solutions to 
enhance material recycling in agricultural 
systems. Nguyen Xuan Thanh et al. (2007a,b) 
carried out several studies on recycling of 
agricultural residuals in the field using 
biological products to make compost in a simple 
and easy way for application purposes. Results 
showed that one hectare of summer rice will 
generate ten tons of straw that can be used to 
produce five tons of compost with the same 
quality as animal manure from the Red River 
Delta. This is a considerable amount of 
fertilizer, which plays an important role in 
setting the ecological balance of intensive 
farming in peri-urban areas. 
These research results of VNUA have 
oriented research to solve the major issues of 
peri-urban areas and the Red River Delta: i) 
High-tech agriculture in conditions of land 
scarcity for agricultural production, and (ii) 
Developing the market for safe vegetable 
production combined with the mobilization of all 
resources in agricultural production and 
agricultural waste recycling. 
4. COASTAL ENVIRONMENT NATURAL 
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 
Vietnam is one of the countr ... ajor challenges for local agricultural 
producers (Nguyen Thi Bich Yen et al., 2014; 
Ngo The An and Tran Nguyen Bang, 2014). 
Figure 3 summarizes the causes of agricultural 
loss, including climate change impacts and 
natural disasters such as drought, floods, and 
mangrove forest degradation. 
Recently, there have been an array of 
studies carried out by VNUA researchers in the 
Red River Delta coastal area, especially in the 
areas near the Red River mouth, the most 
vulnerable zone in the North of Vietnam. 
Meteorological time series data in the coastal 
area of Nam Dinh province showed that the 
mean temperature has increased by 0.3oC per 
decade; saltwater has moved upstream from the 
mouth of the Red River by 10 km; and the 
measured salinity content was over 15% 
(Nguyen Thi Bich Yen et a., 2014). Using the B2 
climate change scenario, Ngo The An and Tran 
Nguyen Bang (2014) applied the Multi Criteria 
Analysis in GIS to assess the potential risks in 
Giao Thuy district. The results show that the 
aquaculture production areas with high 
economic value are the most vulnerable areas in 
the district. According to the assessment, the 
typhoon scenario can cause the loss of 300 
billion VND per year, accounting for an 
aquaculture production area of nearly 2,400 ha. 
The proposed adaptive solutions for climate 
change in the coastal areas include changing 
crop cultivars, planning sustainable 
aquaculture production, and protecting 
mangrove forests (Dang Thi Hoa & Quyen Dinh 
Ha, 2014). In addition, resettlement, 
constructing infrastructure projects to mitigate 
and prevent the impacts of natural disasters, 
and improving the drainage system and 
transportation infrastructure were proposed to 
non-agricultural areas; developing eco-tourism 
coupled with the agro-aqua-forestry model 
development were suggested for agricultural 
areas (Tran Thi Giang Huong et al., 2015). 
Regarding the capacity of technical transfer 
and solutions, Nguyen Tat Canh et al. (2006) have 
successfully produced deep placement fertilizer 
and applied the process in sedge cultivation in 
Kim Son district of Ninh Binh province and Nga 
Son district of Thanh Hoa province. The research 
results were widely tested and the deep placement 
fertilizer has effectively been applied to various 
crops in the saline coastal areas of Vietnam. In 
aquaculture, the polyculture of shrimp with red 
tilapia where white shrimp were acclimatized to 
brackish water has been successfully tested by 
Kim Van Van and Ngo The An (2016) in Giao 
Thuy district, Nam Dinh province. As high 
variability of water conditions is expected due to 
climate change, this model can be considered as a 
strategy to increase the adaptive capacity of 
aquatic production along Nam Dinh coastal areas. 
Review on scientific research on ecology and environment at Vietnam National University of Agriculture 
1636 
Figure 3. Environmental issues in Agriculture and Solutions 
for the coastal zone in Vietnam 
In order to maintain the sustainability of 
climate change adaptation solutions, the 
integration of cultivation techniques and 
market development is essential. Ngo The An et 
al. (2016) have successfully implemented a new 
melon variety cultivation model that combines 
the transferring techniques for composting 
agricultural residues and improving the 
grower’s marketing development skills. The 
results suggest that the market plays an 
important role in the adaptive strategy of local 
farmers. The newly introduced crop varieties 
are only adopted when farmers could anticipate 
the possibility of selling their new products. 
In terms of land use management, the 
proposed solutions for coastal areas such as 
land exchange and aggregation, and 
restructuring the transportation and drainage 
systems were claimed as essential practices in 
order to cope with climate change along the 
coastal areas of Vietnam (Xuan Thi Thu Thao et 
al., 2015). 
The research findings of VNUA confirmed 
that science and technology development, land 
management renovation, and sustainable 
agricultural development adapting to climate 
change are essential to the economic 
development of the coastal areas. These are 
important focuses in the strategic research 
development of VNUA in the future. 
5. CONCLUSIONS 
To sum up, the historical development of 
VNUA shows its great contribution to the 
development of agriculture and environmental 
protection. The research results of the upland 
areas, peri-urban areas, and coastal areas by 
VNUA’s researchers provide several 
appropriate solutions to the issues in specified 
geographical locations. While the identified 
major issues existing in the mountainous areas 
include forestland degradation, the problems of 
coastal areas are climate change, saltwater 
intrusion, drought, flood, and mangrove forest 
degradation, and the overuse of pesticides and 
fertilizers, food safety, water pollution, and 
vulnerability of the agricultural ecosystem are 
the concerns in peri-urban areas. The authors 
have synthesized the nutrient rules of slope 
land to mitigate soil degradation, have proposed 
management systems for peri-urban agriculture 
based on an ecosystem approach, and developed 
a model of a climate–smart agriculture system. 
In the future, the core-oriented studies of 
VNUA will be focused on sustainable 
Urgent issues 
in coastal zone in Vietnam 
Climate 
change 
mitigation h 
ứng với 
BĐKH 
Salt tolerant 
varieties Construction 
Ecosystem 
services 
Aquacultures 
Inappropriate 
agriculture 
Natural 
disaster 
Climate 
change 
Salt water 
Intrusion 
Mangrove forest 
degradation 
Tran Duc Vien, Ngo The An, Nguyen Thanh Lam 
1637 
mountainous soil management, assisting and 
consulting coastal areas to effectively adapt to 
climate change, producing safe and 
environmental friendly products, and applying 
technological innovations in cultivation 
practices. On the basis of VNUA’s great 
performance from a long history of research and 
education, these objectives could be effectively 
realised in the near future. 
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